Will You Take the Lead?

Posted by The Divine Cowgirl on April 20th, 2009 at 03:08pm

Divine Cowgirls dance.  They dance with horses, they dance with partners and they dance with the great Mystery of life.  In my opinion dancing with horses is easy.  All you have to do is understand the language and nature of the horse. 

I have noticed that people do seem to have difficulty with the part of understanding the language and nature of the horse, but really it is easy in my opinion.  It is a matter of understanding a prey animal, fear-flight, and sometimes self protective behaviors.  It only requires getting outside of your self and deeply listening.  Oh yes, and one other minor detail, it requires patience.

Sometimes the human leads and sometimes the horse leads.  It is a give and take.  Sometimes it is trial and error.  And the very best dance with a horse requires that as the dance partner, I be in the present moment – no history, no should, no human agenda.  Just be with the horse in this moment. 

Now really, isn’t that a simple formula for success?  Be in the now; listen deeply; and understand the nature and being of the horse.  In the horse’s language;  simply initiate and wait.  

In my thirty-five plus years with horses and humans, I have noticed that relationships aren’t as simply as I’d like to make them.  It takes time, commitment, compassion, patience and a generous dose of wanting to know the other – horse, human, and Spirit. And even in wanting to know the nature of the other; I first have to know myself.

I have had to really learn to deeply listen.  First listen to myself.  I have had to get clear on why I want to dance in the first place.  Am I really focused on knowing and being curious about the other or am I motivated by other reasons?

To be a good lead, you first have to learn to follow.  And what I have noticed is that most of us would rather lead than follow.  I would say that I have learned the most as I have learned to follow the lead of Spirit.  I have noticed that the Mystery can be very subtle in initiating the lead.  In response I sometimes try to back lead rather than follow.  I seem to think I have a better idea of what should happen and what would be best in this dance with the Creator.  And I have noticed that Spirit lets me go off on my own little twirl only to discover being out of step and off balance.  Patiently waiting, Spirit initiates again and waits to see if I will take the lead.    

Partnered dances require being open and available to the moment.  It requires leaving our history of grievances, disappointments, fears, insecurities, stories, and other “stuff.”  It requires trust and a willingness to be vulnerable.  And more than anything else, it requires us letting ourselves following the flow both as lead and follow.  

I am still learning to follow.  I know I am learning to listen more deeply and I seem to be more awake to the subtle initiation by Source.  I am committed and willing to “take the lead.”  Are you?

Happy Trails

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Tags: deeply listen, lead of Spirit, learning to follow, patience, take the lead

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