I met my dear friend Laura for a contemplative lunch at The Church of Conscious Harmony in Austin, Texas one winter day in 2004. After the luncheon we moved to the sanctuary to sit a talk. This modern yet simple sacred space was built with beautiful wood beams in an architecturally divine style and there is a peaceful stillness that envelopes you in this rooms presence.
I was going through one of the most challenging times in my life and was seeking support. I understood the energy systems of the body and was looking for a holistic practitioner who could support me in becoming more "grounded" in my body. I understood that I needed to find a healing modality with tools to support me being connected to my body and at the same time to the Divine Creator. I am an intuitive and it is very natural for me to connect with God and my Angels. My issue was staying grounded so I could be in my power to speak my truth fearlessly, assertively and with love. I had been working on boundaries in my life for many years and without ground it made it very hard for me to do so. I kept falling back into old patterns which left me feeling angry and depressed. Although I was my own toughest critic I would choose to blame others for my situation. This pattern of playing the victim role would one day come to an end...
Laura immediately knew who I was to connect with. She said, "You need CowboyYoga!" I instantly got goose bumps. I said, "What is CowboyYoga?" She said "you will see. Here is Gary's number. Make an appointment and go." Laura was and intuitive too and a wonderful Mother of two sweet girls. I trusted her and I could feel my spirit was supporting me in going. That decision was the door to my self-healing and empowerment which led me to realigning with my life purpose.
I arrived at the farm early for my appointment. Gary wasn't there yet and I walked around to connect with the horses and animals. It gave me the chance to feel the energy of the property. It brought me back to my childhood when I would visit my Grandparents in Georgia. It was comforting.
When Gary arrived he was full of life. A born and raised cowboy from New Mexico, an experienced horse trainer, gifted acupuncturist, psychic, amazing horse whisperer and creator of CowboyYoga. I called him the Cosmic Cowboy. He was quite the combination and became my spiritual teacher for two years.
I had been on a horse once in my life when I was in 6th grade at a day camp in Lexington, Kentucky. I remember it well and it wasn't pleasant because they assigned me to a horse name Diablo. And he lived up to his name. He was a very defiant horse and would not listen to anything I told him to do on the trail ride and did whatever he felt like doing. I had no tools to get him to listen so I was along for his ride. It left me feeling very frustrated and angry. That was the last encounter with a horse until CowboyYoga!
There I was, 33 years old ready to learn to ride a horse. All I knew was I was 100% committed to getting "grounded" in my life. Whatever it took I was going to achieve it. What I was about to experience upgraded the way I communicate in the world forever.
Gary knew exactly what horse to pair me with. Her name was Sugar, a world class cutting horse winner when she was 5 years old. She was 27 when I met her and was the most amazing reflection to me. She cared for me in so many ways that I am still grateful for today. She has been one of my greatest teachers. God bless her soul.
CowboyYoga...What does it mean? Cowboy: the person that rides the horse. Yoga: Union with the Divine Creator
CowboyYoga is a holistic healing modality that supports the expansion of a person's awareness through connecting with our body while riding a horse. By connecting with the energy centers that govern our body and the important role they play, we move into a more our authentic expression of ourselves. This gives a person confidence and security within themselves which makes them more grounded in their life experiences and supports their whole well being.
We learn to take inventory of ourselves and how we interact in the world on the horse and use those experiences by taking the tools into our everyday life. The horse is an amplified reflection of us in that moment. Horses are extremely sensitive on many levels. They feel and sense energy. They will mirror exactly what we reflect to them. This helps a person experience on a deeper level how they act in the world. It gives them the opportunity to see oneself clearly. Sugar showed me how I was choosing to express myself in my daily interactions in the world by the reflection she gave me while I was on her back. I realized in one instance where my weakness and pain was in the experience on her back and what I could do to shift it. And I did it! I healed the old wound that created the negative pattern I had perpetuated all my life in that moment during the exercise of riding Sugar. I remember that day as I sat and cried for 30 minutes in relief with a new found confidence and understanding of myself. I had done years of traditional talk psychotherapy and it never gave me the opportunity to shift like this. See a person can know what the issue is and have a desire to change or heal it. The key is in the action of changing the behavior to one that supports your well being. The horse gives you this opportunity to practice the way this new behavior feels in your body through your awareness as you ride. It is a freeing and empowering feeling when this happens. Faith and connection to Jesus and the angels coupled with the action of changing the belief through the exercise on the horse creates success.
Gary had a very large round pin with about a foot of loamy sand he had brought in for training cutting horses to make it easier on their feet and legs. I rode in a western saddle as he taught primarily dressage exercises. I started out trying to keep from bouncing in the saddle. I held on for dear life and I remember feeling embarrassed and fearful of falling. I held onto the saddle horn so tight. This was the reflection of my fear and lack of trust with myself. In the beginning I did not trust letting go of the horn to ride because I knew I was not secure enough in my body on the horse to keep from falling. I had to learn how to bring the energy down into my pelvic floor, legs and feet. This is ground. This is the energy center called the root chakra. The place of creativity, security and certainty. When we align our heads to our hearts to our feet this gives us the capacity to feel fully connected to God and our divine nature. It is our natural state. Unfortunately, sometimes we find ourselves stuck in our heads or moving from our head to our heart without bringing the energy all the way to our feet. Without this important piece of movement toward complete alignment we are unable to express our truth at our fullest potential. Riding the horse will give you the opportunity to experience moving out of your head and into your natural state which supports our whole well being.
This is one of many insights of my personal experience with CowboyYoga. What I learned the most from it is the principal I live by in my life called Reflection. In the past I felt like the victim. I realized that life is a reflection and all the answers are inside of us. What we experience around us, whether it be a person or our environment, is a reflection. We have the power to make the choice for our highest good to shift our reflection. I choose to reveal light by being accountable in my life. If I am emotionally charged about someone or something outside of myself, I bring it back to myself and look deep inside to understand and shift it. It is an empowering feeling. Thanks to the riding exercises with Sugar I expanded my consciousness to a place of deeper awareness. A gift I will cherish and teach for the rest of my life.
I was so inspired by my experience with CowboyYoga that I became a facilitator at Gary’s center to teach kids. Gary and I worked with kids that were labeled ADD, ADHD and Autistic. I use the word labeled because most of them were misdiagnosed. The power of a child connecting with the horse will support him/her in reconnecting with their divine nature. These amazing children today are wired differently than the previous generations. Hence the positive label Indigo and Crystal children. It is a necessity for them to stay grounded, eat chemical free organic foods and be in their purpose. Otherwise you will see very quickly the discord in them and your family life will reflect it. Every child I have seen do this work shifts in behavior significantly. The horse supports them in being grounded and that is what makes them feel safe so they shift easily. It is beautiful to witness. Kids deserve to be nurtured in their divine nature and this modality supports this concept. CowboyYoga supports balance, confidence and a person living their life in harmonious purpose.
If you haven't had an encounter with a horse or you have and it was a negative experience, have no fear. I invite you to get on a horse as soon as you can! :) Don't wait, try again! Just like life we have to call on Jesus for support and do the action necessary to overcome our fears. And for those of you who have experience riding and are curious about CowboyYoga, please contact me for a session or workshop. Connect and get grounded in your divine nature! CowboyYoga is calling you!
LOVELIGHT ON!
Danielle