One of the many gifts that horses and other animals have given me is to help me slow down. I have spent much of my life going fast, trying to do as much as I can, in as short a period of time as possible, thinking ahead to what’s next, making my lists and completing them. A lot of this rushing comes from anxiety, from trying to control things so that bad things don’t happen. The rest comes from trying to do everything “right”. Slowing down, doing less, being more, are hard for me.
For me, being with horses and in nature are parts of my life where I can go slower. I try to savor the time at the barn, doing simple things like brushing and grooming the horses, cleaning and sweeping the stalls and barn, chatting with the other people who are there with their horses. Or when I go out to the big pasture at the barn, or the ravine by my house, I try to use my senses to look at the trees, the sky, the earth; to smell the freshness of the air; to hear the sounds of birds, squirrels, rustling leaves, or just the stillness. And then I start to feel calmer and more at peace.
At times, my life naturally becomes busier and I become faster and more rushed once again. That is when the horses help me remember to go slower, to breathe, to be in the present moment. When I forget, they remind me in their own ways. They can tell right away that I am somewhere else, that my energy is not with them. Recently, I have been trying to go slower from the moment I get to the barn: to walk out to the pen slowly; to walk in arcs towards the horses, rather than straight lines; to spend a few moments connecting with my horse before haltering; to halter and lead more mindfully. It helps me and it helps my horse. We are both calmer and more present. I also try to take this same energy in to the rest of my life, where often my other animals remind me—my cats by curling up in to my lap so that I can’t move for awhile, and my dog by showing me the joy of running and playing. Slowing down is my journey and I am deeply grateful for all of my teachers.
What helps me to slow down:
Being aware, then I can make a conscious choice to be here, rather than somewhere else
Using my five senses to orient myself to the here and now
To remember that thinking is also a way to perceive and to remember to let it go sometimes
Nature and animals are gifts that can help me slow down if I let them
Noticing and connecting with my physical body, through movement and mindfulness
Play, true play which is spontaneous and fun and without purpose