Being With Others With No Agenda

I recently facilitated my first Costa Rican equine retreat.  We worked with 7 magical equine beings over the course of 3 days.  And from the outside, it may not have looked like we were “doing” much. 

This is in and of itself a huge representation of my evolution, as it is part of my patterning to make sure someone gets what they came for, they have an experience, or I somehow “make something happen” (though I certainly wouldn’t say that out loud).  What horses have taught me over the years is that this desire of mine to control the outcome, squeezes out the possibilities for magic, for insights beyond my capacity to know, for serendipity.  Horses have taught me, painstakingly, to BE.  When I can BE with them with no agenda, I am opened up to infinite possibility, the infinite intelligence of the universe has some space to step in!  

Horses are prey animals.  What they search for is peace, or the lack of pressure in their environment.  They are in their happy place when they are grazing peacefully together, not asking anything from one another, just existing together in harmony.  People can want to “do” things, create things, make things happen!  Not that this is bad, but do we also take time to be with ourselves and others, with no agenda?   And if we do, what happens?  We really don’t know, and I’m here to tell you that it’s worth finding out.  It’s worth it to step into curious presence with yourself, with your loved ones, with the nature around you, to see what incredible magic is ready to unfold.

Carolyn Resnick, in her Liberty Method, teaches her students to “share territory” with their horses as often as possible.  This is what it sounds like- being with horses with no agenda, just simply sharing territory.  One could read or meditate or journal while they share space.  Carolyn feels this is one of the single most important relationship building exercises to do with horses.  I have taken this exercise to heart and not only practice sharing territory with horses but also consciously share territory with the nature around me as I meditate outside in the morning, or with my daughter as she plays beside me.  An important part of this practice is to allow this sharing of space together to be “enough.”  If I am sharing territory to get some insight, that defeats the purpose and I’m back to my old pattern of wanting something to happen again.  Is it not enough for me to share time and space with the beautiful world around me, as we recognize each other for our brilliance?  The more I engage in this practice, the more I find that it is more than enough, that in this practice is the recognition of the rich abundance we are steeped in in every moment.

Related Resource- Download 5 Ways to Ground in Nature for free here