The Year of the Horse

Random thoughts to ponder for a new year that already feels like a wild ride

When February 17 arrived and the lunar Chinese calendar moved into The Year of the Horse (Fire Horse to be exact!), I admit I was intrigued. I’ve never paid attention before to the various names of the years, but horses are amazing animals, so I guess I was curious about what the new year might represent. The idea of a fast-paced, changeable, intense year of transformation certainly brings a mix of apprehension and excitement. 

Nearly three weeks into the Year of the Horse, I finally have some time to catch my breath. Here are a couple of thoughts and questions I’m asking myself (and sharing with all of you) as I head into this fast-paced and high energy year. 

When you ride a horse, the pace can vary widely. A horse can be ridden at full speed in a race, or at a leisurely trot, but there is always movement. Over the course of this next year, what kind of movement do you want to look back on and see in your life? Will you race through the year or take your time? 

Horses are deeply intuitive animals. There’s a reason why horses are now used in retreats or in healing and therapy environments. You can’t fake it around a horse. Is there something in your life you’ve been pretending about, or are you denying an emotion or issue that needs to be addressed? 

If you’ve never been on a horse before, it’s best to get some training and instruction as a new rider. What is coming up this year that you need to prepare for? Are there some new skills you’ll need to move forward? 

If you’re going to saddle up, you need the right gear. No one lasts long on horseback in shorts and flip flops! How can you be planful and have the right equipment and tools as you move through this year of change and transformation? 

Don’t put the cart before the horse. So often, we have an end goal or objective in mind, but to get there, we usually have some work to do first. Completing the ride to our destination means no shortcuts. We have to take the reins and navigate through obstacles in order to achieve our goals. What work or tasks are yours to do so you can journey effectively and feel proud of your efforts?   

As the Year of the Horse unfolds, take time to be intentional, choose your pace, and be persistent. As you gain better riding skills, you’ll be able to meet the year’s intensity and fall into a rhythm that is steady and strong. Whether you make it to your goal or not, seek to feel good about the ride.  Be deliberate and prepared as you meet the unexpected in a year that will likely bring big change, high energy, and spirited growth. 

There are SO many horse themed expressions and sayings. I’d love to hear what comes to mind for you as you consider the Year of the Horse. 

As always, thanks for reading! 

Cognitive Gymnastics

The times we are living in seem to serve up a daily dose of scary news or unbelievable violence. None of us likes being faced with painful situations, brutality, or events that make us feel frightened or ill at ease. I've noticed a behavior recently that has always been a part of the human experience, but it seems to be a regular recurrence these days, particularly at a time when people are already feeling frustrated and on edge.

Here's some examples of cognitive gymnastics and rationalizations you're likely to hear:

An acquaintance died of lung cancer. The response: "Did they smoke?"

A woman is raped. The response: "Why was she out alone late at night?"

A friend gets a scary prognosis with not much time left to live. The response: "Well, life is short and we could all get hit by a bus."

A man is killed while helping a woman in a protest. The response: "Why would someone conceal and carry at a protest?"

A woman is shot through her car window by ICE agents. The response: "If she'd followed directions, she'd be alive today." or "If she'd been at home with her children, this wouldn't have happened."

All of these statements are rationalizations and a way to explain to ourselves why these terrible things will never happen to us.We don't like feeling uneasy or unsafe or somehow vulnerable, so we come up with reasons and a rationale that puts distance between us and the scary stuff.

Of course, the biggest problem with rationalization and these mental gymnastics is that they allow us to distance and create an us vs them scenario in which we can safely say these things won't happen to us and we really don't have to worry further. It all sounds good in theory, but the fact is we could all get diagnosed with a terminal illness or fall victim to senseless violence. Blaming the victim and rationalizing may help us feel better in the short term, but it does nothing to address the root cause of what is scaring us in the first place.

So, what's the solution? We're all human and we all rationalize our way through situations that unnerve us or hit a bit close to home. The goal is simply to start to recognize this very human response and dig a bit deeper. Instead of screaming at each other for blaming the victim, if we saw one another simply making statements to try to feel safe, maybe we could have a different conversation. No one enjoys feeling uncomfortable or frightened. Yet, naming the feeling and deciding to actually sit with it and feel its intensity is the best way to move beyond it. Pretending life isn't scary, messy, and hard just doesn't work over the long term.

The next time you rationalize or try to explain away some shocking or disturbing news, maybe take a moment to pause instead. Take a bit of time to simply state the emotions these situations bring up: shock, terror, vulnerability, sadness, rage. Once we've gotten honest about our own emotional state, then we can do the hard work of considering our responses and responsibilities.

We live in scary times. Things feel unpredictable and old rules seem to no longer apply. Get honest with yourself and try to do a bit of your own inner work. Identify the shock and horror. Feel it and acknowledge it. Then you'll be in a better place to be rational and less reactive. From there, take the actions that align with your values and work for a better world, one step at a time.

A Yogi Prayer for Peace

Dearest God

Help us draw closer to you when despair

and its well 

feel nearly impossible to crawl out from

Use our breath

Use our minds

Use our words

and especially guide our actions.

May we move from space that is

quiet

centered

and deeply anchored in love

Always love.

Help us as we move through chaos

Bring us back to wholeness.

May we see our inner strength

May we seek justice and truth.

Help us stay grounded, tall, and steady.

When we wobble and waver

bring stillness

pause 

and rest 

to body, mind, and spirit.

May we seek wholeness from fragmentation

Unity where division tries to grow

trusting in light and wisdom

so much larger than our imagining.

Bring us peace

We have need of you. 

Hurry.

God's people

and we are all God's people

need some strength.

Be our companion on this journey

May our paths be true.

Help us celebrate light

the bright pure essence

in each one of us

Your light that continues

to shine in darkness.

Help us see more clearly

Wipe our eyes of violence and rage

to see you

in everyone we meet.