Allowance/resistance

Negative emotion is your indicator of resistance, while positive emotion is your indicator of allowance. And they are on the same meter: allowance; resistance. Allowance; resistance. --- Abraham; Excerpted from the workshop in Monterey, CA on Tuesday, March 20th, 2001

A goal of Spiritual Horsemanship is to learn how to be aware of your emotional choices, to be aware of where the needle is on your personal emotional meter. Horses (all animals) are very sensitive to the inner states of emotion of the humans they have relationships with. (There have been earlier blogs on this topic, but briefly the sensitivity is a result of horses' being herd animals; it is a survival ability).

Your horse's sensitivity to your emotional states can be a blessing and a gift - or a curse - depending on the choices you make. Your own anger is reflected back to you from your horse first in the form of resistance and then in the form of fear and anger. Your own joy is reflected back to you from your horse as acceptance and cooperation and then in the form of shared joy as you become as one.

Your horse is a full partner in your human/horse relationship, but as a human, you have the ability to make choices that your horse doesn't have. You set the tone, you choose the outcome - if you consciously choose positive emotions, your horse will reflect that back at you. Your horse offers you a chance to train yourself to choose your emotional state rather than be ruled by it. You can choose happiness in your life (making no choice at all is also a choice). Become sensitive to your horse's state and let your horse be your partner as you learn how to live on purpose.

What a beautiful living biofeedback system your horse offers you - use it well and don't forget to express the gratitude your horse deserves for providing this for you.