From Doing to Being
Kelly Jones, U.S.A.
“Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.” ~Rumi
The black mare gazed towards the horizon, and each of the other mares in her small band joined her, silently watching the coyote trot across the pasture, moving north. As the coyote disappeared over the hill, the mares returned to grazing, calmly enjoying the fresh grass provided by the recent rains. This event was something they experienced as it unfolded, and the response was appropriate, calm, and intentional.
I marvel at the ability horses have to exist in a state of calm awareness. With all of their senses online, they can live in and experience moments as they manifest, allowing action as needed, casting no judgment or story upon the here and now. They are receptive to the moment just as it is. Within their gaze, they can see things that are beautiful, and also potentially chaotic, while remaining open and curious.
A beautiful unraveling is revealed when humans are introduced to horses and learn to enter their world. The human ego, often blinded by expectations and judgement, begins to fade away. As the connection to a sense of authentic self emerges, the ability to notice subtleties of true presence brings about a deep sense of knowing, representing the experience of simply Being.
I marvel at the ability horses have to exist in a state of calm awareness. With all of their senses online, they can live in and experience moments as they manifest, allowing action as needed, casting no judgment or story upon the here and now. They are receptive to the moment just as it is. Within their gaze, they can see things that are beautiful, and also potentially chaotic, while remaining open and curious.
A beautiful unraveling is revealed when humans are introduced to horses and learn to enter their world. The human ego, often blinded by expectations and judgement, begins to fade away. As the connection to a sense of authentic self emerges, the ability to notice subtleties of true presence brings about a deep sense of knowing, representing the experience of simply Being.
Have you ever noticed that when we find ourselves in those God moments, they are usually unexpected? They often occur as we are experiencing a quiet mind. Even if there is a lot of activity around us, we seem to be in a place of peace. Humans can nurture the ability to intentionally seek more profound moments of connection to a deeper consciousness. I believe this ability is not only possible, but necessary for a fulfilling life.
Seeking peace is what we are all pursuing, and it is a visceral part of our mind, body, and spirit. Some refer to this longing as a desire to Come Home. It is our responsibility to intentionally discover what is blocking our ability to connect to presence. Then we can discern a broader and deeper perspective. There is pure joy in learning how to simply and joyfully Be, exiting gracefully from a life of constant doing.
At a very basic and simple level, human beings are mammals. They produce milk, take care of their young, depend on the community, have a broad neocortex and hair. There are over 2,700 species of mammals. All have an autonomic nervous system that controls involuntary processes in the body. These include heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, and breathing. It is always active.
The autonomic nervous systems of all mammals have two parts, each having a particular function. The sympathetic nervous system helps the body prepare to respond to an emergency, often referred to as fight or flight. The parasympathetic nervous system helps the body relax, digest, rest, and heal.
The feeling of being overwhelmed is caused by trauma in which the organism did not get to complete a protective response to an event; this causes the parasympathetic system to reach a state of freeze. This robotic existence is not the state of Being. It is, however, what causes a lot of the frantic doing.
Seeking peace is what we are all pursuing, and it is a visceral part of our mind, body, and spirit. Some refer to this longing as a desire to Come Home. It is our responsibility to intentionally discover what is blocking our ability to connect to presence. Then we can discern a broader and deeper perspective. There is pure joy in learning how to simply and joyfully Be, exiting gracefully from a life of constant doing.
At a very basic and simple level, human beings are mammals. They produce milk, take care of their young, depend on the community, have a broad neocortex and hair. There are over 2,700 species of mammals. All have an autonomic nervous system that controls involuntary processes in the body. These include heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, and breathing. It is always active.
The autonomic nervous systems of all mammals have two parts, each having a particular function. The sympathetic nervous system helps the body prepare to respond to an emergency, often referred to as fight or flight. The parasympathetic nervous system helps the body relax, digest, rest, and heal.
The feeling of being overwhelmed is caused by trauma in which the organism did not get to complete a protective response to an event; this causes the parasympathetic system to reach a state of freeze. This robotic existence is not the state of Being. It is, however, what causes a lot of the frantic doing.
This two-part design allows for humans and animals to not only survive, but also to live a full and beautiful life. Given that humans have a very complex way of relating to one another, we also rely on the vagus nerve. Amazingly, it allows us to read body language and facial expressions, and even provides an intuitive sense of Being. With this felt sense of knowing, humans can even distinguish an energetic presence or energy field around other humans and animals. The vagus nerve is the main nerve of the parasympathetic nervous system and is connected to many things within the body, most notably connecting the brain to organs and glands.
Traumatic events cause changes within the autonomic nervous system of mammals. Humans often find themselves stuck in physical and energetic reactions to these changes. With this knowledge, we can take a little bit deeper look at why humans have a harder time recovering from these traumatic events than other mammals.
Most other mammals will allow the energy manufactured in a fight-or-flight situation to dissipate following an event that caused the sympathetic nervous system response to kick in. They will finish a threatening event by shaking, rolling, or trembling. Humans often do not allow this dissipation to occur and often will check out or get stuck in a freeze response following the overwhelming feeling of an event that was highly charged with emotion.
This freeze response can look like someone moving through their life, going to work, checking all the boxes, raising the kids, attending functions, and scrolling through Instagram in their free time. This stuck energy blocks connection to our essence, or sense of self. Thus begins an unconscious, disconnected, constant state of doing, seemingly created to protect us from experiencing fear, sadness, or anger.
Traumatic events cause changes within the autonomic nervous system of mammals. Humans often find themselves stuck in physical and energetic reactions to these changes. With this knowledge, we can take a little bit deeper look at why humans have a harder time recovering from these traumatic events than other mammals.
Most other mammals will allow the energy manufactured in a fight-or-flight situation to dissipate following an event that caused the sympathetic nervous system response to kick in. They will finish a threatening event by shaking, rolling, or trembling. Humans often do not allow this dissipation to occur and often will check out or get stuck in a freeze response following the overwhelming feeling of an event that was highly charged with emotion.
This freeze response can look like someone moving through their life, going to work, checking all the boxes, raising the kids, attending functions, and scrolling through Instagram in their free time. This stuck energy blocks connection to our essence, or sense of self. Thus begins an unconscious, disconnected, constant state of doing, seemingly created to protect us from experiencing fear, sadness, or anger.
To participate in life, right here and right now, our bodies must know that it is safe to do so. Breaking through the now unnecessary shield of self-protection opens the senses to process the stuck energy surrounding past traumatic events. This reopens the door to our ability to process emotion and be engaged in our environment.
Balance has returned along with the ability to experience joy, and, in turn, pain. This is the way we were designed, a smooth moving back and forth between positive and negative. Richard Rohr, a popular spirituality author and speaker, describes this process as order, disorder, and reorder. Rumi, Sufi poet and mystic, states “God turns you from one feeling to another and teaches by means of opposites, so that you will have two wings to fly, not one.”
The benefit of this connection to Being, or the parasympathetic nervous system, is that our bodies can rest, digest, and heal. In this state of presence, humans can experience that elusive sensation of peace.
Let’s go back to the mares grazing just after the coyote walked across their pasture. They quickly returned to a sense of calm awareness after having noticed a predator. This appropriate reaction to a potentially traumatic event, is the definition of utilizing a felt sense of knowing. They felt it was safe, and they returned to grazing. Their bodies were reading the environment. Every one of their senses was alive, at work, taking in information and feeding it to their brain.
So, how can we help our nervous systems wake up, to be able to reconnect to a sense of wholeness? How can an overwhelmed nervous system recover, clearly receive information from the environment, and respond appropriately?
Balance has returned along with the ability to experience joy, and, in turn, pain. This is the way we were designed, a smooth moving back and forth between positive and negative. Richard Rohr, a popular spirituality author and speaker, describes this process as order, disorder, and reorder. Rumi, Sufi poet and mystic, states “God turns you from one feeling to another and teaches by means of opposites, so that you will have two wings to fly, not one.”
The benefit of this connection to Being, or the parasympathetic nervous system, is that our bodies can rest, digest, and heal. In this state of presence, humans can experience that elusive sensation of peace.
Let’s go back to the mares grazing just after the coyote walked across their pasture. They quickly returned to a sense of calm awareness after having noticed a predator. This appropriate reaction to a potentially traumatic event, is the definition of utilizing a felt sense of knowing. They felt it was safe, and they returned to grazing. Their bodies were reading the environment. Every one of their senses was alive, at work, taking in information and feeding it to their brain.
So, how can we help our nervous systems wake up, to be able to reconnect to a sense of wholeness? How can an overwhelmed nervous system recover, clearly receive information from the environment, and respond appropriately?
Humans must reconnect to their bodies and senses and allow for a reset. Their bodies need valuable information about their current state of safety. This information is gathered from what they can see with their eyes, hear with their ears, notice on their skin, and recognize within their bodies through smell and taste. Many humans are completely disconnected from their bodies and their spirits.
Amazingly, the mere presence of another living being returning empathetic and calm energetic feedback can signal that it is safe to begin processing current input from the environment. Once safety is determined, the body can ask questions about stuck energy that the brain and body are hanging onto from past traumatic events. This stuck energy can even manifest physically, causing chronic pain, chronic illness, and autoimmune disorders.
Accessing somatic input, or noticing sensations within the body, happens quickly in the presence of horses. A horse living in a calm and safe place, free of pain and fear, will have a regular heartbeat and slow and rhythmic breathing. It possesses an energetic field that literally will enfold a human being, simply by being in its presence. This gathering of vital information, unconsciously by the human, often will release strong emotions, resulting in tears and even joy! This sensation is a waking up of our entire system. It is finally receiving relevant, authentic information, giving the body and spirit permission to re-engage in life with a felt sense of knowing!
And with this release, the mind is quiet, the body calm and the spirit can ignite. Vitality returns, and with that, a broader perspective on the true meaning of connection. This begins a very real stirring of our inner strength, sense of peace, and the simplicity and power of Being. The courageous pursuit of this approach to living creates resiliency and an irreplaceable curiosity and joy in simply Being on this planet.
Just like the small band of mares that returned to grazing, we can return again and again to connection, peace, and active stillness. The need for peace has been satiated by the ability to experience this moment, allowing it to integrate into the body, and releasing the powerful presence of our soul, returning to the simplicity of Being and allowing for a felt sense of knowing. Disconnecting from a constant state of doing can transform humans. I believe this can change our communities and even the world, creating a ripple effect, like a pebble tossed into a still pond.
Amazingly, the mere presence of another living being returning empathetic and calm energetic feedback can signal that it is safe to begin processing current input from the environment. Once safety is determined, the body can ask questions about stuck energy that the brain and body are hanging onto from past traumatic events. This stuck energy can even manifest physically, causing chronic pain, chronic illness, and autoimmune disorders.
Accessing somatic input, or noticing sensations within the body, happens quickly in the presence of horses. A horse living in a calm and safe place, free of pain and fear, will have a regular heartbeat and slow and rhythmic breathing. It possesses an energetic field that literally will enfold a human being, simply by being in its presence. This gathering of vital information, unconsciously by the human, often will release strong emotions, resulting in tears and even joy! This sensation is a waking up of our entire system. It is finally receiving relevant, authentic information, giving the body and spirit permission to re-engage in life with a felt sense of knowing!
And with this release, the mind is quiet, the body calm and the spirit can ignite. Vitality returns, and with that, a broader perspective on the true meaning of connection. This begins a very real stirring of our inner strength, sense of peace, and the simplicity and power of Being. The courageous pursuit of this approach to living creates resiliency and an irreplaceable curiosity and joy in simply Being on this planet.
Just like the small band of mares that returned to grazing, we can return again and again to connection, peace, and active stillness. The need for peace has been satiated by the ability to experience this moment, allowing it to integrate into the body, and releasing the powerful presence of our soul, returning to the simplicity of Being and allowing for a felt sense of knowing. Disconnecting from a constant state of doing can transform humans. I believe this can change our communities and even the world, creating a ripple effect, like a pebble tossed into a still pond.
