A few weeks ago, I offered a blog on the how horses’ model good health and what we can learn from them. Today I continue with four very important points.
Water – The only thing horses drink (in nature) is water. And they drink a ton of it. If they don’t get enough water, they can suffer from Colic, cramping of their muscle, mental compromise, and much more. Ask any horse owner, and they will tell you they are always paying attention to the consumption of water by their horses.
On the other hand, humans drink coffee, tea, sports drinks, pop, juice, ice cream shakes, wine, beer, and hard alcohol. Most humans in a day will probably drink more beverages than water. Yet, water cleanses the organs and flushes toxins, keeps the body hydrated (so it can function normally), and feeds and rejuvenates every single cell within the body.
I knew a man who committed to drinking ONLY water for one year at the New Year. He thought it would be easy. It was not, but the benefits were great. His body appreciated having what it needed to function correctly. His organs got a big break from processing so “natural ingredients.” His health increased, and his mind was crystal clear.
Tip: Count how many beverages you drink a day; drink twice as much water as you do beverages. Drink at least 8-10 classes (6oz) per day regardless. You will sleep better, digestion is better, and your mind will think better.
Tip #2: Filter your water to get the fluoride out of it as fluoride causes your pineal gland to calcify. You want your pineal gland as it governs hormones and is the gateway to higher levels of intuition.
Touch – My herd loves to groom each other. They groom more in the summer and the fall, and they stand side-by-side for the rest of the year. They want and need the touch of others. We all know appropriate contact and connection bring pleasure. When one experiences pleasure, dopamine is released through the body, making us feel good. It provides the body the ability to neutralize, heal and feel good. When a horse uses its lips and teeth to groom another, it brings great pleasure and relaxation; the body’s chemistry changes the more they groom. You will see them getting more vigorous when grooming, activating even more feel-good hormones.
With COVID being ever so present for almost two years, the ability for humans to experience touch has diminished considerably. No longer do we hug our friends hello and goodbye. Family members have been required to isolate. Even touching something that someone else has touched raises concerns for some people. Young people are unconsciously conditioned to believe that touch can bring sickness. Imagine the effects of that conditioning twenty years from now. We will have an even more “no-touch” culture.
Tip: Get touched for your health and to help release feel-good hormones in your body. Connect physically with others (hugs, hand-holding, intimate dancing, massage) and if you can’t do any of these – get bodywork. If you can’t get bodywork, then intentionally give yourself a massage each night before you fall asleep. Rub your feet, hands, arms, and stimulate blood flow to your skin. Dopamine is released out of the brain when a reward is anticipated. Go out to your herd and rub and scratch on each member and watch how they respond and express their appreciation. It will make you feel good! Schedule delicious things in your life that include connection and touch with others, and more dopamine will release in your system, and you will feel better!
Choose Wisely – Be the leader of your internal health by becoming conscious and committed to where you place your attention and energy. My mare Diva walks away from conflict, keeping herself free of stress. Moon stays to the edge of the herd when they get all excited and are running around, observing without wasting energy managing (he is my elder). Leaving does not mean you let people walk on you. It means choosing what energy you want in your life and environment. Corazon, my mustang, who was wild till he was five, is highly tuned to everything that happens in the environment. He will lift his head with a frozen body and slowly look around the area. Then he chooses how he wants to respond to what he senses. His instincts tell him when there is something in the environment that could be detrimental to his well-being. Corazon is not numbed out.
Tip: Notice what you are focusing on or involved with (including watching the screen, news, and conversations with others). Do activities bring you well-being, or do they diminish your feeling state, bringing you down just a notch or two or more? What are you doing that might be numbing you out?
How many conversations a day are you having about the state of affairs with COVID? What might be possible if you had an entire week without reading, listening, or talking about any aspect of COVID? I suspect you would feel a lot better not engaging in a topic which is based in fear. Remember, everything is vibration, and our body responds to vibration. Choose what vibration you want in your body by eliminating your involvement with the things that bring you down, put tension in your body, or keep you in a low-grade fear about the state of the world. Go for a walk instead.
Hold onto Nothing – My wild mustang, who was a stallion for 5.5 years of his life, will exert energy to place boundaries with others or to bring the herd into order. He is very clear about what you can or cannot do with his body and personal space. He knows what he needs and honors that first and foremost. He will set limits with those around him. However, he then lets it go. He returns to grazing, and his body goes back into relaxation. He does not carry resentments, expectations, hurt feelings, or frustrations. He doesn’t create divisive conversations that make anyone wrong. He understands that everyone is an individual, and he needs to be clear about his personal space. He says what he needs to say and returns to grazing.
Tip: What are you tolerating in your environment and why? Do you have thoughts, judgments, or divisive conversations that make others wrong? What might be possible if you focused on what your authentic self needs and were faithful to that? Maybe as you become more explicit about who you are, it is time to let go of old friends and jobs. Loyalty is admirable, but it can damage your well-being if given more emphasis than what your heart truly needs. Look at your life and release what does not bring you joy. And you might be saying, but that is so selfish. And you are right. Be selfish to honestly know who you are and what you want in your human herd. Then go back to the things you love to do that light you up. Stick with those activities and let go of the rest.
Thank you for these wise admonitions. Indeed, we need water and simplicity with touch, kindness and caring loving in our daily lives.