Kat Tansey’s memoir of recovery from suicidal depression outlines the basic steps of meditation and how she overcame the blocks to immersing herself in the practice. Choosing to Be is an excellent choice of title as it pinpoints the heart of the issue. Tansey learns how to be, which is difficult for someone who excelled at how to do. The subtitle, “Lessons in Living from a Feline Zen Master,” is an equally excellent choice. In my professional experience, not enough humans grasp the gifts that cats and other animals are continually offering us. Poohbear, the author’s four-year-old Maine Coon, is a conscientious instructor and mentor.

Cats live in the now. This was a lesson Tansey struggled to come to grips with. The more she learned, the more she was able to experience joy. Tansey quotes Charlotte Joko Beck, “Joy isn’t something we have to find. Joy is who we are if we’re not preoccupied with something else.” Working with her feline Zen master and later with a human instructor, Tansey managed to peel away layers of difficulties to get to the root of her depression. The photos the author took of her cat illustrate the various lessons he taught her

Throughout my years of consultations, I have frequently been guided to suggest meditation. Now I have found a clear narrative explaining how beneficial meditation can be.

— Catherine Ferguson, New Age Retailer