Episode #6 - Can I Receive The Love And Attention Being Offered?

10/05/23 • 55 min

Episode #6 explores the suggestions that get in the way of clarity, receiving and enjoying relationships.

This episode examines a set of questions that many people grapple with: Am I a bad person for asking for something I want? Do they genuinely want to connect with me? What does it mean if they say no? How can I interpret if the “no” is specifically relating to the task, or more generally to my request for connection?

This conversation is in the context of working and being with horses, but the angst and wisdom apply far beyond relationships with horses.

Self doubt, lack of self confidence, and guilt plague many of us when we are unsure if we “should” be asking our horses to work with us;: these feelings within us come across to the horse as incongruent, unreliable, and undependable. Even though it comes from a place of love, when we put a lot of mental and energetic focus on what we might be doing wrong, we may be inadvertently casting a shadow on our relationship.

If we dig a little bit deeper, we find a new question: what is it in us that resists receiving the gift of another’s awareness, attention, and effort? The group discusses ancient stories, how horses played a vital role in the survival of humanity. It’s revealed that these stories can embed within us a deep sense of gratitude, reverence and joy. The joy can emanate from that person, for horses and others to sense the joy from their heart. As we reflect on our own stories, we recognize this as an invitation to see ourselves with a new lens, revel in possibilities and different perspectives that lead to transformation.

What if we shifted our focus from what’s wrong to all the things we are both doing right? If we could honor the horse’s immeasurable capacity for forgiveness, we’d be free to approach every day with joy, playfulness, enthusiasm, reverence, and gratitude for their choice to connect with us. How might our relationship change if we shifted our perspective in this way?
Carla Bauchmueller Kerri Lake Jessica White Plume Chris Anderson Joell Dunlap

Podcast Guests

Joell Dunlap - www.squarepegfoundation.org
Jessica White Plume - @jessica.white.plume.5
Chris Adderson - www.forthehorse.com
Carla Bauchmueller - www.theintuitiverider.com
Kerri Lake - www.generateharmony.com

Music by Mark Rashid

Photography by Crissi McDonald

Episode #6 explores the suggestions that get in the way of clarity, receiving and enjoying relationships.

This conversation is in the context of working and being with horses, but the angst and wisdom apply far beyond relationships with horses.

Podcast Guests

Music by Mark Rashid

Photography by Crissi McDonald

Previous Episode

Episode #5 - Who Am I Because Of My Relationship With Horses?

Episode #5 explores depths of self-awareness.
This fundamental question - who am I because of my relationship with horses? - drives the conversation, exploring the limitless depths of our idea of “self,” awareness, and how we relate to all other beings. Opening the door to health and healing clears a path to empowerment, confidence, and connection that only strengthens in the face of hardship and challenge. Without those pillars - healing and empowerment - challenge becomes something we avoid. But when the ease is within us, challenge can only expand our experience, deepen our roots, and strengthen our bonds.
If we can make a shift within ourselves to place value on wellness, spaciousness, openness, and movement, we start to expand and orient toward health and relationship rather than competition, performance, and intensity. When we look at horses beyond what they can do for us, beyond technique, we can create a living art between horse and human - but only if we decide to partake in the dance that leads us to look at our own character.
Throughout history, there have been people who seemingly work magic with horses because they were able to hear horses, because they were able to listen and relate. When we allow ourselves to trust what we see, hear, and feel, there is a beautiful unfolding of authentic relationship that gifts us the ability to believe something new and better about ourselves. When we approach horses in this way - when we weave together all the pieces that are “right” rather than trying to fix what’s “broken”, the impossible becomes possible. Struggle becomes elegance. It’s one of the great gifts of truly relating to horses.
Podcast Guests

Jillian Kreinbring - www.jilliankreinbringinspired.com
Nahshon Cook - @nahshoncookhorsemanship
Leslie Desmond - www.lesliedesmond.com
Josh Nichol - www.joshnichol.com
Shea Stewart - www.equinebalance.net
Kerri Lake - www.generateharmony.com

Music by Mark Rashid

Photography by Crissi McDonald

Next Episode

Episode #7 - The Rhythms and Cycles of Life, Death, Grief and Connection

Episode #7 explores the challenging, beautiful, and mysterious topics of death and grief. Guests on the podcast share their experiences through the transitions of loved ones with vulnerability, gratitude, and curiosity.

Many of us in western cultures are taught to fear death and dread grief. But when we have a deep knowing inside of us that death is not the end (and birth is not the beginning), there is less reason for fear, and sadness becomes a welcome reminder of love. What would happen if we were open to exploring the mystery of life after life?

For those left behind in our bodies, grief is inevitable. Grief is when we miss the beauty of a being’s physical presence. When we miss someone, we’re missing the person that we knew here on earth, in their bodies. But where are they now? Can we still feel their presence? Does it feel the same? If it’s different, how does it feel? Can we feel it all the time, or does it fade in and out?

The more we are open to exploring these questions in our hearts and in our bodies, the more comfort we can take in knowing that we can learn how to connect in a different way.

Join us as we explore the rhythms and cycles of life, death, grief, connection, and consciousness as a beautiful continuum.

Participants

Carla Bauchmueller - www.theintuitiverider.com
Kerri Lake - www.generateharmony.com
Shea Stewart - www.equinebalance.net
Leslie Desmond - www.lesliedesmond.com
Crissi McDonald - www.crissimcdonald.com
Music by Mark Rashid