Hope the Painted War Horse – Letting Go.

 This is a wonderful example of how our stories can play out when we are in a coaching session with the horses. During this session I asked my client Linda to free paint whatever was coming up for her, something she feels is showing up in her life at present that she would like to draw on the horse.  Read below and  notice as your reading what thoughts and stories you are telling yourself about it?? This can be a beginning to your own journey  in  exploring the wonders of coaching with Horses!! Follow this powerful story , and notice when and how her shift  in her thoughts occurred along side of HOPE!

Thank you Linda for showing up with such honesty ,willingness and a desire to explore your true self with the horses! SARAH

 Hope the Painted War Horse – Letting Go.
I learned that when I can’t fight and I can’t flee, just let go and flow…
I first painted Hope the Horse as a war horse.  Bold black and white stripes painted diagonally across her heart and a red bulls eye with a black center and a yellow dot in the middle painted directly on her rump!  She was ready to go into battle, to win.  She looked the part! Formidable. Daunting. A true winner.
When I stepped away to gain a bird’s eye view of my artwork, with a little coaching from Sarah, it became apparent that most of my life was centered around winning.  I dressed to win, my relationships were based in competitive terms; comparing, rationalizing, judging. I could not let my guard down. I looked at life as a challenge to be conquered, rather than to be enjoyed. I needed to control the outcome because I somehow knew what was best, for myself and others! Ha! I really did not have meaningful relationships in my life, just like the black and white war stripes on Hope, never touching or interacting, like my life, never really touching or truly interacting with another person’s life. This inability to flow with the herd, ultimately left me feeling isolated and empty.  I had become the loser.
When Sarah suggested I paint happy, joyful and free, I immediately felt a sense of release.  I mixed paints, dark blue with white, using my fingertips as a living paint brush, swirling beautiful waves and clouds across Hope’s belly.  I added texture and contrast of colors interacting and flowing peacefully, like a waterfall. I could feel the warmth of Hope’s body, feel her breathing, sense her awareness of my healing. Flowing, growing, peaceful, graceful, trusting, patience; all that Hope had, I wanted.  So where do I find it?
Hope the Horse, curious to know what was going on back there, turned to look at me.  It was in her big, brown, beautiful and trusting eyes, that I found my answer.  Just flow with life as life is, just like she was doing. I felt the waves of peace, happy, joyful and free wash over me.  I could breathe a sigh of relief… tension released.
Hope the Horse, and Sarah, helped me to understand that I do not have to conquer every moment, every relationship. LIfe is not a game of win or lose.  Life will usually have its own way anyhow, so why not keep it simple and flow with it. 
Today I will practice this new viewpoint of life, allowing myself the gift of freely flowing, enjoying a deeper meaning in my experiences, my situations, my loved ones.  A new awareness.
Thank you Hope the Horse, for showing me how to let go, and just flow.

Author

Linda Shafer

Client of Language of The Heart Life Coaching / July 2020