Category: Mindfulness

The Human Animal Bond and Mindfulness Series: 4. How Mindfulness Can Deepen the Bond

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Written by Shreyasi Brodhecker and edited by Natalie Wilson In the final article of this series we reflect on how being fully aware, of your experience in the present moment, can deepen the quality of connection you have with your companion animals – horses and otherwise. The previous articles in this series introduced the Human Animal Bond (HAB), explored the benefits that the Human Animal Bond has demonstrated through research and anecdotal evidence and provided…

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The Human Animal Bond and Mindfulness Series: 3. Explaining the Human Animal Bond

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We continue our Human Animal Bond Series today with Part 3. Theories explaining the healing power of the Human Animal Bond. This is a continuation of my learning received through some introductory courses at the Dreamcatcher Association and at Healing Hooves, interspersed with some personal life connections and reflections. There have been several different ways people have tried to explain how their bonds to animals have created such life-altering benefits. As noted in the first…

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Staying Grounded Through Uncertainty

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There are various words that come to mind when seeking a way to represent the events of the past few months – virus, pandemic, chaos, uncertainty, sadness and fear, among others. As well, there are other words associated with the same stream of events – gratitude, calming, social connection, reconnecting to what’s important, and slowing down. Hope isn’t easy to come by and it is okay to honor your experience just as it is. There…

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Guest Author Desiree Sieben on Slowing Down

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Desiree Sieben is an avid rider, registered yoga teacher, mindfulness coach and personal trainer. She also has a background in animal health, as a Registered Veterinary Technologist. Through her business – Mane Equestrian Athletics – she supports the equestrian community with her teaching and promotion of rider fitness and wellness. In 2015 my world was turned upside down when I suddenly lost my horse. It was a partnership in which I had a lot more…

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Magical Paws

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The last few weeks have been fairly quiet on the Sharing The Now Horse Mindfulness blog. Outside of the blog world though, they have been anything but. Our lives have been turned upside down here at Spirit Farm by the arrival of a special little being, Riley. While this blog explores the ways in which being mindful (i.e. being compassionately and bravely tuned into the present moment just the way it is) can be cultivated…

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Connecting with Your Horse: Watching Your Horse

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This is the third Step, after 1. Setting Intention and 2. Internal Noticing, in our series on connecting with your horse in a mindful way. For today’s post, we’d like to share an article by Anna Blake, reprinted with her permission, on Calming Signals and how we can impact the space between the horse and ourselves. Calming Signals are a collection of nonverbal signals demonstrated by horses to signify that they are in a stressful situation. They convey anxiety to us, and can be just as important to know about as the signs that horses are relaxed. Anna Blake, Horse Advocate, Author, Speaker and Equine Pro, has much to say about the subject on her blog. This particular article from her blog, Calming Signals: YOUR Response is an introduction to the topic. We invite you to read through her articles and learn more about this valuable source of insight.

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Connecting with Your Horse: Setting Intention

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To honour the arrival of our horses at our farm this past weekend, we would like to embark on a series of posts on how mindfulness allows you to connect with the people and animals in your life. Our upcoming book project, Sharing The Now: Connecting With Your Horse through Mindfulness, explores just that topic. This blog has the broader purpose of inviting readers to learn more about being mindfully aware, dropping into awareness of…

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Guest Author: Diane Priebe on Slowing Down

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We are delighted to introduce another guest author at the blog today, Diane Priebe. Shreyasi first met Diane through volunteering at the SAFE Team Rescue in Edmonton, an organization that rescues, rehabilitates and rehomes unwanted cats who would otherwise be euthanized. Over the years, they discovered another common aspect – a love of horses. Diane is completing her certification to become an Equine Facilitated Wellness Mental Health Therapist, and is offering this expertise in her…

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Bringing out the Welcome Mat: Staying mindful to the hard stuff

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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…

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A Reflection on Gratitude, including a meditation by Jack Kornfield

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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…

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