A Sahaj Essay on Horses & People at Horse Rescue Centres – Love & Support in a Journey that Stregthens the Hearts

“Distance tests a horse’s strength.

Time reveals a person’s heart.”

Chinese Proverb

When the Unconditional Love becomes Support & Bond

I’ve asked Liallyn, dear and respected friend, also an experienced practitioner and volunteer teacher of Sahaja Yoga Meditation, to find words for her special connection with horses. On Easter weekend 2010, Liallyn had visited us from Edmonton and my entire family had listened fascinated to her stories about the time she spends as volunteer at the Horse Rescue centre -near Edmonton. The she showed us some photos from that magic place where the sahaj spirit is already at home. Something I ‘ve felt that is worthy to be shared with you all. Please, let’s pay attention to the photos: allowing our compassion to feel the silent pain of these animals; allowing our hearts to join the special and tangible bond that exists between horses and people at the Horse Rescue centre.

‘I don’t know how many of you are horse lovers, who subscribe to natural horsemanship methods and deeper relationship with horses and their healing presence.’ says Liallyn… and she continues below ..

‘Horses are subject only to their DNA coding and the forces of nature. They aren’t humans, but they are very intelligent and have many characteristics that we could call human.  They just ‘are’…alive in the moment, dignified, living their life and doing, or not doing, according whatever circumstances exist in that moment, whatever..

For most of Horse Rescue volunteers, they are just trying to make right what other people have done wrong in betraying the trust of these magnificent, noble creatures.

The Horse Rescue volunteers are devoting their time and energy to give some quality of life to innocent creatures who were dependent on people for their survival, but the people didn’t see those responsibilities toward these fine animals as a priority.

 

These are the same people who volunteer at soup kitchens for the homeless, who have foster children in their home, who are picking garbage up off the side of highways, and maintaining hiking trails high in the mountains.  Summed up, they care about quality of life and the Mother Earth and don’t feel fulfilled unless they are doing their part for the benefit of our society.

 

 

 Where I’m concerned, it’s very personal.  Not only have I always loved horses, but being with horses is the only place that I can be free and in the moment, my true self, completely absorbed in the natural world, the elements, with the innocence of being in harmony with the natural forces/energies of the cosmos and in total connection with those other beings who are also in harmony with the natural forces/energies of nature.  I understand horses and their ways as much as I understand people, and they can feel that, and they respond accordingly like we’re speaking the same language.  For me, that’s a totally enjoyable family feeling being with horses.  I don’t have to watch each and every word and action in case someone else’s fears or insecurities colour what I say or do into something that it’s not.  I can relax and be the total me.  I am completely at Sahasrara chakra level when with horses, completely in the moment, completely thoughtlessly aware, seeing and understanding in an instant without thought or analysis.  The important part for me is that horses understand me instantly in a way that humans never have. I feel more comfortable in the stable or horse paddock knowing that I am being truly seen and wholly understood by those creatures than anywhere else – and the only other place I feel that is when I’m completely absorbed into Sahasrara.

 

When an abused rescued horse begins to understand that it is now with friends,

 

 

its tension and constant wariness of the new surroundings begins to relax into a bond and trust of the humans.  Some respond faster than others, depending on how much human socialization it’s has had before and its own personality.  Like humans, horses can be dominant or submissive, pushy or timid. But despite the personality differences, they all understand positive and negative energy, and they are able to achieve a magnetic connection with each other (and with humans) which is very much a kind of collective consciousness. The moment you can see these skinny, starved, abused animals begin to respond to kindness, care and affection, it’s like the sun comes out on a rainy day.  Your heart opens so wide that there is no more differences to species – there is just connection. It’s actually the same way with people – if the fears, insecurities and negative, unproductive conditionings of societies were replaced by the principles I’ve described here, the religious, cultural and other clashes in our homes and communities and around the world would undoubtedly be transformed into a higher, golden age of mankind. Martin Luther King was referring to the same thing when he said, “I have a dream….” Shri Mataji has said, “The essence of Love is concern” and “Truth does not divide people.” Same thing.

  

Seeing the magnetic connection of a newborn foal with its mother touches your heart because you feel that connection with them, too (if you open yourself to it) – spontaneously – it’s magical and can melt even the hardest or most damaged of hearts.

 

And the feeling is quite like that when talking to new people at Sahaja Yoga programs, or when a newer practitioner of Sahaja Yoga (or even a more experienced one) is developing their own connection to the Divine and something you may have said, spontaneously, just being your true self, acts as a catalyst for that person to suddenly see the elusive point or lesson so he or she can move on up the spiral of our spiritual ascent.

We are mirrors for each other in that way.

Also, we have all felt those meaningful moments while listening to Shri Mataji’s lectures – there is usually one or two very definite parts in every talk (and they change each time you listen to that talk!) where a big lightbulb goes on in our consciousness and we say, ‘Oh, I see.’  It’s really great.  There’s nothing that compares to the feeling of the conscious connection to the all-pervading power of Creation that we are able to experience after having the actualization of Kundalini awakening through self-realization process in Sahaja Yoga.  Being with horses just magnifies that connection in a way that dissolves the stress and strain of the work day and pressing responsibilities – in tandem with meditation, it’s very therapeutic.

Love, Liallyn”

** Check on our other Sahaj article: Meditation for Pets (Cookie’s Story)

This Post Has 15 Comments

  1. Sundari Leni

    Wow, a very nice article. Do you know, if Shri Mataji ever said something about horses?

    I also love horses very much

  2. Rabi Ghosh

    A great reflection. I love it . All of them. My deep love for Liallyn for her beautiful insight and understanding that beautiful creation of God and gift to mankind. Horse had been friend of man since ages. It is difficult to choose between three animals.

    My daughter once asked me a question

    ” Dad ,who do you think is more faithful…A Dog,…A horse…or an elephant’?

    a question put forward in sahaja style before all of us. Hope someday some one will answer to it what I could not or say I failed to reply. I feel will also write something on Elephant to show what elephant means to us.

    Not only Tarzan loved it to jump over it or to express land of India to be shown on map of world or people start imagining Africa or India whenever they see an elephant. Let us remember Shri Ganesha was the choosen One and the head of His that was chosen for Him was that of an Elephant as it doesnot have ego!!! That’s what Mother says…..

    1. adrian

      So, who is more faithful… it is the one who is most loving… and most loved. The both are required. If a dog is loved, and can love in return it is faithful. If a horse is loved, and can love in return it is faithful. If an elephant is loved, and can love in return it is faithful. The All is capable of loving and being loved in return, and the reflection is faithfulness and peace.

      So what of “ego”… perhaps a better word is the opposite of ego… “innocence”, because it is what already is. Watch an baby elephant play… and you see its innocence, likewise a young foal and puppy show their playfulness or innocence. So who is it that has been given the choice of “ego”… it is man… but not the child of man. The child is not yet with “ego”, because innocence is our original “pure desire to be”. The “ego” comes later… only when we forget who we originally were.

      Perhaps we are just “all God’s creations”… the differences are just illusions, to help us to realize the beauty there is.

      1. Rabi

        yes dear Adrian you are right. Mother says….

        “……Because here resides the Deity, a symbol as you call it, which has got the head of an elephant, because elephant is the wisest animal and the head of an animal signifies, that such a person never gets ego. It’s the human beings only; the human animal only gets the ego part of it”…… (Shri Mataji nirmala Devi, C.G. Jung Society Talk, New York, 16.09.1983)

  3. Ruby

    a Wonderful, a wonderful site……truly inspiring. I have some experience with horses in my childhood and hope to
    do something with horses again…. I do agree that they are very sensitive and communicative beings that have a natural potential for a kind of telepathy between each other….based of course on their collectivity…and they can also sense human intent.
    really enjoyed the vibrations off this website!

    Blessings, Ruby

  4. Carmen

    I have a dog and you may think that I will support the idea that the dog is the smartest more loving creature. But I see the eyes of the horses and the eyes of the elephants and their joy is mine and their pain is mine. I love them all and the dolphins and the whales and the birds, all of them.

    I believe everything has to do with the awakening of the Kundalini and the piercing trough the heart chakra. I feel so greatfull for being capable of feeling this love and compassion which is a gift.

    Thank you,

    Carmen

  5. Liallyn

    It is an interesting fact that the Prophet Mohammed dearly loved horses and had hundreds of Arabians in his stables, the ‘drinkers of the wind’ as he called them, and was said to have put his thumbprint on the necks of his favourite five mares, who became the mothers of the great lines of Arabian horses that followed. There are many accounts about Prophet Mohammed’s horses, especially his five favourite mares and his horse Barak who carried him through many lands to Mecca and back.

    http://www.pantheon.org/areas/folklore/folktales/articles/five_mares_mohammed.html

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Khamsa

    Having said that, I really love donkeys and mules also – they have a slightly different character than horses, their own brand of nobility.

    Regarding innocence, our natural state as instruments of the Divine, here an excerpt from the beautiful hexagram “Innocence” from the ‘I Ching’:
    “Ch’ien, heaven, is above; Chen, movement, is below. The lower trigram Chen is under the influence of the strong line it has received from above, from heaven.
    When, in accord with this, movement follows the law of heaven, man is innocent and without guile. His mind is natural and true, unshadowed by reflection or ulterior designs. For whatever conscious purpose is to be seen, there the truth and innocence of nature have been lost.
    Nature that is not directed by the spirit is not true, but degenerate nature.”

  6. Antoinette Wells

    What a beautiful article. Yes I witnessed my self such occurences between horses and horses and horses and humans when I was working in a rehabilitation centre as a therapist: this rehab. working with addiction was providing ‘equean therapy’ and so for two years I witnessed some wonderful healing sessions between these addicts and the horses, some of which had also been abused: it is a very real yet subtle form of healing! Warm wishes Antoinette

  7. Elsie

    What a beautiful story Lilyanne tells. It comes from her heart and she reached my heart. Horses are magnificent creatures. It doesn’t seem possible that such cruelty exists. I understand the connection she has with horses. How wonderful that she is caring for these abused horses for they feel her love. For me, I have a connection with babies and small children. I can stay in the moment and experience joy when I’m playing with my two grandchildren with any small ones. They give back such love I thought little ones would not understand or be able to give. I understand it now they are like mirrors reflecting what they perceive.

    1. adrian

      Your comment… “I thought little ones would not understand or be able to give”… isn’t it amazing to think that before “realization” this is a normal way to think! Then to discover that those young children already “know”… they are pure and full of desire and innocence… they have as you say… so much to teach us.

  8. Debbie

    Thanks for sharing and doing your part in taking good care of God’s creation. This world is a better place with people like you Liallyn.

    Lots of love always.

  9. Liallyn

    Dear Debbie
    It’s relatively easy to help animals, and it’s a bonus when the joy and vibrations flow when you do – but it’s not so easy helping people because of the free will, mindful things and other obstacles that humans tend to get tangled in.
    By giving self-realization and helping people to read the signals of Spirit, to get onto the path of spiritual ascent, we are doing our part in taking care of the human/seekers part of God’s creation – which is the highest work, if you ask me. Liallyn

    1. adrian

      Helping other people is easy when we “realize” that we should never impose our own free will onto them… they will always ask in their own way… just listen.

  10. Claudia

    So heartwarmng. Animals show themselves in a truly beautiful way . Their energy is amazing and pure. Claudia

  11. Sarsau

    Beautiful description… I really Enjoyed reading it …. and specially felt the vibrations Flow from my palms …..!!! Be it Horses , Dogs Or Elephants …. that bond you develop with All Of The Various Creations Of The Divine , After Sahaj Yoga Has Opened Out That Fourth, Mysterious Dimension Within You….is absolutely Unique and Marvellous …. Its my personal experience ….I feel so Much More Connected With All Of God’s Creations Now … With Every Element , With Every Thing In The Universe …. Its Such A Serine and Joyful Feeling …. Everything Seems So Much More Bright and Dignified … , Right ? And We All Feel So Blissfully CONNECTED ….!!! Really Shri Mataji …. We Owe This All To You..

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