Horses are incredible teachers of mindfulness. Practicing mindfulness in nature together with horses in a species specific equine environment promises to enhance the integration of our 3 brains – head, heart, and gut. The practices and experiential learning falls under Natural Mindfulness and Eco Therapy.
Due to their subtle but powerful impact on humans, horses help to activate heart-centered responses, wholehearted engagement, cultivating mindful self-awareness including tuning into the body, and developing mastery through embodied practice. For horses to willingly engage with us, we must be present and congruent. They help us to more effectively self-regulate.
Horses, Energy & Natural Mindfulness gives us a potent recipe for Empowered Action:
Being in Alignment with your values and looking into your core beliefs. Experiencing the essence of Trust & Flow.
Understanding and experiencing Connection. Experiencing greater self awareness through connecting to our own bodies, with nature and our animal guides, the horses. Our own bodies being a beautiful and powerful entry point for us to observe the essence of connection. Learning how all our bodily systems work together, all inter-connected biological wonder. Learning from the horses as herd animals who have evolved by depending on connection and cooperation to survive and thrive. Being able to listen and receive the teachings and gifts of the horse-human relationship. We can not deceive a horse, therefore they gift us incredibly accurate bio-feedback, they are able to cut through the lies we tell ourselves as well as picking up on things in our sub-conscious and unconscious. They mirror these hidden things to us and if we are open and willing to acknowledge and work through these things, great transformation and empowerment lies in store for us.
Emotional and Energetic Agility is another gift horse – human relationships can bestow upon us. Horses model four strong features of emotional and energetic agility in their daily lives to us if we allow ourselves to slow down and step into the observer. First they display being in a constant state awareness of their environment, of what they see, hear, smell, sense and feel. From there they recognize the wisdom from what they perceive within their own bodies and then take action or inaction , depending on the situation. Horses are able to Go Back To Grazing after triggering events and do not obsess about the past or worry about the future. They reside in the present moment . They can effectively discern and detach.
As human we can become attached to things, ideas and beliefs. Attachment limits the infinite possibilities in which life can unfold. Interacting with horses teaches you to become more flexible and innovative. Your cognitive flexibility and your neuroplasticity improves. You learn to allow processes to unfold , surrenderingcontrol dramas so that you can enjoy the unfolding. This of course requires faithand vulnerability, which may feel like fear at times. Horses help you find couragewithin yourself. You will find many beautiful surprises along the way. Listen to your body and listen to your horse.
Blisscipline for deeper joy and satisfaction. Discipline creates freedom. A practice requires discipline. The act of discipline is consistently carrying out your commitment , breaking habits of self sabotage , instant gratification urges and attachment. Not giving in to the excuses that may arise. From here we can create meaningful change. We can change the narrative and context of lack to one that is focused on and open to possibilities.
As humans, from birth we move through various stages of development. We start as dependent infants. From here we work to independence and a greater sense of egoscentricness, finding oneself and being more self centered and from here we can grow to a more inclusive stage of existence where we are interdependent. All stages we need to move through , however many people can get stuck in the adolescent stage of being self centered. Relationships are out of balance and mostly one sided. In the horse – human relationship this can come across as neediness and again the horse can teach us so much here. If we want to be in an authentic relationship with a horse we need to become more self aware and honest as well as showing up fully. Horses teach us the Blisscipline of Presence and Accountabilityof Self. This enables us to more effectively self – regulate and this in turn allows us to experience a more balanced life with deep enriching relationships.