Go with the flow or...
let go of control

This week I learnt a really cool lesson.
To go with the flow,
or in other words:
Loosing, and letting go, of control!

When riding horses, we like to think that we are in control, when really, the horse is always stronger than the human, but thankfully, they are also very kind animals and very forgiving.

When placing ourselves on their back, we are entering a place of mutual trust - we trust the horse that it will not buck us off, and the horse has to trust that we, as a predator, will not harm it and keep it safe.

Nevertheless, situations arise where this mutual trust is put to the test, and many riders will have been there at one point:

When you realize that you are no longer in control, and that the horse is taking over.

The red light bulb goes on in your head, adrenaline kicks in and you wonder if you are still safe.

Within a few seconds, thousand thoughts run through your head and you contemplate all the options to regain control. 

Go with the flow, not against

It was at this moment that I suddenly decided that maybe it is ok to let go - that maybe I don’t always need to be in control, that I can trust the horse and just enjoy the ride, even if it is much faster than I would have chosen it to be.

And I truly did enjoy it - the thundering hooves, the wind on my skin…

Trusting that he knew his capabilities and just adapting my body to his movements, going with the flow rather than against…

and I realized that if I don’t fight the things I can hardly control anyways, but rather go with the flow - I will get to where I want to get much faster, easier, and with a smile on my lips…

It is one of the most important lessons I have heard many times over the past year in my Aikido classes - now, it also made sense when with the horses…

I am very grateful and hope that I can apply this lesson also in other areas of my life!

2020 and embracing the unknown

The last few months have anyways shown us all that we are much less in control than we like to think…

Maybe it is time we stop holding on to the old ways of thinking, and embrace the new... many things will not be the same again after Corona, and wishing for things to go back to "normal" anytime soon is wishful thinking.

What if we were to just let go of our expectations, trust that we will get through this, trust ourselves and just enjoy what we have now, rather than worry and expect the worst?