The Practice of Presence in the Presence of Horses
“Presence is simply to have our heart be where our feet are.”
“Only when we tarry do we touch the holy.”
How is it with your soul?
Does trauma (little or big) keep you stuck in the muck of isolation and disconnection from yourself and others?
Would you welcome a unique way to experience “deep, ambitionless connection” (Linda Kohanov) like horses do?
Post traumatic growth and healing is possible!
At Divine Equines we believe that healing happens through attuned relationships and that connecting with horses in nature helps survivors of trauma who struggle with anxiety become more calm and centered in their lives.
The beautiful farm setting and horse-centered soul care helped me with personal transitions, anxiety and depression. My experience was not only divine but life-affirming and healing! (Stacy)
Feeling safe and connected to a 1,000 # horse requires mindful awareness and inner stillness “… in the singing bowl of the body” (Philip Shepherd) that is grounded in what is happening in the present moment instead of living in the past or in anticipation of the future.
Building a relationship with a horse invokes spiritual and emotional insights that will help you become more self-aware and connected to your True Nature of Love and Spiritual Source of Peace and Power.
(Please be advised that Divine Equines offers Equine Assisted Learning and is not Equine Assisted Psychotherapy/mental health horse therapy.)
So why horses?
Well, to begin with, scientific studies show that just being in the presence of horses and being in nature “...has tremendous benefits for the human brain…” (Kelly Wendorf) and can help you have a felt sense of well-being, happiness and peace!
And equine-assisted learning “… is particularly effective… because it capitalizes on the oxytocin (calm and connect) response in the presence of a large, non-judgmental animal, inspiring people to develop relaxed yet heightened awareness…” (Linda Kohanov)
Horses are deeply aware of and in tune with their environment and the process of what is happening moment to moment. Their brains cannot judge, plan, criticize, manipulate or attach to outcomes like we do. If they hung out in that space instead of being fully awake in the moment they might be someone’s dinner!
“For me, gazing into the eye of the horse is looking into the eye of God. I am looking at the divine presence in us all and it is staring right back at me, asking nothing of me but simply to be. Expecting nothing of me but my authenticity; to put the burden of all my thoughts, feelings, fears, ambitions and distractions down and see who I truly am. This is an invitation to open my heart and be present in this moment.”
As very social and sentient beings, horses “… invite us to clearly communicate beyond words with our entire being. They are beautifully sensitive to our internal states and energy.” (The Natural Lifemanship Institute)
Like us, they are wired for connection. Their emotional wellbeing and very survival largely depends on their ability to be seen, soothed, safe and secure with the other members of their herd because “as nomadic, non-territorial, nonpredatory beings, relationship is everything to them.” (Linda Kohanov)
And the best part is that a connected, attuned relationship with a horse is not only healing for the human- it is also healing for the horse!
The first two synonyms for safety are security and freedom. The fine line between those two words is the …. harmony we seek. (Anna Blake)
What happens during a session?
We help you calm your nervous system, soothe your anxiety and heal your brain by exploring contemplative, reflective, experiential and somatic practices while building a connected, soul-to-soul relationship with a horse on the ground in nature!
Prayer and meditation, mindfulness (moment to moment, non-judgmental awareness), somatic (body) awareness, breath, the expressive arts and self-reflection will help you "whoa" down, get out of your head, tune into and stay longer with the deeper emotional wisdom in your body and spiritual wisdom in your soul!
“You have been brave to walk your path and be with us in ours. You have touched my heart and the hearts of all the women I’ve seen around you. You inspire me that I can walk my path even when it’s hard and that there is beauty, love and kindness in this world. I would feel very happy to grow into loving myself and others like I see you do.”
Observing, grooming, leading, and just spending time with a horses doing no-thing will center you in the present moment- which is where horses and Spirit live and move and have their being!
Think of your time with a horse as two sentient beings who desire inner peace practicing presence with one another.
You will release what was, receive what is, and return to your daily life renewed in your body, mind, heart and spirit, with deeper insights and the gift of inner peace.
Simple stillness and mindfulness practices will also help you continue to practice presence in your daily life while away from the horses.
To begin your journey of spiritual growth and healing or to inquire about customized private or group Horse-centered Soul Care, contact Beckie for your complementary, no obligation “Lick-n-chew” phone chat! I look forward to meeting your voice and answering any questions you may have!
Check out traditional spiritual direction without the horses here.
