We have the pleasure of sharing a guest author’s reflections on observing today. Meghan Vornholt has expertise in yoga, meditation and coaching, and is a certified equine wellness practitioner in Canada.
You can learn more about her work at her website and on Facebook and Instagram. We are excited to meet her in September at a personal development workshop at her studio o in Cochrane, Alberta. We are so honoured that she took the time to create and share such wonderful reflections with our readers. Thank you Meghan!
Meghan Vornholt is a Equine Facilitator Learning Professional, yoga instructor, coach and educator for Canadian Mental Health Association in Calgary, Alberta. Meghan has been connecting with horses since she was 5 years old and horse crazy since she could say the word “horse.” She has been blessed with some amazing equine partners and mentors over the years. She studied Equine Facilitated Wellness with Sue McIntosh at Healing Hooves in Cremona, Alberta and continues to be involved in groups there. Meghan found yoga in 2003 and it profoundly changed her life. In 2011, she was introduced to kundalini yoga which transformed her healing journey to one of even deeper awareness. She lives on an acreage north of Cochrane, Alberta with her husband, two dogs and four horses where she runs workshops and individual sessions for women on their journey of self-awareness and living life according to their values.
The Power of Observation
Isit on the ground.
The soft, vibrant green grass beneath me.
A gentle breeze moves my hair.
Blue sky with fluffy clouds.
I can see the horses all peacefully eating.
I can hear the soothing sound of the horses eating grass. The birds singing.
My dogs are running, playing and having the best day of their life.
In this moment I am completely present.
One of my favorite practices with my equine partners is to observe them. Watching them eat, interact, and BE is both calming and reflective. All of my senses are involved in the practice; my eyes are observing the horses, I hear the sounds around me, I notice what I can feel inside/outside of my body, my thoughts, and any emotions that arise. It creates trust and connection for both horses and humans.
Becoming the witness or observer is a concept I learned originally in my yoga and meditation practice. The idea that we are the one observing our thoughts, emotions, bodies. Thus it separates us from over- identifying with a thought, emotion, or our body. Realizing that all of these parts make up the totality of WHO WE ARE but WE ARE NOT any one of these individual parts. This concept and practice has been very helpful for me in my journey.
My thoughts can be quite self-critical and judging (perhaps some of you reading this can relate). Becoming an observer of my experiences and accepting all parts of me has been a huge part of my learning to be kinder to myself. By observing the environment around me, I have learned to sit with my internal world. This takes a lot of awareness and vulnerability. It is uncomfortable and I’m not always able to focus on it right away. Learning to observe my herd without judgement helps me transfer that to myself. I can observe my emotions, notice what message they bring, keep listening for what I need and then I can be there for myself or ask a loved one for what I need. It is a process.
Another aspect that I appreciate about the practice of observing is it is always different. We all have our own perspectives. What might stand out for one person may not even be noticed by another. And our perspectives change such that what we may one day and is different the next because we are not exactly the same. How the horses interact with each other may be interpreted by each person differently depending on one’s mood, perception, past experiences etc. . This is where the dialogue with an Equine Facilitated Wellness professional can be so valuable. The horses facilitate the awareness through what they give us to observe, and the mental health professional, learning professional or coach can continue to explore those topics with the individual or group depending on their scope of practice. This has been a gift in my equine facilitated wellness work.
This practice of observing is so important in all our relationships. If we take the time to observe ourselves and each other, we create better communication, connection and empathy. There is so much communicated in body language, that as humans we often miss or are subconsciously interpreting it. By consciously observing we developed awareness of ourselves and others. And if we use that awareness to inform our communication with each other, it deepens understanding. When we take the time to observe we notice changes in ourselves and our loved ones.
So I invite you to take a few minutes to pause and observe yourself, an animal, nature, or a loved one. What does your observation inform you about?
