Being Present: How I Met a Horse on a Godwalk
One of the best ways to ignore your authentic self is trying to focus on X while doing Y. You know what I mean. Thinking about that important work project while you’re on a play date at the park with your child. Making a mental grocery list for Friday night’s dinner party while your partner is kissing you and your clothes are coming off. Being in a work meeting while fantasizing about your trip to Istanbul next fall (okay, I might be able to support that.)
Our western culture seems to honor and admire “multi-tasking” and being “so busy!” in a way that leaves me scratching my head. Multi-tasking isn’t even possible unless you’re doing something relatively brainless like folding the laundry while watching television. The best any of us can hope for is to rapidly serial task. As a recovering claims adjuster, trust me, I completely get this.
When you are completely engaged in – interested in and focused on – the task at hand, there’s no urgent need to watch the clock. And let’s face it…if you spend much of your day thinking about one thing while doing another…something you’re doing doesn’t sing to your authentic heart.
When you are engaged in activities which align with your authentic nature, you’re there. You’re present, with your full self. Part of you isn’t somewhere else. This is what I experience when I’m in an acting class, with a voice student, giving a presentation…or in front of the camera recording an Authentic Expression class. I’m not anywhere else except exactly where I am. Life flows so much easier this way. And everyone around you gets more of you.
Lest you despair there’s no hope for you with your frantic schedule, let me assure you there is.
Being present starts with the breath. And every single one of us breathes. I learned a lot about breathing from becoming a certified Transformational Voice® teacher. Deep belly breathing, and being conscious of the breath, brings a person back to center just – like – that.
Aside from conscious breathing, two activities in particular have helped me learn to become more present, right here, right now, in any given moment.
The first is acting classes – first taking them and now teaching them. To be fully present with your acting partner, on stage, you have to tap into your emotional state and listen and react, responding to them, just as you would in “real life.”
This won’t happen if your mind is elsewhere, thinking about how you look up there or frantically grabbing for a next line that will bring on a laugh or a tear. Nope, you gotta shut down your mind and be there, breathe, be present. Simple, not necessarily easy, but with time and practice, it gets easier. Who would have thought that acting classes could help so much with life? I certainly didn’t when I started taking them some 18 years ago!
The second is walking in nature. Here is my free video tip on the Godwalk, in case you haven’t seen it already. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNSqwV7nBOI
One of my favorite places to walk is Tryon Creek Natural Area, a state park. Walking on the trails there surrounded by trees, ferns, dappled sunlight overhead, enveloped in a sound blanket of bird songs and babbling water, brings me to present moment awareness just – like – that. And the people I see there, with their dogs, in groups, by themselves, walking, running, all seem to be having the same experience. It’s an outdoor sanctuary, like walking through Nature’s Church/Synagogue/Temple.
One day, several months ago, I decided to leave the beaten path and head into a more residential area. I knew I was leaving the park, but something drew me. I walked by a fence and, in the distance, in a pasture area, I saw a horse. My heart skipped a beat or two.
My horse was my best friend growing up. Horses are really, super, important to me, even though I haven’t had one in my immediate family or ridden regularly for years. When I see a horse, my head turns like there’s an invisible rope from the horse pulling my head. It’s a good thing I’ve not gotten into any car accidents as a result! And then there’s that special horse smell…anyone who knows horses will understand exactly what I mean.
That day, when I saw that horse, away in the pasture, I smiled and waved and said “Hi!”
No response. Horse didn’t hear me.
I whistled.
The same.
I sang a few bars of something.
Still nothing.
I started to leave, but I didn’t.
Instead, I did this. I put my lips together, blew with a rumbling noise, while moving my head up and down. You know, like horses do; I suppose like a nicker. And I did it – really – loud. Those of you who know horses will know this sound.
Horse heard that, head came up off the ground, graceful neck arched, eyes turned toward me, and I held out my arms like a military wife welcoming her fatigued soldier home. Horse came running to me, running I tell you! (Well, perhaps more like trotting.) At any rate, this horse came right up to the fence and hugged me head-wise over the fence; I had to move from time to time to prevent a neck injury – I’m not 18 anymore. Or even 48. But I got a big ol’ horse hug, complete with that warm and special horse smell. I walked away from the park with a face-bending smile and my hands coated with an awesome batch of that special horse dirt. I walked away blessed.
I’ve visited this horse, whom I decided to call Sandy (God only knows what her human family would think of all this and, yes, she’s a mare – I checked), three more times since then. One time I took gifts of apple and carrot chunks, which brought out the other two horses in the pasture as well. All three devoured the treats.
This horse would never have approached me if I hadn’t been right there, present, in that moment. Animals are great teachers in this regard. Do yourself the favor of the same thing…be there…be present…in your authentic life. See the Products & Services page for details on Authentic Performance: Fundamentals of Acting fall term beginning September 12. Authentically Yours, Laura
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