As we begin to come together again, will we take the time we need to be truly present with one another?

In the past few weeks, the herd and I have been busy coaching.

While my practice is predominantly with women, I have started to partner as a coach with men as well.

As I took time to journal this week, I noted that in the two sessions in which my herd and I partnered with men, both wanted to experience stillness.

They wanted to ‘be’.

And they did that. Each with Jack as their coach.

Each on a warm summer day.

With the breeze rustling through the leaves.

The birds singing and flying overhead.

While the rest of the herd contributed in their own, energetic way.

Jack, provides a big, safe space for people to ‘be’.

My role is to hold space as I lean into my intuition about when to verbally step into the process and when to honour the work that the horse is doing.

Sounds a little weird? Fair enough. It is what happens. And the outcomes can be pretty amazing.

The two sessions were quite different and yet similar. Each individual left Red Chair Ranch different than when they arrived.

One of the men is coming back soon. His desire is to continue exploring emotions. He knows that he cannot fake it with a horse.

And he is right.

He is ready to step into his courage and go back into the round pen with a horse so he can become more aware of his internal landscape.

I suspect that he knows that in order to be truly present, he must not only pay attention to what is happening around him. He must recognize what is going inside of him.

This is what is required to be present. An inward and outward focus.

This is conscious leadership.

For the other man, his session was a lot to take in. He does not go inward very often.

There is a lot there to process.

A lot to ‘be felt’.

I don’t think I will ever forget the peaceful look on his face as he stood beside Jack with his hand on Jack’s side, eyes closed, looking upward, feeling the warm breeze on his face.

He allowed himself to feel. Something he does not do often.

Something that took courage. Something that will change him.

It will be a while before he returns to the round pen. Or at least that is how he felt as we closed off his time at Red Chair Ranch.

We will stick to non-horse coaching for awhile. But I suspect he will be back sooner than he thinks.

Each of us has had a lot to process amidst a world-wide pandemic. The impacts and our experiences are unique to us.

As we come together again, however that will look, it behooves us as leaders and professionals to be present - to what is going on around us and internally. And for some, there will be a lot to process.

Coaching with horses is a powerful way for individuals and teams to explore their internal landscape so they can be present. So they can be conscious leaders.

Are you curious? Are you ready to be more present?

Send me a note to start a conversation.

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“It is when we have the courage to look within, that we can truly lead ourselves and others.” - Shannon Leppky