Connection. This one word drives so much of our behaviour as humans. Oftentimes in ways we are not even aware of. In his book Mirroring People: The New Science of How We Connect with Others, Marco Iacoboni shares how discoveries were made in an Italian study that resulted in the identification of ‘mirror neurons’. These neurons, identified in certain species, result in brain activity of a passive being that is a direct response simply to the intent to move in another. To be honest, I am astounded that science can be so far behind ancient wisdoms. People who are neurodivergent and/or fortunate enough to have spent extensive time in nature, with animals, intuitively know this to be true and appreciate it for the gift of insight it affords. We all have this capacity; it is wired into our brains. Some people are just more aware of it than others. Why does it matter? Because how we connect to others directly relates to understanding and accepting others and being understood and accepted by others. I believe that our need for acceptance is greater even than our need to be loved. We cannot be truly loved if we are not accepted. We cannot be accepted if we are not understood. We cannot be understood if we are not connected.
In some circles, horses are called “mirrors to our soul”, while I am not a fan of the expression, the identification of the existence of mirror neurons bought this phrase to my mind. In particular, it reminded me of the research undertaken by the Heart Math Institute which identified that horses are highly receptive to the emotional states of humans. This is due to mirror neurons that make one aware of the energetic prelude to a potential physical movement as much as it does the energetic resonance of emotions.
We can learn a lot about our own emotional state of being simply by being in the presence of a horse, if we have the right guidance and support to interpret the horse’s behaviour and a willingness to explore and grow our ability to connect. This starts with greater self-awareness and connection. If you would like to explore this further please contact me. My email address is elizabethdenniss@bigpond.com and my mobile number is 0456 728 961.