We would like to reflect today on the Mindful Attitudes of Trust and Letting Go. Like the other Mindful Attitudes, including Compassion, Non-judgment and Beginner’s Mind, these attitudes are more than just ways in which to pay attention to the present moment. They are signposts for how to experience life. When you allow yourself to wholly absorb the events of “right now”, and embrace all life has to offer (i.e. the good and the bad), dramatic shifts or transformations can occur on several levels. Our blog is intended to facilitate reflections on how being mindfully aware of the present moment can positively benefit your interactions with horses. Our hope, however, is that practicing such ways of noticing eventually transcends into your everyday life. When we spend more time noticing things arising, just as they are, inner awareness (of ourselves) expands.
Sometimes one tends to get caught up in how things SHOULD go, or how the Universe SHOULD operate. Struggles can arise when the flow of life events diverges from the preconceptions of what is expected. The common maxims, “go with the flow”, “things happen for a reason”, “trust the Universe”, aren’t always comfortable or easy to believe in. However, the attitudes of Trust and Letting Go are powerful attitudes that set you free. When you stop holding on to what you think is the right way or the best way to approach something, and when you intentionally stay open to possibilities, you embrace the present moment in its full potential. Sometimes this is hard when things are emotionally and/or physically painful. What you may realize is that trusting this reality is the only way to endure such experiences, while remaining true to your values and staying authentic.
How do you know what your values are or what being authentic really means for you? The first step, as always, is to pause and take a breath. Notice what comes up inside. This is where your truth or intuition resides. Trusting yourself and your capacity to notice things accurately, and letting the Universe and reality unfold without getting in the way can be frightening when you are so used to tuning into what others say is right. Depending on your life experiences, you may have a tendency to put yourself down or dismiss your interpretation or response to events. Part of noticing things mindfully is honouring your inner wisdom. YOU are the observer here; and no one else is noticing the present moment for you. Only you can choose to tune in and respond skilfully to make the changes you seek in your life. The practice of being mindful relies on your innate skills for this way of being, and your willingness to strengthen those skills by consistent repetition of this way of noticing and being with your life experiences. By learning to trust yourself and being open to the lessons of the Universe, you can embrace this way of being outside the barn as well.
Noticing events in the present moment, as they happen, with an open heart and mind can happen at any time of the day. A reminder of how the Mindful Attitudes can create room for change occurred today. While visiting a fair at River Lane Ranch, where we previously found our herd members Grace and Anise, we were lucky enough to participate in an impromptu spirit reading by Carmel and Melissa, two gifted Intuitives at the Ranch. During this reading, we could easily have shut ourselves off or dismissed what we experienced. Instead, practicing the Mindful Attitudes of Trust and Letting Go allowed for dramatic transformation within. It was remarkable how much the readings, containing references to past attachment figures and present challenges, reinforced the inner truths for both of us. It reminded both of us of something true: that one’s future vision can be shaped by what is happening right now, if we allow things to be as they are and respond with intention. Without delving into the details of the readings, practicing the attitudes of Trust and Letting Go during this experience allowed us to feel powerfully whole and connected to ourselves. When we stop standing in the Universe’s way, things can happen when we least expect and we experience insights into ourselves and where we’d like to go in the future. We both experienced intense emotions and insights by staying trusting of the Universe’s process. This is an example of when practicing the Mindful Attitudes enriches the events unfolding “right now”.
The attitudes of Trust and Letting Go translate to various journeys in life, including the relationships with horses. So much of equestrian learning involves trial and error, incorporating teaching from others over time, figuring out your horse and deciding on what feels right for you in each moment. Making mistakes is part of the process, as is learning what helps you and your horse to click. By trusting this process and allowing things to unfold in their own time, without forcing things to be a certain way, we allow space for both us and our horses to grow. Change happens whether we like it or not; the Mindful attitudes of Trust and Letting Go can help us become more skilful responding to the changes and to be adaptable to situations that we don’t expect. We create room for learning and evolution in ourselves and our horses.