You may remember the poem we posted on Instagram a few weeks ago, The Guest House by the Sufi poet Rumi. This poem is often quoted in mindfulness based therapy programs and in other venues as a way to explain what it means to mindfully accept the present moment, even when it feels unacceptable or painful. In this poem, Rumi refers to different emotions as guests visiting the guesthouse and invites the reader to “welcome…
We have a lot to be thankful for this weekend. We moved into the acreage and are slowly transforming this space into our home. There is so much potential in the air, anchored by the serenity of the surroundings and the newness of each day. It is easier to be mindful when you are in a new setting, traveling to a new destination, or moving to a new home. It is when things are routine…
Nicole’s biography: Nicole contributed all of the watercolour designs and technical diagrams to our upcoming book project, Sharing The Now: Connecting With Your Horse through Mindfulness. We first met Nicole through her business, Tonic Equestrian, and purchasing items from the line, including amazing artwork from Hand Gallop Studio. She also completed a commissioned portrait of Stella for Shreyasi a few months prior. When we approached her about this project, she was excited to help and we are so…
We recently attended a retreat at Meghan Vornholt Yoga and Equine Facilitated Wellness in Cochrane, AB. The retreat, Finding Your Flow, was a wonderful example of mindful reflection, yoga and interaction with horses in a wellness context. We wanted to share our personal experiences of being in the present moment, and what that meant for each of us that afternoon. Shreyasi: I learned much about flow from Meghan. Flow is to do with being in…
Listen to the sounds around you as you stand near your horse. Notice the textures and shapes of the sounds around you. Listen to the silences between the sounds.
Here are two suggested opportunities to bring mindful awareness to time spent at the barn and with your horse. For each of the suggested exercises in these series, try these at various times of the day and on different days to note the variations in your present-moment experience. When you go out to the pasture to visit or catch a horse that is far away, take a mindful walk towards the horse. Specifically—walk towards your…
Feeling intense emotions when you are in your horse’s presence can sometimes be confusing. Intuitively, it is more comfortable to express joy or excitement around them. However, what about when you feel anxious or frustrated or sad? Are these emotions we should shield from them? Although horses are sentient beings and we don’t endorse having emotional outbursts near them for their physical and psychological safety, there are benefits in being honest and open about your…
Our last blog post included an reflection by Thich Nhat Hanh on using mindfulness to transform feelings. Here is an exercise excerpt from our upcoming book project Sharing The Now: Mindfulness Exercises To Enhance the Connection With Your Horse which offers guidance on intentionally paying attention to what you are feeling in the present moment, to be attempted on your own. We have divided the exercise to flow naturally in two phases, followed by a…
Reprint from Karen Jones Motivational Horsemanship HORSES AND LIFE LESSONS Horses teach us patience. Horses teach us to be flexible, both mentally and physically. Horses teach us perseverance. Horses teach us responsibility and dedication. Horses teach us coordination and balance. Horses teach us how to be a confident team player. What has your horse taught you? Motivational Horsemanship “Creating Balance between Horses and their Humans”
There are so many ways that self compassion can be restorative at the barn and in other aspects of life. How many of you can relate to moments where things don’t go as planned, or when you say or do something that you wish you could reverse the split second after it happens? For those who tend to be “people pleasers”, or even when you are with the few close people whose opinion really matters,…