Verandah Magazine’s spokesperson for all things ‘horse’, Beate Sommer from Aurora Valley, talks about how to have a ‘soft’ connection with our four-legged friends, and we can relate it to our two-legged companions as well…

Over the years I’ve often asked myself what exactly is ‘connection’ with our horses? Is it a physical feel? Is it mental clarity or an emotional flow?  Or is it maybe all of those things.

What I’ve come to believe is that to me connection is a soft feel, a clear mind and emotional awareness. If the feel is not soft, the mind not clear and the emotions not flowing, it is not a connection, it’s more likely a disconnection or a block, or a distortion leading to a misunderstanding and miscommunication.

Horses notice everything around them, near and far, while being acutely aware of their internal environment at the same time.  We can learn from horses how to become more attentive, how to sharpen our senses, how to be tuned into everything without losing connection with ourselves. They teach us how to bring our focus back to ourselves, how to notice, sense, assess, decide and act all in a short space of time, and then to return to ‘Self’ instead of having our focus hijacked and scattered.  Horses are keenly observant yet without judgement. They take everything as it presents itself and experience energy in its purest form.

Horses interacting – playing, noticing, assessing…all ‘in the moment’

Misbehaviour in a horse is a form of communication. Looking at it from this perspective means we don’t have to judge it as bad and we don’t have to punish the horse. Horsemanship becomes a lot more inclusive instead of being exclusive. Everything is welcome and allows us to know the horse a little better. This is a step towards more softness and connection.

Just think how tolerant horses are of our misbehaviours! They are constantly trying to read us – our body language, our verbal cues, our thoughts and our emotions. Plus they can tune into our heart rate, body odours, even our slightest muscular tensions.

Horses also experience our misbehaviour as a form of communication. They sense when we are incongruent. Our incongruence lies in the energy blocks, the random and often unfocussed thoughts, our deeper and more hidden emotions, our intention and so on. Horses respond to these rather unconscious aspects of ourselves. They also respond to us when we are soft and connected and then they become soft too and we experience flow and harmony, even if just for the briefest moment. It is important to pause after such special moments to let them into your whole system so your being can remember the joy later on.

When we have softness we no longer need boundaries but until we have softness, boundaries are necessary. This is true for relationships with people too.  Connection with our horses presupposes connection with Self. Let us be soft with ourselves, especially in moments of misbehaviour. If we can be soft in our approach to ourselves, the misbehaviour-like communication, the disconnection from that aspect, which communicates in a distorted way, will feel safe to be seen and acknowledged.

Learn to read yourself honestly and with kindness. Speak to yourself in the same way. Soften those parts within that have become rigid. Then we can relax and our brains can think of creative ways to be and do with the horse. Our hearts offer us the kindness and patience to make the best decision in each moment. Our gut tells us what is safe and what is not.

Practise connecting the three centers of intelligence: head, heart, gut.

I read somewhere that ‘hate is just a funny kind of love standing upside down’. I’m mentioning it because in a way any misbehaviour is like that… love standing upside down.

So, keep grounded, listen to your heart and gut, and be guided by Spirit. Then your mind will use its positive, creative intelligence and your decisions will be for the higher good of All.

AURORA VALLEY Take Time to Smell the Horses offers Natural Horsemanship with Emotional Awareness, Equine Assisted Learning and Equine Facilitated Energy Healing.

“Horses and Nature as a Path to Awakening, 31 Authentic Voice Cards for Heart Centered Emotional Intelligence – Daily Inspiration and Practical Wisdom straight from the Horse’s Mouth”
by Beate Maria Sommer

Available now from: taketime2smellthehorses

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Holly Sierra ~ American Magic realism painter

Astro-LOA Flash from the 11th HOUSE BLOG The dark moon is on us, the shadow of the eclipse. You want to ease back on the throttle, rest, reflect and self-repair.

Clear the mind of clutter, and hit the refresh button in the Scorpio sector of your chart, because . . .

. . . the October 24, 2014 solar eclipse in Scorpio is a powerful time to set your focused, edgy, cut-to-the-chase intentions.

You don’t want to saw logs through this one –  ie Heads Up!

This eclipse is within 10 degrees of the November 3, 2013 eclipse, meaning what you were desiring then may be coming into fruition, taking new shape or being scrubbed for an even better plan. Get a bigger perspective. With Venus conjunct as well at 0 Scorpio, there is added attraction, and allure. The desires will not be set aside . . .

If you remember back to October 24, 1995, the Thursday/Friday eclipse is EXACTLY on that degree. One way to leverage this would be to take the knowledge you gained from the experiences of that time and apply it to your life now. Think how much wiser you are.

SOLAR ECLIPSE @0 SCORPIO 24′
LA – Thursday – 2:57 pm
NY – Thursday – 5:57 pm
LON – Thursday -10:57 pm
SYD – Friday – 8:57 am

Remember, where we find Scorpio in the horoscope is where we need to experience life in the moment and on the edge. It is where we need to merge our energy with others to create something we could not do on our own. This erotic merging can not transpire until we have severed our umbilical ties with the past, co-dependent relationships. To this end, Scorpio is about the enticement to leave the juvenile ties that keep us dependent so we may form adult-to-adult relationships. Scorpio asks that we leave our familiar ground, be it supportive or destructive, and venture out into the world to re-create ourselves anew.

Sign by sign tips for the Eclipse: Where are you setting your intentions for the next stage of your journey?

ARIES or Aries Rising: The trail blazer in you may want to strike out on your own, but the eclipse is calls for contact, connection, action, and not the superficial kind. If you find yourself in the midst of fights and arguments, rethink your intimate life. Where are you resisting creative engagement with another? Can you set an intention about shared resources? That’s where you hit the jackpot.

TAURUS or Taurus Rising: The eclipse in your opposite sign of Scorpio places the emphasis right on you personal, one-to-one relationships. This is about commitment to your social connections, business or otherwise. Are you engaging completely and with your whole heart? Sharing? Trusting? Set intentions around experiencing the collaborations of your dreams.

GEMINI or Gemini Rising: Sometimes Gemini can be so busy and focused in the mind, that the body becomes a vehicle only, perhaps a neglected one. Use this powerful eclipse to connect with your physicality, set into motion a new health, fitness, exercise routine and discover the meaning of holistic awareness. Psyche and Soma. Can you listen to the wisdom of your body?

CANCER or Cancer Rising: You might have gotten into the habit of pleasing others to such a degree that your own personal creative self-expression has been curbed, or taken a back seat. If so, you’ll want to make an artistic play-date with yourself. Set intentions around honoring your Muse AND collaborating with others, standing your own ground AND sharing, listening, fostering.

LEO or Leo Rising: Much of your intensity is naturally expressed out in the world, in the public performance domain, but this lunar even pulls you into the depths of your Self. Where you crave intensity, strength and transformation is in the roots of your being, private, domestic, introspective. Plumb the depths of your soul, and set intentions on your ideal living situation. Play with this!

VIRGO or Virgo Rising: The urge for intensity, power and change comes out in conversation and those can get heated, passionate, exciting/volatile. Power struggles demand resolution and this is the perfect time to remind yourself, and others, where you stand: on your own two feet. Use the strength of your words as a creative force to be reckoned with. Set intentions for writing, communication, commerce.

LIBRA or Libra Rising: Intentions set around the authentic expression of your core values and sense of self-worth serve you well on this eclipse, as do honest thoughts of financial abundance. Transformation is afoot and it’s reflected in all the ebb and flow of energy – money, emotions, projects, support. Notice what lights your fire. Are you getting enough of that? Time to set more in motion.

SCORPIO or Scorpio rising: Your personal new moon, the eclipse brings any power issue home to roost. You meet contrast face on, warrior stance, ready to engage. Remember, it’s intense connection you want. Check in to how you’re attracting it. Creatively? Destructively? You decide how this goes, but in the moment, appreciate the participation; enjoy the ‘battle’!

SAGITTARIUS or Sagittarius Rising: As much as you like a cheering crowd, this eclipse is about retreat into the realms of the unconscious, a journey of dreams and inner horizons. Set intentions around self-reflection via meditation, service to others less fortunate, connection with all life. Risk something to make a difference. Ask, “how can I serve?”

CAPRICORN or Capricorn Rising: Your leadership capability is longing for challenge, growth and the testing of metals. Are you utilizing your talents to the max, or holding back? Engage with the ‘group’, lead the way, push past fears. The realm of one-to-many connection calls. Own your power and set your intentions for bigger goals and desires.

AQUARIUS or Aquarius Rising: Whatever challenges and potent engagements the solar eclipse brings, they won’t be secret. It’s all happening in the public eye where you are recognized, talked about, scrutinized and reviewed. Put the focus on your social connections, career and mission in life. Redefinition is in order. Ask what you can do for the collective? The inner cosmic social worker comes to life.

PISCES or Pisces Rising: The solar eclipse in your house of new horizons coincides with an intense desire to explore the distant, less travels and unknown. You want to expand and are willing to take risks, engage your power, and try new things to do so. Set intentions to make your life bigger, more meaningful, more aware! Ride this wave to a new shore!

Remember, the eclipse energy can activate 30 days before or 30 days after the event. Think AWARENESS! Eyes open for the gifts (as in, Finding Buried Treasure by Jeannette Maw.)

Feel free to post your experiences, intentions and happenings in the comments.

Happy New Moon Eclipse, everyone! xxxKim

About Kim Falconer

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