Yogi Horsemanship: Non-Harm

What do you imagine when you think of “Horse Yoga?” Many of us picture people doing crazy poses on horseback and a Google search would reinforce that image! While yoga poses on horseback are an exhilarating part of the practice, yoga with horses has even more to offer. The core principles of yoga offer a pathway to practice on or off the mat and in or out of the saddle. 


The first of these yoga principles is Ahimsa or Non-Harm. Ahimsa encompasses both physical and mental/emotional non-violence. When we practice Ahimsa we do no bodily harm to ourselves or any other being, we respect physical and emotional boundaries, we honor our authentic selves, and we avoid negative thoughts about ourselves and others. 


What might a day with your horse look like without Ahimsa? Imagine you’re getting ready to spend time with your horse. You put on your spurs grab a whip and mount up. For some reason, your horse has decided they don’t want to go to the far end of the arena today. The facility you’re at is crowded and you can feel people watching you. Under their gaze, judgments and insecurities bubble up in your mind. Maybe you label your horse as lazy, or yourself as incompetent. To escape these negative thoughts you drill down on your horse driving them toward the far end of the arena. Your horse fights you and you can feel their resistance building until it boils over as your horse bolts away. 


Now let’s look at the same situation through the lens of Non-Harm. Imagine grabbing a good book and a chair as you go to see your horse. You sit with them as they enjoy the last of their breakfast and your quiet company. When you mount up, you notice your horse is avoiding the far end of the arena. You can feel the eyes of others on you as you come to a halt. You can feel judgments and insecurities bubbling up, but you recognize them as old stories you used to tell yourself. You have better stories now. You remind yourself that you’re a confident and caring person. Your horse is a magnificent being who always does their best. You pause and take a few deep breaths, feeling yourself unwind and relax. You release and your horse sighs, releasing with you. You feel connection growing as you pause and breathe together. When you ask your horse to move forward, they do so willingly.


While these are representative imaginings, the feelings in each are real. Which feelings would you prefer? Practicing Ahimsa teaches us to build relationships on harmony rather than harm. We learn to be mindful of the thoughts and judgments we apply to ourselves and others. We stay true to ourselves and our horses and enjoy our journey over our destination. We find that harmony attracts harmony and our continued practice of Ahimsa welcomes deeper relationships with ourselves and others.

Can you envision how you might apply Ahimsa in your life? Is there a time when you practiced Non-Harm with yourself or your horse? If so, how did you feel about it? Let us know in the comments below or on Instagram (Hannah @FreeSpirit.Stables & Terry @YogiHorsewoman).

Namaste,

Hannah & Terry

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