“We can only be what we give ourselves power to be.” ~ Chief Meninock of the Yakama Tribe

In a time when it appears that we have less control over situations that surround us, it is even more important to cultivate empowerment.

The truth is, we don’t have control over these situations, but we do have total control over how empowered we feel. Empowerment is an emotion. Our emotions come from our thoughts. We can pay attention to our thoughts. We feel more empowered when we intentionally think empowering thoughts. These thoughts cause our behaviors. So our behaviors are more empowered. This can lead to an outcome of a more empowered life.

In situations when we feel powerless about a situation, it is important to focus on what steps we can take to feel more empowered.

We can learn a lot from horses about empowerment. In shamanism, horses are considered a power animal. Not for the obvious reasons of their size, speed and “horsepower”, but because of their wild and free spirits. Empowerment is about having control over the outcome of one’s life. It’s about confidence and freedom to choose a path. Where in our lives could we be just a little bit more untamed like a wild horse?

Here are some lessons we can learn from horses about empowerment.

Empowerment is about presence.
Horses are always in the present moment. A horse is not worried about if her mane is shiny enough or if she’s liked among her herd mates. A horse is experiencing what is happening right now in the moment. When we are in the presence of a horse, they bring us back into our bodies in the present moment.

Empowerment is about taking care of one’s needs.
Horses are always taking care of themselves and meeting their needs. When they are hungry, they eat. When they are thirsty, they drink. When they want to play, they play. When they have a job, they do their job. Paying attention to our needs is a natural part of life that can be counter to our cultural upbringing.
Empowerment is about setting clear boundaries.
Horses are social animals. They have a hierarchy within the herd and roles that they each play. They know where they stand and they establish boundaries fast. They have no problem setting a boundary with another herd mate. It makes them feel secure when they know where they stand in the hierarchy of the herd. We honor our self-concept and show others how to treat us when we raise our standards through setting clear boundaries.

Empowerment is about trust.
Herds of horses rely on each other for survival. When horses are grazing or sleeping, there is a member of the herd in charge of watching the herd and keeping them safe from predators. It’s always the most present and aware being among the herd. And it’s almost always the matriarchal mare. This will come as no surprise to mothers. They know that a mother’s senses are at their peak after giving birth. Learning to trust ourselves and trusting others is a radical act of empowerment. We can learn to put trust in our own herd and empower our communities.

Empowerment is about listening to intuition and taking back the reigns of our lives.
When a predator in the wild approaches a herd of horses to feed, it pretends it wants to socialize with the herd. Intuitively, the horses can sense the incongruence of energy coming from the predator. The matriarchal mare senses this immediately. She takes flight to safety and all the other horses in the herd follow her immediately. Listening to our intuitive nudges leads to making clear choices. Listening to our intuition leads to minimal second guessing and self-doubt.

Empowerment is about taking action.
Taking action toward a goal can be a big confidence booster. It can also stop a person right in their tracks or make them run like a race horse. Focusing on why a goal is important will make it easier to take action. Tiny turtle steps are all that is required to achieve a goal over time. And giant horse leaps, well, they can speed up those results.

Jennifer T. Peterson is a Life and Business Coach With Horses and Shamanic Reiki Master Teacher who helps life coaches and energy healers gain clarity, increase confidence, breakthrough fears to market and sell their services, connect with ideal clients and make money. If you are looking to experience a way to cultivate more of the emotion of empowerment, book a consult at JennTPeterson.as.me/Clarity-Consultation-Call. See ad, page 2.