This can be practiced at the end of your day as you're getting ready to leave the barn or any time at all using your imagination.
Seated or standing,
Close your eyes if comfortable and safe to do so.
Have your feet firmly planted on the ground and come back to this feeling of your feet on the ground at any point if you feel overwhelmed or uncomfortable.
Take a breath in and fill yourself up.
And breathe it out steady.
As you take the next few breaths in and out,
Notice what you smell.
The freshness of shavings,
Lingering sweetness of hay.
Do you smell the air?
Notice what you smell.
Now feel the air on your skin,
The temperature,
Any movement or breeze that comes with the air,
Or stillness.
Notice what you can feel.
Now,
What do you hear?
Munching horses,
Shifting in their stalls,
The cat pitter-pattering along the loft.
Is there quiet between sounds?
Notice the sounds that are close by,
But also notice the sounds that are more distant.
Even sounds outside.
Wait patiently as the sounds will shift or repeat or even transform.
Notice,
Too,
Any sense of quiet and peace.
Now listen to the sounds coming from you of breath and body.
Notice any sense of taste that lingers in your mouth.
Maybe there's a sweetness of feed that you can taste,
Or crisp air,
Damp horse breath,
Or the peppermint treat that you kept for yourself.
Notice,
Too,
If there's a lack of taste in the mouth.
Simply notice.
Finally,
With eyes still closed,
Is there anything you see?
Is there light peeking through your closed eyelids?
Are there colors or shapes?
Shadows?
Slowly at first,
As if Dorothy shifting to technicolor,
Begin to crack your eyes open,
Revealing what's been right there in front of you this whole time.
Take it all in as you would a page in a book.
What do you see?
What do you see that's close by?
What do you see that's moving or still?
Is there dark or light textures and colors?
Notice,
Too,
What's farther away and take it all in.
Lay your hands over the center of your chest,
Hand over hand at your heart center.
Absorbing sights,
Sounds,
Smells,
Taste until you reach capacity.
Revel in your good fortune in this moment in time to live in a world with horses.
Feel what it feels like to live in a world with horses.
In order to bring yourself back,
Feel again your feet firmly planted on the ground.
Tap them a few times to create movement and awareness.
Lightly squeeze and release your fingers.
Gently turn your head from side to side.
Know that you can come back to moments of wonder and gratitude simply by slowing down and using your five senses.
I hope to see you soon.
Bye-bye.
