Mindfulness

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“Mindfulness practice means that we commit fully in each moment to be present; inviting ourselves to interface with this moment in full awareness, with the intention to embody as best we can an orientation of calmness, mindfulness, and equanimity right here and right now.”
― Jon Kabat-Zinn

“Let go” I heard my coach Ben yell, “ your making it worse”. I just could not listen at that moment , I had to take a hold of the reins and control everything.

We were crossing a big muddy willow bog on two youngsters that had maybe 7 rides on them. It was a wide crossing and I had concluded that I would make the crossing successfully. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I was ahead of myself thinking about how impressed Ben would be when I would reach the other side. I was all about getting the gold star on my forehead.

It didn’t happen. The little guy got really trapped in my controlling hands, blew out and spun to the right, causing this perfect suspended moment in the air, before I belly flopped perfectly into my fate. Mud caked my face, neck and clothes right down to my toes. I heard Ben bust out into laughter as he brought the little horse back to me. He said “now this time when you get back up, maybe be a little bit more mindful”.

I didn’t really understand what that word meant, (mindful) but I did understand that I had completely detached from what was most important in the equation and that would be the little innocent soul that was carrying my big ego.

I learned that day that I was not present and in the here and now. It took landing in a pile of wet sludge for me to get introduced to becoming aware of being in the moment with who is most important and that was that little innocent horse.

Mindfulness
Be in the equanimity of the
Here and now