The participants were sent an email prior to the day of the workshop. We were asked to view this video to get a better idea of how the "Round Pen" event would go. Here's the video. (No need to watch the entire clip.)
All of us sat watching from chairs outside the pen while a horse was brought in. The riding instructor, Tami, explained and demonstrated how we would use our bodies, and our energy, to move the horse in the direction we wanted. She demonstrated how we would turn the horse around, or get him to pick up his pace. The fact that a horse understands such things based on its primitive prey drive is absolutely fascinating. But was I going to be able to accomplish these tasks?
I watched the first participant enter the ring. This woman had been very transparent in showing us her anxieties and fears during our earlier meditation. Her nervous energy was quite visible. The horse in the ring actually belonged to her. She was still getting to know him, but she definitely had more experience than most of us. She was able to move her horse almost perfectly. It was inspiring to watch. You could see her confidence growing. But then her horse stopped, and basically ignored her requests. This is where things started getting really interesting. Her horse was recognizing her fears, which then created a block between the two of them. As she stood there, receiving guidance from the instructor, she began to let the fears go. She grounded her energy, and was able to move past the challenge.
I sat and watched person after person get into the ring. I watched their successes and their challenges. I was brought to tears several times. I was in awe of the horses and their power to call us out on our internal "stuff". The longer I waited, the more nervous I became that I was going to be completely incapable of getting my horse to do ANYTHING I asked.
My turn came. I got into the ring. I used the rope to gingerly guide Blaze in the direction I wanted her to move. She was listening to me! I was ecstatic. I was even able to turn her in the other direction using my hands and focusing my energy. I started becoming confident as I tried to get her to pick up her pace. Then, suddenly, she just stopped. I tried everything I had been told and shown by the others. Blaze had even turned away from me. Finally, I called for help. The leader asked me, "What's happening?" I said, "I've hit a wall." She said, "Yep. Why do you think that is?" The weird part about this is that I knew instantly what she meant. I was trying to be perfect, to do this perfectly, just like they had shown us. (Perfection is a common obstruction in my life.) I got emotional very quickly, tears began to well up in my eyes. The instructor told me to move to the center of the ring and take some deep breaths. With my head down, I moved to the center, took some deep, cleansing breaths, and when I looked up, Blaze was walking toward me.
At that point I think I was sobbing uncontrollably. I felt like Blaze was proud of me for being able to face my challenge. At that point, the instructor called me over to talk a little more about what was happening and about what I was feeling in the moment. As I made my way over to her, Blaze walked with me, her head almost resting on my shoulder. I felt so protected and so loved at that moment. She was taking care of me in my fragile state.
My next instruction was to just take a walk around the ring to gather myself and my energy. I walked deliberately and with my head down. As I made my way back, I was told that Blaze had not lost track of where I was, the whole time I was walking. She either turned her head to see me, or she tracked me with her ears. She was completely connected to me at that point. I was speechless. I was so full of love and appreciation for that horse, all I could do was kiss her. The rest of the participants who had been watching the exchange of energy, were in tears. They were able to see the massive shift in my energy as this experience was unfolding.
The power of animals and their ability to teach us about ourselves, is why I became an animal communicator. They require us to look honestly at our misgivings. They don't judge. They do this with pure, unconditional love.
I am so grateful for this amazing experience. I am looking forward to when I will get to be with the horses once again. If you ever have the opportunity to participate in something similar, I HIGHLY recommend it.