Equine gestalt coaching methodThe breath of a horse Carries our wings to the sky Look into yourself Life often seems to have its own flow and it's easy to forget we are the ones directing the flow, and it is up to us to choose to be sailors or passive drifters. When was the last time you stopped and listened to your desires? When was the last time you really looked at your life: where have you allowed it to lead you, and what can you do in order to feel deep contentment? And what do horses have to do with it all? Gestalt is a term that can be described as a coming back to wholeness. How well do you know yourself? Are you aware how your multi-colored beingness perceives different situations, expresses yourself in them, and creates what you call your life? Have you made friends with all the parts of yourself you once wanted to get rid of? When we become aware and accept ourselves; when we allow our many parts to synchronize, we create alignment in our feelings, thoughts and actions that bring us into a state of flow and ease.
Living through emotionally painful experiences, we often make conclusions about ourselves and the world around us that help to get through the pain in the moment. As we do, we tend to form beliefs about what is or is not possible for us in this world. Very often, because of those beliefs, we lose our connection with our true self. Horses, however, know how to keep this connection sound. They behave naturally and with authenticity, and they can feel when others do the same. Horses are natural experts in Gestalt. They accept humans without judgement and offer their special gifts of healing to help everyone who is willing to improve their connection with themselves, the world around them and who wants to remember how to express their full potential. Horses do not worry about what tomorrow will bring and, because of that, they invite humans to cherish the power of the present moment. Delight in one's own true self, without a need to prove something to anyone else, is what horses enjoy and encourage us to experience in their company. The role of the human coach in the Equine Gestalt Coaching Method® is to give a horse an opportunity to collaborate with you and help you to notice how you may have limited yourself so that you have the chance to rewrite your painful memories as stories of success. That kind of fundamental empowerment will positively fuel the choices you make as you create the next chapters of your life. Your coach is a companion in your process of self-exploration; one who will listen to your story, help you to see it from a different perspective, and who will celebrate your revelations and steps you take towards successfully building a more fulfilling life. It might not be an easy process, and that's why it’s important to have encouragement, support, and positive feedback in moments when you start giving up on yourself and the progress you have made. In short, equine gestalt coaching is about getting to know yourself better, regaining trust in yourself and the wholeness in your life, and creating positive changes with the support of two coaches: a horse and a human. The Equine Gestalt Coaching Method® The Equine Gestalt Coaching Method® was developed by Melisa Pearce, a core founder since 1989, of the horse-human healing movement. The experiential nature of the method involves the horse as an active partner with the coach in the client’s exploratory process. The integrative approach of the equine’s interaction combined with positive coaching, somatic awareness guidance and Gestalt methodology, assists the client in examining their life and choices made with a focus on designing a positive future. ©Melisa Pearce |
