Doing Nothing with Donkeys

The Art of Doing Nothing (With Donkeys)

I’ve spent a lifetime chasing peace. I’ve studied mindfulness, breathwork, meditation—collected a toolbox of over 100 ways to feel centered and grounded. And they all work — sometimes.

Other times, despite my best efforts, I find myself restless, overwhelmed, and caught in the undertow of life. Maybe you can relate.

The irony, of course, is that CHASING and PEACE are opposites and cancel each other out. Peace isn’t something we grasp—it’s something we allow. But how?

I’m discovering the answer is nothing.

More specifically, making time to do nothing—to simply be. And I have two unlikely but perfect teachers showing me the way.

Their names are Miss Lilly and Rosie—two miniature donkeys with impossibly soft ears, wise eyes, and a quiet presence that settles deep into your bones.

The Gentle Art of Tenderness

Miss Lilly and Rosie are teaching me something I didn’t even know I needed: tenderness.

Not the fleeting kind, but the kind that anchors you. The kind that reminds you how good it feels to soften, to slow down, to breathe.

That’s why I created Doing Nothing With Donkeys, a mindfulness workshop where the donkeys—not me—lead the way. I may have a plan, but they always have other ideas. So, I let them guide the flow.

Sometimes, we brush them. Sometimes, we sit quietly and listen. Sometimes, they lean against us in silent companionship. They always invite us to relax in a way that often eludes us in our day-to-day lives.

And every time I see something magical happen—people melt. Shoulders drop. Breaths deepen. Hearts open.

How Can Donkeys Lead Us to a Sense of Safety?

In a world that often feels unsteady, donkeys are a grounding force. They don’t rush. They don’t force. They don’t live in the past or the future—only here, now.

They move through life with an unshakable sense of safety—deeply attuned to their surroundings, aware of what feels safe or unsafe, yet without fear. Instead, they embody a quiet confidence that reminds us:

➡ True safety doesn’t come from controlling the world. It comes from discovering our own inner steadiness.

I believe we are living through a crisis of unsafety. So many of us carry layers of tension, bracing against a world that feels chaotic. That’s why one of the greatest gifts of this workshop is the chance to reconnect with a deep, inner safety—not through force, but through gentle, unstructured time with donkeys.

Donkeys are also masters of boundaries. They decide when to engage and when to step back. And in their quiet wisdom, they teach us to do the same.

A Self-Love Tune-Up — Courtesy of Donkeys

One of my favorite parts of this experience is listening to the donkeys.

Each person receives something different—a feeling, a nudge, an insight wrapped in metaphor. Participants often describe this as “transformative,” “healing,” and “exactly what I didn’t know I needed.”

It’s hard to be too serious in the presence of playful, curious donkeys. They have a way of brushing away the madness of the world—just like their impossibly soft ears brush against our hands.

I’ve invited a few friends to come and Do Nothing with Donkeys for an hour or so. It’s incredible to watch people melt in their presence—how the tension they didn’t even know they were carrying seems to slip away.

Something about their wise, knowing eyes stirs something deep inside us. A forgotten innocence. A softness we don’t often give ourselves permission to feel.

And for a moment, the world feels quieter. Softer. More kind.

A Bonded Pair — A Living Meditation

Miss Lilly and Rosie move together as if sharing one breath. They graze together. Rest together. Watch the world together.

Even when they bicker (for all of three seconds), harmony is quickly restored.

Miss Lilly and Rosie are a bonded pair of gentle souls. It is very relaxing to see how they do everything in unison. This kind of connection is awe-inspiring. Without words, they move together, watch the world together, and eat from the same bowl, even though there are two bowls side by side.

It’s incredible how powerful it is to be quiet, and they invite us to relax in a way that often eludes us. Their serenity connects us with our own animal nature, and we come to feel more at peace with ourselves.

Being in their presence is a meditation in itself—a reminder that life doesn’t have to be a struggle. That connection can be effortless. That peace is possible.

And I believe this is what the world needs most right now—a little tenderizing. A way back to our own softness.

An Invitation (For You, Too)

I hope you’ll join us for an immersive experience—brushing, cuddling, and simply being with a donkey. Feeling their patience, their quiet strength, their unshakable presence.

Participants have described these moments as "transformative," "healing," "joyful," and "surprising." And every time, I am reminded:

Sometimes, peace isn’t something we find—it’s something we allow. And donkeys, in their quiet, knowing way, show us how.

This is more than just meditation. It’s a deep, wordless connection to something primal and true—your own fundamental animal nature. A remembering of the peace that already exists within you, just waiting to be felt.

At The Human-Animal Connection, we bring this work to high school students, veterans, 911 operators, healthcare workers, trauma survivors, and anyone seeking healing.

But we need help to make this accessible to more people.

If this resonates with you, I invite you to support our GoFundMe campaign to help Miss Lilly and Rosie continue their work. Every donation—big or small—helps us bring this profound experience to those who need it most.

And if nothing else, I invite you to take a moment today to do nothing. To be soft. To be tender. To simply be.

The donkeys would approve.

With gratitude,
Genie Joseph, PhD
Executive Director, The Human-Animal Connection
Author of The Human-Animal Connection

👉 Help Miss Lilly & Rosie Thrive

Thank you!

Please share with anyone who may be moved by their magic.