Shawna Van Nuys

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Horse Wisdom | The Hour that Changed my Life

People often ask me what happens during a session with the horses. The truth is, every experience is unique and is directed by the energy at that moment so I never know what will come up.

I do know it’s often unexpected yet is precisely what’s needed. This has been true for myself & every single one of my clients. Sometimes the full extent of how much it’s needed isn’t known to us right away.

I suspect the horses know.

In this post, I am sharing my personal experience with one of these sessions and how it changed my life. This experience is the reason for the work I do.

What is a Horse Wisdom Session?

Horses are masters at reading the energy of a space and the people within it. They respond to it fluidly, without bias or judgment, offering feedback and guiding us to the answers within.

When we allow ourselves to be present and share space with horses, the noise in our conscious mind falls away and we are guided to the answers within.

Horses are a tangible connection with our intuition.

The Horses Mirrored my Need for Deep Rest

Last October, I was at a retreat with Hillary Schenider at the Epona Rise Retreat Center. Sitting in her field with 20 horses, I noticed that some were laying down. One particular horse, Chiron, came straight toward me, turned in a circle, and lay down directly in front of me.

Looking around in awe, I saw that over half of the herd was laying down, with some flat-out sleeping. I wasn't aware of the significance but I felt a deep sense of belonging & peace come over me. I felt I could relax and just BE. Something that was hard for me.

Hillary offered that the “mirror” of this is a need to rest. I was being invited to receive the stillness I didn’t know I needed - not just any rest but a deep restorative rest.

Did the horses know what was coming? Or did they simply sense that my energy was depleted and that I was completely unaware of it? I don’t have the answer to that but it doesn’t matter.

I chose to trust them & I truly rested. I came home from that session completely restored & rejuvenated.

Did the Horses Sense what was Coming in my Personal Life?

Six days after coming home I got a text from my mom that she was in the hospital and they didn’t know what was wrong.

Those 3 weeks were filled with an enormous amount of stress, uncertainty, tears, obstacles, and severe flooding that affected my sister's ability to be at the hospital. Meanwhile, my husband's family farm was under an immense amount of water with more coming.

As a deeply emotional person who feels things rather intensely, I was surprised at my ability to handle what came and to find peace within myself, even while sitting in a busy ER worrying about my mom.

My mom passed away 3 weeks later.

The horses’ wise invitation for restorative rest that day changed my life

That session with the horses completely changed my experience and the outcome of the following heart-wrenching weeks & months.

As a deeply emotional person who feels things rather intensely, I was surprised at my ability to not only handle what came but to find peace within myself, even while worrying about my mom in the chaos of a busy Emergency Room. It didn’t just stay with me but created an oasis of calm for my mother and siblings. 

That single session with the horses had such a profound and far-reaching impact on those heartbreaking weeks & months that followed. It is a gift I am eternally grateful for.

It is experiences like this that I want to help the horses share with others. This is WHY I partner with the horses and offer these sessions!

Join me for your own Experience in a Horse Wisdom Session

What will you experience during a Horse Wisdom session? Whatever it is, I know it will be impactful.

Join me for an in-person session if you are curious or ready to find out what the horses have to offer you.

If you are interested in a virtual session or hearing about future offerings, send me a message.