Joining Up
(ABOVE) Inanna looking directly at me, the day she chose to join up with me.
In the pink-tinged early morning light of that warm summer day, I was so surprised that she didn’t leave. Inanna stood there, nonchalant as if this was the most natural thing to do. She didn’t follow our herd of four other horses and miniature burro out to pasture after we had performed our morning ritual of graining, grooming, and putting on fly masks.
I stood there, incredulous, looking into her blue eye, then her brown eye, until the realization hit me. This beautiful, elusive, nymph of a filly was choosing to be with me rather than the herd! After two years of working almost daily with this 2½-year-old mare, holding the potential for this breakthrough, my heart broke open, and chills pulsed through my body. I had a sensate experience of deep trust and vulnerability, a permanent imprint that my body will always remember.
In Cowboy jargon, “joining up” is when a horse “joins up” with a human; it means a level of trust has been established where the horse chooses to stay with the human rather than the herd. This is a big deal! The horse must override its instinct to stay close to the herd, where there is safety in numbers rather than stand alone with a human.
Working with horses offers human beings the opportunity to refine their ability to sense the vibratory field of feelings. To “get a feel” for trust, vulnerability, empowerment, fear, anger, joy, and love is a firsthand experience in nonverbal communication, emotional intelligence, and heart intelligence. When we choose to “trust ourselves,” to follow our hearts and dreams and be true to ourselves, we are taking the same risk as the horse that joins up with a human. We choose to be courageous – to stand by our hearts, rather than stay safe by following others’ expectations and beliefs of where our place is in the human herd.
What is calling you now?
What more could you express through your creativity?
What is your heart yearning for?
What is your body’s intelligence informing you about your wellbeing and the changes that are arising?
Working with people in the arena of Equine Guided Coaching is my passion and my work; joining up with others to facilitate the fulfillment of their dreams and desires is my purpose. Contact me if you want to do this work.