Taking your time.
To settle into a comfortable sitting position.
Being present to the experience of the moment.
Noticing whatever is there.
And allowing the breath to find a soothing rhythm.
Now mindfully acknowledging what arises while you listen to the following story.
A young teenage girl loves to spend as much time as she can with her horse.
One day she rides her horse in the snow.
The weather conditions are turning bad.
She loses control over her horse and they slip.
They slide down a hill towards the road and are hit by a big truck.
They both survive but their lives will never be the same.
The girl who lives with her mother is left walking with her limp.
She experiences dark moods.
And on top of that she has lost her best and most beloved friend,
Her horse,
Who has turned into an anxious,
Irritable,
Restless animal.
The horse doesn't trust humans anymore and is unmanageable.
So it is kept in this stable.
The mother tries everything to cheer her daughter up.
And she understands that the only way to help her daughter is to heal the relationship with her horse.
She starts searching and the search eventually leads to a man who is said to have special skills with traumatized horses.
He lives far away in a remote part of the country.
They drive hundreds of miles with a horse in a van.
Then they meet a remarkable man who says very little.
He points out they can stay at his ranch for as long as they need,
But they must leave the horse to him.
To their surprise he brings the animal to a vast open field where he releases it so it can roam freely.
The horse runs and runs until they can hardly see it anymore.
The mother and daughter already strongly doubt their decision to trust this man,
But he seems confident in what he is doing.
They witness how he returns daily to the field,
Where he stands or sits motionlessly on the same spot,
Looking in the direction of the horse.
They see how the animal slowly comes closer,
A bit more every day.
The man doesn't reach out.
He just sits quietly,
Watching the horse attentively.
He only seems to softly whisper words or sounds in the direction of the horse from time to time.
They cannot hear what he whispers,
But it seems to encourage the horse to come a bit closer every day.
One day it's almost into touching distance,
But when the man lifts his arm to stroke it,
The horse staddles and runs off into the distance again.
The whole process starts again.
The man stays on his spot,
Just watching attentively and whispering softly,
Letting the horse come nearer at its own pace.
The man waits with endless patience.
Whispering sounds are words that are only meant for the horse to hear.
When it is again near enough for the man to touch it,
He remains still until the horse touches the man's shoulder.
He lets the horse examine him and very carefully he begins to stroke the horse's head and neck,
Who now allows him to do so.
From then on the horse gains trust and lets itself be approached by the man.
Finally it allows itself to be settled so the man can ride it.
And then the girl,
Who now understands why this man is called the horse whisperer,
Learns to reconnect with the horse as well,
With patience and kindness.
Now this story may inspire you how to sit with whatever is in your experience,
Like a horse whisperer,
Being silently present with whatever shows up,
Whether thoughts,
Feelings or other sensations.
As if your experiences are like horses in a boundless field where they can roam freely.
Sometimes they may come on their own.
Sometimes they may arrive in busy herds.
Sometimes quietly.
Sometimes wildly.
You do not need to reach out to capture them.
You also do not need to back off from them.
You are just patiently sitting.
And when they approach you,
You can kindly acknowledge them,
With mindful presence,
If you wish,
By gently whispering words of kindness.
No controlling,
No pushing or pulling.
Just letting yourself be touched by what you experience.
And gently touching your experience,
Without disturbing it.
Mindfully.
Kindfully.
And with equanimity.
Especially when a hurt,
Shy or mistrustful part in you presents itself,
It can be helpful to remind yourself of the wisdom and the patience of the horse whisperer.
Giving this vulnerable part space in a boundless field of your awareness.
Whispering firmly on the ground of your being.
Offering unconditional mindful attention.
Whispering words of kindness this vulnerable part needs to hear.
Waiting for it to come nearer by itself.
Giving it the space and patience it needs.
Letting your mind and heart be touched by it.
And touching it in return in a way it allows you to touch it.
Without forcing anything.
Whispering like a horse whisperer.
Gently touching your feeling.
You
