Pathways

Your Path is your Passion. Deepak Chopra says, "Follow your passion now to the best of your abilities and by doing so you expand your time slot so you are able to follow your passion all the time".

It takes practice. This is a world of distractions. In Zen we have what we call our "practice", which is usually our meditation, but it can also be painting, riding, singing, etc. To "practice" isn't really doing something by rote over and over again - practice is doing something intentionally.

In your heart and in your mind you hold images of all the circumstances, places, objects, animals and people that you hope for in your life. The more you can envision them, the more you will resonate with them. As you become focused and can believe in the reality of your vision, it will unfold before you. You have to get the other stuff out of the way - The distractions and disappointments and the belief in lack and limitation. If you concentrate on these unwanted aspects, you map the journey to them. Surround yourself with images that remind you of your hopes and passions. Meditate on them.

Go down your path intentionally, enthusiastically and with focus. Everything else in your life will balance itself to fit into the passion or will fade away because it has no purpose or meaning on your journey. From the infinite possibilities, choose your experiences and live them fully.

Enjoy every step along the path. So often, we tend to look down the road for its end and miss all the splendor that surrounds us. Staying focused on your passion does not mean that you negate all else. You just become selective and choose your experiences to move you along with the flow. It is sad to waste a day trying to get on to the "next thing"...what next thing? Isn't this moment enough?

mountain

"I wish I could show you when you are lonely or in darkness, the astonishing Light of your own Being"

-Hafiz

learn more here

A Path with Horses

Those of us who spend time with horses know that they bring out the best in us! Horses work in many types of therapy programs for this very reason. If you want to become physically stronger, take care of a horse (or 2, or 3...). The daily moving of hay bales, mucking (cleaning) stalls and pastures, unrolling and rerolling water hoses, grooming, riding, repairing fences, etc. will burn lots of calories and build muscle. An old friend (an herbalist in Las Cruces who now works with Dr. Weil) once advised me to "park the car as far away from the store as you can and walk to the entrance". It's good advice.

If you spend time with horses, you walk a lot! When others advise you to "make it easier on yourself" and "use the tractor" for something you can easily do yourself - thank them for their concern, but do tell them that The Path of Equus brings opportunity to move more and be more...truly healthy.

Do you ride? One way to expand your equestrian path is to "ALIGN YOURSELF" with mounted exercises that help to train your body to be in balance with your horse's body and have relationship with gravity and movement.

Do these exercises first at a stand still, then at a walk, then trot and finally at a canter (if you ride a laterally gaited horse - substitute your intermediate lateral gait for trot!). Use a round pen or have someone longe you on your horse, or do the movements while riding up an arroyo or through a meadow.

Arms out from the shoulders (like an airplane) will show your shoulders where to be - open and relaxed. Reaching straight up with your arms shows your spine how to stretch and center. Lifting your thigh (one side at a time) away from the saddle/horse will show your hips how to align and holding your ankle with the hand (on the same side), knee bent will show your knee and thigh how to stay back under your body.

Herb Profile:

White Willow Bark

is "Nature's Aspirin". I remember a product from my youth called "willoprin" - tablets made of powdered white willow bark and slippery elm. I carried the little metal box with me always and took the tablets when others would have taken aspirin.

The bark contains Salicin and Tannin. White Willow is actually used to heal digestive tract debilities, so it is not an ulcer inducing compound like regular aspirin is (which is synthesized from the medium of the bark). It can be used for pain and inflammation relief for people, horses and dogs but never for cats. Just as aspirin tablets can be deadly for the feline; white willow bark's salicin is contraindicated!

Horses can be fed the cut and sifted bark (1/4 cup per feeding) or powdered (2 tablespoons) mixed into the hard feed or mash. It will test at competitions, so be aware if you are a show rider. Many herbs are not allowed at equine competitions; they are considered a performance enhancer even though they are used as healing agents.

Learn More...

Wishing you an astonishing journey,
Katharine & the Dharmahorse tribe