Embracing the Pace
Today we're expanding your comfort zone and finding peace within forward motion—learning to accept the speed, trust the momentum, and resist the urge to pull the reins. Let's find a comfortable seat. Spine tall, shoulders soft, and close your eyes. We'll begin with a simple box breath just to clear the mental chatter and steady the nervous system. Inhale for four... hold for four... exhale for four... hold for four. After three rounds, release the counting and let your breath return to normal.
Before you begin your silent mantra, let's connect with your senses and your horse. Feel the weight of your seat deep in your saddle. Feel your feet grounded and securely connected to those stirrups. Your hands are relaxed, softly feeling the reins in your hands— forward and allowing, not restricting. Now, mentally transition into a faster pace. Hear the faster, powerful cadence of their hooves hitting the ground. Feel the surge of energy beneath you.
As the pace increases, notice any instinct to tighten your fingers or brace your body. Acknowledge that tension, and gently breathe it away. Instead of treating speed as something to control or fear, view it as a beautiful partnership of shared energy. Visualize your elbows staying soft, letting your hips absorb the stride rather than resisting it. You don't need to slow things down to be safe; you are entirely secure right here in the middle of this new pace.
Now, I am going to leave you here to introduce your mantra for this ride: Swaha. Swaha means to surrender. It is the act of offering up your worries and letting go of the need to pull back. Every time you repeat it, imagine releasing your grip on control and handing it over to the natural flow of the stride. Repeat it silently in your mind with no rhythm, no effort, and no forcing. Simply do less. If your mind starts to worry about the speed, that is completely natural. When you notice, gently return your attention back to Swaha. Let yourself melt into the forward motion. I am stepping away so you can put your phone down, set your own timer, and meditate for as long as your session requires today. When your timer goes off, sit quietly for a moment to let the dust settle before taking one more deep breath in, exhaling, and opening your eyes. Give yourself permission to trust the pace and trust your ride.
