The Horse, The Human and The Cycle of Somatic Presence
By: Graeme Green
I would like to begin with a haiku.
In its succinctness the haiku form has to express wisdom far beyond its few words. And it does.
This verse is an invitation to the present. At first it is an act of silent respect. Further, an ego release which gives us permission to step out of our mental narrative; to open to our wider physical sensation and consciousness; to recognize our whole selves.
And so, it is when we step into the presence of horses.
Often, I refer to “living within the learning machine”. Natural learning is much more holistic or embodied than academic study. We gain physical and sensual information with each experience. This engages the whole being, the somatic, from the Greek soma meaning “body”. Recognizing the full experiential expands our awareness; a richer embodied learning.
Somatic presence positions us within the moment, recognizing sensations, and arising habitual emotions or behaviours, those that normally sit beyond consciousness.
Horses are masters of somatic presence. They stand beside us, a genuine congruence of mind and body. In our connections with them we must find something of that authenticity within ourselves if we are to be effective.
With horses there is a direct and intuitive understanding which is aware of the answers while we are still struggling to construct the questions. That is presence!
This verse is an invitation to the present. At first it is an act of silent respect. Further, an ego release which gives us permission to step out of our mental narrative; to open to our wider physical sensation and consciousness; to recognize our whole selves.
And so, it is when we step into the presence of horses.
Often, I refer to “living within the learning machine”. Natural learning is much more holistic or embodied than academic study. We gain physical and sensual information with each experience. This engages the whole being, the somatic, from the Greek soma meaning “body”. Recognizing the full experiential expands our awareness; a richer embodied learning.
Somatic presence positions us within the moment, recognizing sensations, and arising habitual emotions or behaviours, those that normally sit beyond consciousness.
Horses are masters of somatic presence. They stand beside us, a genuine congruence of mind and body. In our connections with them we must find something of that authenticity within ourselves if we are to be effective.
With horses there is a direct and intuitive understanding which is aware of the answers while we are still struggling to construct the questions. That is presence!
Freed from the tyranny of words
Even when we are aware of that deeper consciousness, the complete felt senses still defy effective expression.
James’s body had changed subtly, and his face portrayed something ongoing. “It does not feel appropriate to ask you about that experience “I said, “unless you really wish to share something”.
“Inside, I feel like a snow globe” he replied, but left it there. We spent a little more time together; once we were comfortable, we went our different directions. Five days later I had the most incredible moving e-mail. His words spoke of a profound shift around a deep personal challenge; an overcoming of his fear of the horse, which quickly grew into trust, quickly extending to fellow delegates and me.
This shift represented what he most needed, a trust which facilitated an honest expression of vulnerability and a new willingness to face and accept that.
Throughout we did not discuss any detail of his challenge. We did not need a narrative just the space. Alongside the horse we did no more than invite James to connect with himself and the idea of a change he needed. And to then embody that. The horse very gently guided him through the process, helping him to recognise, to release, and to shift.
James concluded: “since the session my life has felt incredible.... I've shared me with others, I’m at peace, life is more simple now”.
I question whether the awareness would have settled so meaningfully if we had to fix that experience into words. Forcing the snow in the globe to ground rather than leaving it to settle in its own pattern.
Even when we are aware of that deeper consciousness, the complete felt senses still defy effective expression.
James’s body had changed subtly, and his face portrayed something ongoing. “It does not feel appropriate to ask you about that experience “I said, “unless you really wish to share something”.
“Inside, I feel like a snow globe” he replied, but left it there. We spent a little more time together; once we were comfortable, we went our different directions. Five days later I had the most incredible moving e-mail. His words spoke of a profound shift around a deep personal challenge; an overcoming of his fear of the horse, which quickly grew into trust, quickly extending to fellow delegates and me.
This shift represented what he most needed, a trust which facilitated an honest expression of vulnerability and a new willingness to face and accept that.
Throughout we did not discuss any detail of his challenge. We did not need a narrative just the space. Alongside the horse we did no more than invite James to connect with himself and the idea of a change he needed. And to then embody that. The horse very gently guided him through the process, helping him to recognise, to release, and to shift.
James concluded: “since the session my life has felt incredible.... I've shared me with others, I’m at peace, life is more simple now”.
I question whether the awareness would have settled so meaningfully if we had to fix that experience into words. Forcing the snow in the globe to ground rather than leaving it to settle in its own pattern.
Step into the life you choose
Distraction is never far away; it arises within us as well as from without – particularly in this digital age. Too easily we disconnect from the present and our intentions and the somatic being is lost to some machination of the mind. The problem is the potential all-consuming nature of distraction. Do we observe and move on, or are we taken over and redirected? Metaphorically, how often do we get on the train that pulls into the platform before we have checked its destination?
When this happens, our bodies tell the stories, changes in focus or shifts in state all speak somatically, a silent or subtle shift in shape, posture or positioning of the body.
Even if we don’t pick it up, the horses do. As a facilitator we need to see this subtle reaction. If we do, we might suggest a simple physical shift – walk like the Prime Minister, for example. This can be enough to create clarity of intention, enough for the horse to get the message.
Our physicality can influence our state of mind. In doing so, it influences our social interactions, our performance, our emotions and the list goes on. Developing real somatic awareness is the foundation.
Mythologist, writer and lecturer Joseph Campbell (1959) positions us as the hero within our own journey, but the challenge here is to drop the tendency to narrate. Just be the hero. When we step into the person we are truly comfortable with, we do so with completeness; mind, body and spirit. We become the person that we need to be, not the person that we believe is expected of us.
Distraction is never far away; it arises within us as well as from without – particularly in this digital age. Too easily we disconnect from the present and our intentions and the somatic being is lost to some machination of the mind. The problem is the potential all-consuming nature of distraction. Do we observe and move on, or are we taken over and redirected? Metaphorically, how often do we get on the train that pulls into the platform before we have checked its destination?
When this happens, our bodies tell the stories, changes in focus or shifts in state all speak somatically, a silent or subtle shift in shape, posture or positioning of the body.
Even if we don’t pick it up, the horses do. As a facilitator we need to see this subtle reaction. If we do, we might suggest a simple physical shift – walk like the Prime Minister, for example. This can be enough to create clarity of intention, enough for the horse to get the message.
Our physicality can influence our state of mind. In doing so, it influences our social interactions, our performance, our emotions and the list goes on. Developing real somatic awareness is the foundation.
Mythologist, writer and lecturer Joseph Campbell (1959) positions us as the hero within our own journey, but the challenge here is to drop the tendency to narrate. Just be the hero. When we step into the person we are truly comfortable with, we do so with completeness; mind, body and spirit. We become the person that we need to be, not the person that we believe is expected of us.
The Cycle of Somatic Presence
There is a practice that I call The Cycle of Somatic Presence, see Figure 1. That cycle is constantly calibrating the connection between social interactions, situations that arise, and ourselves. This cycle of awareness-becoming-channelling is how we maintain the subtle social dance that is everyday life.
It is how horses are with each other, and it is how we are when we work effectively with a horse, checking-in and subtly shifting with the need of the moment. This is what I nurture in humans beside horses, not goal coaching, but a reconnection to the authentic embodied self.
Author of Presence, Amy Cuddy, describes her topic in a YouTube interview as “the state of being attuned to and able to express your true self. To be able to deliver your true qualities under pressure.” By working within a cycle of somatic presence we facilitate this expression and performance.
When we are with horses – in an arena or pasture – we are invited to become the appropriate person for the situation, to understand and embody what that moment demands. In so doing we model and experience embodied difference. Ours is then a simple choice, to keep it, or to calibrate. Moment by moment there is a choice. ~*~
There is a practice that I call The Cycle of Somatic Presence, see Figure 1. That cycle is constantly calibrating the connection between social interactions, situations that arise, and ourselves. This cycle of awareness-becoming-channelling is how we maintain the subtle social dance that is everyday life.
It is how horses are with each other, and it is how we are when we work effectively with a horse, checking-in and subtly shifting with the need of the moment. This is what I nurture in humans beside horses, not goal coaching, but a reconnection to the authentic embodied self.
Author of Presence, Amy Cuddy, describes her topic in a YouTube interview as “the state of being attuned to and able to express your true self. To be able to deliver your true qualities under pressure.” By working within a cycle of somatic presence we facilitate this expression and performance.
When we are with horses – in an arena or pasture – we are invited to become the appropriate person for the situation, to understand and embody what that moment demands. In so doing we model and experience embodied difference. Ours is then a simple choice, to keep it, or to calibrate. Moment by moment there is a choice. ~*~
Figure 1
Graeme Green Bio
Graeme is firmly committed to the benefits that meditation brings to people, he runs mindfulness programmes for a UK based mental health charity, as well as supporting its development in the workplace and for those around animals.
Graeme is very pleased to be part of the team at Athena Herd CIC – based in the South-East England – where he works with them to support the facilitation of their Equine Facilitated practitioner training. (www.athenaherd.co.uk)
Graeme has a broad collection of skills, he is Reiki drum master, an animal/human reiki practitioner and a qualified equine energy healer. He also works as a Business coach and trainer and an NLP practitioner. He is a director of Equilibrium for Life CIC which supports therapeutic interventions for vulnerable groups in the North Kent area.
To find out more about Graeme’s work visit his websites www.mindfulmindset.co.uk and www.the.mindfulhorse.org.
Graeme is very pleased to be part of the team at Athena Herd CIC – based in the South-East England – where he works with them to support the facilitation of their Equine Facilitated practitioner training. (www.athenaherd.co.uk)
Graeme has a broad collection of skills, he is Reiki drum master, an animal/human reiki practitioner and a qualified equine energy healer. He also works as a Business coach and trainer and an NLP practitioner. He is a director of Equilibrium for Life CIC which supports therapeutic interventions for vulnerable groups in the North Kent area.
To find out more about Graeme’s work visit his websites www.mindfulmindset.co.uk and www.the.mindfulhorse.org.