Raffel’s Way

I wished for a horse my whole life and finally got one when I was 45. Raffel is an Arabian horse who is not only a great ride and loving companion, but also a wise spiritual teacher. Two of the greatest lessons he has taught me are how to be fully present, and how to surrender.

Learning to Be Present

Because horses are prey for other animals, they tend to be fearful and vulnerable by nature. Everything, and I mean everything, has the potential to frighten them. A hollowed out log along the trail is a scary monster. A white plastic bag on the ground waving in the breeze is terrifying.

So when you own a horse, you learn to be as present and alert as your animal is, for your own safety. And therein lay the gifts: Learning to give complete attention to what is, right now; observing everything around you—how it looks, sounds, smells, moves— from the viewpoint of a large but very sensitive animal; noticing the signals your horse gives through his ears, his body, and his movements.

When you own a horse, you learn to be as present and alert as your animal is, for your own safety. And therein lay the gifts: Learning to give complete attention to what is, right now.

Over time, this state of being present with one’s horse becomes automatic. For me, it ensues as soon as I enter the barn. The sounds and scents engulf me, and all my worldly cares drop away. My horse nickers to me, and as I rub his warm, fuzzy coat, he rests his large white head on my shoulder.

At such moments, time seems to stand still. I am drawn into his spirit and to the great Spirit that embraces us all.

Trust and Let Go

Raffel has also taught me about surrender. A few years ago, I went with three riding buddies to a park outside Kansas City for a trail ride. We were in high spirits, ready for adventure. But once at the park, our guide didn’t show up. Three of us had never been there before, and the fourth had only been there once.

We debated whether to cancel the ride, but we’d come so far to get there, no one wanted to turn back. The woman who had been there before thought she remembered the trails well enough to lead us, so off we went.

Forty-five minutes later, we were completely lost. The trails were steep, rocky, and muddy—in some places nothing more than a narrow ravine as high as Raffel’s shoulder. The horses labored hard to make their way. Meanwhile, the sky was getting dark and we felt raindrops.

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Whenever we got to the top of a trail, my friends and I would look around and pick what appeared to be a promising route down. But, inevitably, it would dead-end or lead us back to an upward-climbing slope.

On one especially arduous ascent, I suddenly realized that I was completely at my horse’s mercy. There was nothing I could do to guide us home or even steer him around the rocks and mudholes. I had to rely on him totally to navigate the trail.

It was a terrifying yet exhilarating moment when I surrendered control to him. I became nothing more than a passenger, holding on and praying for safe delivery. But, oddly, while it was frightening to trust and let go, it was also a great relief. I felt Raffel’s strength beneath me, and I knew he would do his part. I held on, I encouraged him, I cheered for him—and ultimately, I felt closer to him than ever before. I could almost feel his pride and determination to bring us safely back—which, of course, he did.

Let Go and Let God

I have thought since then how much relinquishing control to my horse is like surrendering to our higher power. Trusting and letting go is frightening at first, but then it is freeing. Always, always in times of need, we can let go and let God. God is the something stronger within that will carry us, the something greater that will lead us.

We don’t have to figure everything out on our own. We can surrender any situation to God and feel instantly at peace—knowing all will come around right, knowing we will be led safely home.

This article first appeared in the Unity booklet Kindred Spirits: Animals as Spiritual Teachers (Unity, 2011).