Yoga, Ayurveda and Caballos Spiritual Awakenings on the back of a horse

Hola!

This blog is a little different. It is about my new experience with horses here in Costa Rica.

Like many, as a little girl I always dreamed of having a pony. My mother rode horses and had her very own special horse called Missy. I never got to meet Missy because by the time I was born my folks had sold their land and moved to the city. But the stories about Missy were exciting. My mother rode Missy almost every day for years and they had a very special bond. My mother was a drinker and if she tried to ride Missy while she was drinking, Missy would buck her right off. She knew! The very few photos of my mother I have are her on Missy!

As I grew older, I never lived in an area where I could be near horses so they really haven’t been a part of me or something that I have felt super drawn to for some time …. Even the thought of horse people had somewhat of a negative- rich spoiled connotation. That is until I moved to Costa Rica! Not just Costa Rica-but to Samara Costa Rica. The caballos (that means horses in Spanish) here are as free as you can ever imagine. It is amazing! If you are not riding the horse, the horse is most likely free roaming the beaches, the streets, the open pastures and often in your front yard! Samara is very special in this way.

So, after a year of settling here, observing these gentle giants on a daily basis, I started to yearn and have that child like dream again of connecting with caballos.

My husband J and I have started taking riding lessons with a beautiful and beloved lady named Melissa Blanc. Melissa owns a place called Horse Jungle https://www.horsejungle.com/ and she has had a passion for horses much of her life and does incredible work here in Samara. Her horses are amazingly cared for and have big gentle hearts in their oh so happy environment!

And now I think I have found another great love of my life (aside from my wonderful husband)! His name is Echo and he is a beauty! It is the horse Melissa chose for me… or perhaps it was he and I choosing one another. Not only is he tall, dark and handsome, he is also sweet and mellow and super strong!

What I have learned in the short time I have studied with Melissa is that Horses are the most divine animals and so much of riding is about my respect and connection to them. Despite their size, they are kind and super therapeutic to be around and to ride. There is also a huge yoga and Ayurveda feeling to riding. You start by sitting up tall in your saddle followed by relaxing your shoulders, face, arms, as many muscles as you possibly can. You watch your breath and there is a subtle and relaxed awareness you find. When I ride, I feel I am so focused, almost in mediation which is a great distraction from any stresses I have and problems in the world today. Plus, I have Nature at its very best!

Riding a horse gives me the opportunity to connect to all of the elements (pancha mahabhutas) in a totally different way. When I am riding, my Spirits are lifted but I am also more grounded giving me kapha and vata elements. There is also a certain feeling of pitta with the steady focus of my horse, Echo and myself. I can feel these elements all around us.. magnified! In addition to Echo’s focus is the awareness he has to sounds and energy all while being so tranquilo-peaceful. In yoga and Ayurveda we talk about energy and how it can become stagnant, move or impact others. To watch how a horse responds to things without verbal communication is fascinating . My heart is open wide by me and Echo’s ability to nonverbally communicate. I am new to the practice but nevertheless I feel it is happening. There is a beautiful connection between me and a Being that is full of grace and wow! I believe the connection will continue to deepen as our relationship grows. I notice each time I ride I am more at ease with trotting, going up slopes and trudging through mud and rivers.

After riding, I enjoy a bit of equine therapy by de-saddling my horse, giving him lots of love along with a good spray down for cool off 😉 I can hardly wait to see Echo next week for our meet up!

Amor y Luz

Love and Light

Bhakti