What is your spontaneous reaction to the word, “Joy”? Does it evoke emotions within you? Where in your body do you feel it? What words come to the forefront to describe it? How do you know it?

In this episode, our guests endeavor to articulate the essence of Joy, while also pinpointing aspects of our humanity and culture that impede our ability to embrace it. Joy is found through a way of being - with ourselves, with the earth, with others. It’s part of our innate wisdom, something we seek and find and know within ourselves; We find joy in our ability to connect, rather than in external achievements and accolades.

If joy always resides within us, why do some of us struggle to feel it in our lives, and how do we uncover it? The gateway to joy is through getting out of our thinking brain to discover our wholeness. When we strip away the noise, self-doubt, and anxiety, we rediscover a way of being that is in alignment with our true selves and with all of nature.

This is how our horses live, where they want us to be, and where they can relate to us best. If we are perceptive to their subtle cues, we’ll discover that our equine partners (and everyone else!) will seek our presence when we’ve arrived in this space

To get there, though, we have become more content in the being of a way rather than in the doing of a thing. This journey of becoming ok with ourselves is one of the toughest and most rewarding challenges in life. Joy is the signal that we’re on the right track.

Podcast Guests:

Carla Bauchmueller - www.theintuitiverider.com
Chris Adderson - www.forthehorse.com
Crissi McDonald - www.crissimcdonald.com
Mark Rashid - www.markrashid.com
Shea Stewart - www.equinebalance.net
Josh Nichol - www.joshnichol.com

What is rest? With everyone seemingly “hair on fire” busy these days, the idea of rest can be really elusive to many of us. But what does it even mean? Sleep? Relaxation? Peace? Meditation? Does the body need to be still to rest? What about the mind?

In this episode, we have a lovely discussion about how we define and feel rest. While each of us is a little different in how we find relaxation, one theme is clear - restorative rest cannot happen without alignment between body and mind. And often, it’s more about stillness in the mind than stillness in the body.

A lot of us feel stress, this tension and pressure in our society to constantly be “doing,” which brings us way up into our heads and causes incongruence with our bodies and with our natural way of being. Cultural norms create tension when our genuine selves do not fit them. We are fighting, rather than flowing; when we are in constant resistance, we wear ourselves out.

If we can find ways to free ourselves from these expectations, to stop measuring by some standard that isn’t “us,” we can lift the heaviness in our spirits, blend with and accept what is, and consequently feel peace, joy and a sense of carefree gratitude.

Engaging in activities and experiences that foster alignment between our minds and bodies can gently guide us away from overthinking and back into the present moment. By nurturing an awareness of the innate wisdom housed within our bodies, we unlock a reservoir of inner peace, wisdom, and insight that exists within each of us. We all have this ability - being born into a body means that each of us can innately attune to the rhythms and the harmony all around us. For some, this flow state can look like gardening with your hands deep in the earth, dancing and listening to music, riding horses, making art, or cooking - whatever it is that makes us feel totally at one with what we’re doing, unaware of space and time.

What is it for you?

Podcast Guests:

Kerri Lake - www.generateharmony.com
Leslie Desmond - www.facebook.com/lesliedesmondfeelofahorse?mibextid=LQQJ4d
Gray Kyle-Graves - www.wholehearthorsemanship.com
Jillian Kreinbring - http://www.jilliankreinbringinspired.com
Kathy Price - http://www.kathyprice.co.uk
Josh Nichol - http://www.joshnichol.com

Episode 11 begins with a question around how change is born and the tipping point upon which thoughts, concepts, or ways of being (and the people who carry these ideas forward) transform from the fringe to the mainstream. These evolutions in human consciousness climb toward a critical mass of acceptance until they become normalized.

The people responsible for shepherding some of these changes are often also on the fringe, outliers. What motivates them to continue their journeys, sometimes in the face of brutal isolation or social condemnation? Perhaps their drive stems from a desire to address unanswered questions or unmet needs in our culture? Or, is it that they simply can’t think of doing or being something other than what they are, despite the social discomfort? Maybe what’s different about these leaders is that they orient to the wisdom of their bodies instead of the speed of their minds. Maybe most leaders don’t even try to be leaders at all - they simply do what they love, and change flows from what they give.

In this hour-long discussion, we listen as podcasts guests hold space and gratitude for one another, demonstrating what love, support, and community look like when put into action to help a grieving friend - a perfect model of the new paradigm we’re all moving toward together and with increasing momentum. We are reminded to re-include ourselves in nature, to reconnect with the intelligence in our own systems that goes beyond our cognition and to trust that these things are normal. After all, what is it that prompts us to return to this greater awareness and connection with all beings? Love.

Podcast Guests:
Shea Stewart - www.equinebalance.net
Leslie Desmond - www.lesliedesmond.com
Rupert Isaacson - www.horseboyworld.com
Amelia Nalli - www.amelianalliequinebodywork.com
Jessica White Plume - FB jessica.whiteplume.5
Kerri Lake - www.generateharmony.com/