OMG
Connecting to the Horse’s Vantage Point
By: Lynda Watson, Canada
OMG! Louie Schwartzberg has a beautiful TedTalk on Gratitude. In it he breaks down the acronym OMG. “Oh: something caught your attention, makes you present, makes you mindful. My: connects with something deep inside your soul, creates a gateway for your inner voice to rise up and be heard. God: that personal journey we all want to be on, to feel inspired, to feel like we are connected to a universe that celebrates life”.
Horses naturally live from that vantage point. They are present in every moment. They are connected to their authentic soul, without a doubt as to who they really are. While living in the sanctity of a herd they are a vital part of a universe that celebrates life. When we spend time with them, we feel the O, the M and the G. What beautiful moments are created when we step into the horse’s point of view. Yet, so often we struggle to find the OMG. For myself, instead of living the M I tend to dream of living the M. But, time with the horses brings me back to that connection with myself and the universe. Back to those OMG moments in my life. Moments that feel good and right. That feel like home.
So now, let us step into the horse’s space where we just might find more and more of our own OMG moments.
To write this full article I was drawn to wander out to the field and sit with the horses. It is morning and the sun is fully up casting its beauty on the day. The horses are grazing peacefully after a lovely cool night in the fields. These horses live as close to natural as possible. They live outside all of the time and nothing is asked of them but to be horses. I look out across the lush green pasture to the east with the early September sun warming my body. A line of large trees creating a natural horizon of strength and ancient wisdom. The horses are off to my side contentedly foraging for that which sustains them.
OH
That feeling leads us directly into the OH. If you can imagine the above scene just for a few seconds then you have stepped into the present. That is where horses reside always, all of the time. In our world, where we hold onto the past and stress over the future, the present can be ever elusive. Horses can guide us into this exact moment in time and space. When we visit horses in their natural environment, we benefit from nature’s guidance to the OH as well. Mix them all together and it doesn’t take long for us to drop the past and the future and simply be here and now in their presence. In that space you begin to feel your own existence. What does that feel like? If it takes a bit more distance to cover the space between not now and now, take a moment and stand beside a horse. You don’t need to be physically with a horse. Just find one in your imagination. Perhaps one from the herd I sit with now, or one you know. Slowly approach the one that calls to you. Place a hand on their shoulder, with their consent, and close your eyes. You are safe here with them. Focus on your hand and its connection to the horse. Feel the subtle movement of the breath in their body. In then out. Ebb and flow. Start to match those waves. Your breath will resonate and begin to match theirs. Stay with it for as long as you need. Their breath rate is slower than ours and when we match it, we slow down. When we slow down, we show up. Right here, right now. We land softly in the present moment. There is grace and magic in just being near them. Perhaps we are feeling that relationship humans and horses have had over so very many generations. Perhaps we are feeling the non-judgemental and unfaltering love they share with us. Whatever it is you feel, that is the ‘OH’. You are connecting to the horse’s vantage point.
So now, let us step into the horse’s space where we just might find more and more of our own OMG moments.
To write this full article I was drawn to wander out to the field and sit with the horses. It is morning and the sun is fully up casting its beauty on the day. The horses are grazing peacefully after a lovely cool night in the fields. These horses live as close to natural as possible. They live outside all of the time and nothing is asked of them but to be horses. I look out across the lush green pasture to the east with the early September sun warming my body. A line of large trees creating a natural horizon of strength and ancient wisdom. The horses are off to my side contentedly foraging for that which sustains them.
OH
That feeling leads us directly into the OH. If you can imagine the above scene just for a few seconds then you have stepped into the present. That is where horses reside always, all of the time. In our world, where we hold onto the past and stress over the future, the present can be ever elusive. Horses can guide us into this exact moment in time and space. When we visit horses in their natural environment, we benefit from nature’s guidance to the OH as well. Mix them all together and it doesn’t take long for us to drop the past and the future and simply be here and now in their presence. In that space you begin to feel your own existence. What does that feel like? If it takes a bit more distance to cover the space between not now and now, take a moment and stand beside a horse. You don’t need to be physically with a horse. Just find one in your imagination. Perhaps one from the herd I sit with now, or one you know. Slowly approach the one that calls to you. Place a hand on their shoulder, with their consent, and close your eyes. You are safe here with them. Focus on your hand and its connection to the horse. Feel the subtle movement of the breath in their body. In then out. Ebb and flow. Start to match those waves. Your breath will resonate and begin to match theirs. Stay with it for as long as you need. Their breath rate is slower than ours and when we match it, we slow down. When we slow down, we show up. Right here, right now. We land softly in the present moment. There is grace and magic in just being near them. Perhaps we are feeling that relationship humans and horses have had over so very many generations. Perhaps we are feeling the non-judgemental and unfaltering love they share with us. Whatever it is you feel, that is the ‘OH’. You are connecting to the horse’s vantage point.
MY
And from OH we flow right into MY. Seamlessly, as though it is all part of one exhale or inhale. One breath. For where do we find that connection to something deep inside of us? In the here and now. And, where do we find the courage to share our soul voice? Alongside the horses.
And how does that all happen? Let us head back to the horse(s) we stood with in our OH. For in that moment in time when we stand with the horses, we feel our authentic selves. We feel safe to be who we really are. I have stood beside many a horse that has somehow reached deep inside of me and shown me who that human is. As though guiding her out and standing her right in front of me to introduce us; Lynda meet Lynda. And that acknowledgement is beyond words. A place where tears of recognition flow freely. She steps forward and occupies my shell with me and I feel what it is like to be my honest, true self. The horse bears witness to that moment without judgement, with silent support and with a dose of courage ready to hand to me when I am ready. For that feels true and right. That is the me that I have known was deep within all along. That is the me that the horses have connected with. Nothing on the surface, not even my words. Just me.
Let’s step back into the present and take a moment with your horse to hold your hand over your heart. Then with their consent put your hand on your horse’s shoulder once again. Take a moment here and feel that feeling that happens between you and your horse. You might find your soul voice bubbling up in laughter or tears or joy. However you feel it, don’t stop it. You have been doing that for far too long. Let those forms of voice flow from you. They are flowing from that honest, true self. It is time to listen. That is the true MY. When you hear yourself exclaiming OMG, that is the M. That is who you are connecting with in that moment. That is who is speaking in the next moment. And they are beautiful! Now you have an even deeper bond to the horses’ vantage point. And that is the gateway through which your inner voice finds freedom.
And from OH we flow right into MY. Seamlessly, as though it is all part of one exhale or inhale. One breath. For where do we find that connection to something deep inside of us? In the here and now. And, where do we find the courage to share our soul voice? Alongside the horses.
And how does that all happen? Let us head back to the horse(s) we stood with in our OH. For in that moment in time when we stand with the horses, we feel our authentic selves. We feel safe to be who we really are. I have stood beside many a horse that has somehow reached deep inside of me and shown me who that human is. As though guiding her out and standing her right in front of me to introduce us; Lynda meet Lynda. And that acknowledgement is beyond words. A place where tears of recognition flow freely. She steps forward and occupies my shell with me and I feel what it is like to be my honest, true self. The horse bears witness to that moment without judgement, with silent support and with a dose of courage ready to hand to me when I am ready. For that feels true and right. That is the me that I have known was deep within all along. That is the me that the horses have connected with. Nothing on the surface, not even my words. Just me.
Let’s step back into the present and take a moment with your horse to hold your hand over your heart. Then with their consent put your hand on your horse’s shoulder once again. Take a moment here and feel that feeling that happens between you and your horse. You might find your soul voice bubbling up in laughter or tears or joy. However you feel it, don’t stop it. You have been doing that for far too long. Let those forms of voice flow from you. They are flowing from that honest, true self. It is time to listen. That is the true MY. When you hear yourself exclaiming OMG, that is the M. That is who you are connecting with in that moment. That is who is speaking in the next moment. And they are beautiful! Now you have an even deeper bond to the horses’ vantage point. And that is the gateway through which your inner voice finds freedom.
GOD
That O and that M, leads us directly to G. Think of OMG as a phrase and they are all connected or even, dare I say, all one.
In which ever way you see, hear or understand the G, it does not matter. It does not matter to the horses when we are in their presence. When we are with them, we connect to our personal journey because they connect with us in a place of pure love. No judgement, no expectations, nothing but pure love. It is how the horses choose to be with us. It is how they see and feel us. And once we feel it too, we cannot unfeel it. At that point, it is up to us. In every moment we have the choice to see and live the G in our lives. To integrate the horses’ vantage point into our here and now, always.
That O and that M, leads us directly to G. Think of OMG as a phrase and they are all connected or even, dare I say, all one.
In which ever way you see, hear or understand the G, it does not matter. It does not matter to the horses when we are in their presence. When we are with them, we connect to our personal journey because they connect with us in a place of pure love. No judgement, no expectations, nothing but pure love. It is how the horses choose to be with us. It is how they see and feel us. And once we feel it too, we cannot unfeel it. At that point, it is up to us. In every moment we have the choice to see and live the G in our lives. To integrate the horses’ vantage point into our here and now, always.
I bring this article to an end in the same place I started it. Two weeks after writing the first part I head back to the field. Purely by synchronicity I sit down and start to read what I originally wrote. I find myself sitting in the same space. Watching the horses. Observing that line of trees on the horizon starting to change colour with a new season upon us. I invite you to join me here again in this present paddock for a while. Take another deep breath and land here softly with the horses and me and your imagination. Nature, horses, the cool breeze, the sound of the horses’ soft breath as they rest close by. What are you inspired by in this moment? What is it that you are connected to? When I am with the horses like this, I feel like I step out of time and space. Like I am connected to something deep inside of me and something all around me all at once. There are no lines between us. We are a collective that is grateful for, embraces and celebrates life.
What if we:
OH, found joy in the present moment a bit more each and everyday?
MY, ever increase the times we share our inner voice to express our deepest self?
GOD, created the time and space to connect to our own journeys and celebrated life together?~*~
What if we:
OH, found joy in the present moment a bit more each and everyday?
MY, ever increase the times we share our inner voice to express our deepest self?
GOD, created the time and space to connect to our own journeys and celebrated life together?~*~
