We do indeed all have our own blind spots.
Blind spots to what we are really feeling; to which part of us is speaking and guiding our choices and decisions; blind spots to some of our deepest wounds and to our multi-layered, prickly defences.
We all need others to highlight these dark corners of our psyche for us as we can’t come to consciousness entirely alone. But we need an empathetic, kind and compassionate other to guide us into the darkness of our unconscious and support us to unearth the buried treasure of our true feelings, needs and desires.
Often another person or indeed a horse will feel an underlying emotion or desire bubbling away in the background. Yet we remain distant from it, or even in denial at times of its existence, particularly if it’s an emotion we feel uncomfortable with such as shame, guilt, anger, grief or depression
However, they will certainly be feeling it and will react to both the underlying as well as the surface emotional content. A horse for example might become agitated, more forceful in their physical contact, or want to move away from us whilst we remain in an unrelated state.
This area of work is something the horses particularly excel at in my experience, as they are constantly encouraging us to inhabit our wholeness, not just our adapted, acceptable selves.
It can take time for us to be ready to acknowledge the unknown aspects of ourselves though and to be ready to admit what we are truly feeling. But, an astute other can guide us there when they sense we’re ready, through holding a loving heart-centred space for us along with the horse’s generous, benevolent presence.
It’s no small task to peer into our dark recesses, so above all else we need to be kind with ourselves as we embark on this inner voyage and remember this with regard to our clients’ process too. For only the brave of heart can summon the courage to look at themselves honestly and be willing to bring to the light of day what they’ve kept so well hidden until now.
©Angela Dunning
Image by Mariya from Pixabay