As you approach the gate,
Take a moment to pause here.
Close your eyes if you feel comfortable to do so,
Or if you're not,
Just focus on the spot on the ground in front of you.
Take a deep breath and bring your awareness into the present moment,
Just noticing whatever you experience right now.
Notice any sensations,
Whether they're discomfort or tension or softness.
Notice your feet on the ground,
Firmly planted,
And notice how your clothes feel against your body and the air against your skin.
Turn your attention toward what's inside your mind.
Whatever thoughts are going through your mind right now,
As best as you can,
Just acknowledge them and observe them just as they are in your mind right now.
You don't have to categorize or judge them in any way,
Just notice them for whatever they are.
And then I invite you to turn your attention towards what you're feeling emotionally right now.
Don't try to change it,
Just notice how you're feeling.
Turn toward any sense of discomfort or unpleasant feelings,
Just noticing them,
Or any happy positive excitement that you might experience right now.
Just acknowledge and register them,
Even if they're unwanted,
And maybe notice any body sensations that might go with your feelings.
Scan your body to pick up any tightness or bracing,
Just acknowledging the sensations.
And then I'd like to invite you to gently redirect your full attention to your breath,
To your breathing in and breathing out,
Just noticing how one in-breath and one out-breath follow one after the other.
Perhaps even say to yourself,
I'm breathing in,
I'm breathing out,
And just notice the feeling of the breath itself,
The rise and fall of your stomach as you breathe in,
As you breathe out.
Noticing the cool air flowing in through your nose as you inhale,
And the warmer air leaving your nose as you exhale.
Just breathing in and breathing out,
Using the breathing to anchor yourself into the present.
If you find your mind is wandering away from your breath,
That's okay.
Simply bring it back to noticing each in-breath and out-breath as they follow one after the other.
Now allow your awareness to expand,
To move beyond the breath,
Beyond your body,
Bringing your awareness to some of the things that you might hear around you.
Notice if you can hear the rustling of leaves,
Maybe some birds in the distance,
Or you might hear some horses ruffling through the grass,
Or snorting,
Or blowing,
Or eating.
Take it all in,
Just listening to the environment around you,
Feeling the ground underneath your feet,
Feeling the wind as it blows on your skin,
And when you're ready,
Open your eyes,
Allowing your awareness to extend beyond the gate in front of you,
Taking in the views of the paddock,
The world beyond.
If there's horses nearby,
Turn your attention to them,
Observing their movements,
Their posture,
And their interactions with each other,
Recognizing their unique personalities and the different energies that they bring to this paddock,
Just allowing yourself to appreciate their presence fully.
Take a deep breath in,
Taking in all the unique scents you can smell,
Maybe some hay,
The scent of your horses,
Perhaps some manure,
And maybe the hint of some wildflowers if it's springtime,
Or the smell of wet leaves after a rain,
Allowing yourself to absorb the experience of all your senses fully,
And acknowledging that you're part of this living,
Breathing environment.
And as you prepare to open the gate,
Just take a moment to carry this sense of presence and connection with you,
Feel the cool metal of the latch,
Hear the click as it releases and swings open,
And as you push the gate open,
Step through with this renewed awareness of the beauty and peaceful surroundings,
Carry this presence with you as you're about to encounter your horse.
