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"It was from them that I first
learned of the intelligence that lurks in nonhuman nature, the
ability that an alien form of sentience has to echo one's own,
to instill a reverberation in oneself that temporarily shatters
habitual ways of seeing and feeling, leaving one open to a world
all alive, awake, and aware."
David Abram, The Spell of the Sensuous |
Dear All,
Here is the third "walk" we can take together. Be sure to check the links to archives if you missed any previous newsletters.
This newsletter has the following:
- Recreating One's Self
- Story Time
- Playground Activities And Calendar
- Vacation Rental Specials
- Archives: May & June '07
Recreating One’s Self
I
have a friend who has been coaching for years and one of her dreams is to work
with Veterans. As it is with anyone who
is passionate, it is inspiring to hear her talk about her ideas of encouraging
healing, especially as she considers the value of joining forces with horses.
One thing about which I feel very certain is the essence of an individual remains
intact, regardless of their life experience. Horses will always acknowledge that
essence in a person. I have seen this demonstrated thousands of times over the last 35 years of my own coaching, and it is consistently so in my Harmony Programs now. This is what gives such
wonderful potential to spending time with a horse (or anyone who sees ONLY the
well-being in another).
I
had a dream last night around that idea. I realized in my dream (dreams
being just a hop-skip-and-a-jump from realization during awake times) that when
I choose to focus upon anything other than the beautiful in anything I do
myself a disservice. It is a form of self deprecation. To see the
wholeness in others is to know it in your self. Or perhaps more
accurately, if you recognize the well-being in your own self, you will see it
in others. This is what horses do for
me. If there is any healing to be done,
it is from that standpoint.
As I mention on my Harmony Workshop Page , I
am responsible for my experience of life. My life with the horses and
Nature has always been incredibly satisfying and an inspiration towards
well-being. However, it has never been horses (or Nature) that healed any
trauma I might have felt over the years. It has been my own decision to
get on with life, at which point I noticed the horses have concisely joined me as
if the moment before never existed. Therefore, in that moment the
trauma never existed. In other words, every moment contains the
opportunity to recreate one’s self. This
was and continues to be the lesson for me from horses and Nature. The
horse (Life) responds only to what I focus upon and if I practice focusing upon
that which I desire, so I will see this in my horses and in Life. They
simply (and accurately) affirm my point of focus.
Story Time.jpg "OliviaMIssy_07_07")
My
pony, Missy Brown, foundered a couple years ago, in the fall. It made no
sense and we could not figure out what caused it for sure, but I found ways to
punish myself for being negligent. The founder was very painful for Missy and
it grew worse as winter set in. The long days of rain and cold added to my sense
of dread about her recovery. The farrier was sweet about it, but I could
tell he was not hopeful. I raided my herbal stocks and homeopathic
medicines, groping for anything. I read books on what to do and what not
to do. I picked fresh herbs from the garden and from the fields and
forests.
I
rubbed ointments on her feet, crying tears to match the rivulets of rain on my
checks as I crouched beneath her forlorn, little body. Months went by and
she and I both seemed to hit rock-bottom. Then, something snapped inside
me. I went out one day to where she stood quite still in the wet sand of
the arena with her head hanging and tail tucked. I grabbed my longe whip
and said, "YOU! You are going to get better now!
MOVE!" And I made her move. I regained my power in that
moment. I chose to change my focus!
I decided from that day on I was not going to see anything but the
healthy in her. I was going to give only the healthy my attention.
And from that day on Missy got better and has been back to her people-loving ways ever since.
Playground Activities and
Calendar Events
One
of the most exciting new events that I am adding to the calendar has to do with
Resonance , the unique Leadership Event/Retreat that partners with horses
to teach leadership skills to business executives, managers, work
teams and those interested in the expansive nature of holding one’s space as a
leader. This unusual approach to leadership is based on inspiring others to
join your vision rather than attempting to control outcomes. The work is with
horses at liberty (no equipment) on the ground, not riding them. It's all
about allowing alignment to attract and unite an organization or community by
focusing upon a core vision, whether for just yourself, a family or a business.
Alignment of the whole starts with the
alignment of each individual within him/herself. Self-alignment carries with it
ease and relief and is magnetic in nature. The
opportunity to gain the clarity of intention that brings alignment is one
of the gifts offered to us by the horses.
An associate of mine, Janice Drescher, and I have been offering a complimentary 1- Day Resonance Experience for CEOs and other decision makers who are accountable for organizing retreats focused on leadership, management or team building. The purpose of the day is for each participant to have an experience of the potential of Resonance as a Retreat Resource for their business. If you or someone you know might be interested in this opportunity, please contact me to discuss possible dates.
I still have openings in the August 7th Harmony with Horses Workshop . This is a great way to get introduced to the work/play with horses at liberty.
Last Minute Farm Special:
August 6 & 7, 2 for 1
special
Know anyone who could use this?
Imagine
arriving at Full House Farm Vacation Rental & Retreat for a short reprieve from your fast paced
life. You drive down the driveway and
park next to the little path leading towards the house. Climbing out of your car, stretching out the
kinks, you follow the path into the lush, shaded landscape. Just over a little rise you hear the soft murmur
of a waterfall as it tumbles into a small pond at the edge of the patio. A patio table and chairs call to you, but you
decide to check out the house first.
Inside, a bottle of locally grown and bottled wine sits on the kitchen
table with two wine glasses beside it.
On the counter is a tray with a luscious loaf of fresh-baked bread from
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