Silk is a Zen horse. She finds a spot in the sun and just goes into a trance. I was wondering if horses can sleep with their eyes open. After doing some research, I learned that they can not. Knowing Silk, I believe that she is meditating.
Horses have a system called “the stay apparatus” which allows them to lock their legs in a position that lets them relax their muscles without falling over. When I meditate, I find the greatest challenge is to sit still for long periods of time. Silk is my role model. Today, she stood in the corral, facing the wildlife preserve behind our property. With the warm sun on her back, she meditated for much of the afternoon. At one point, her daughter came and stood next to her, back hoof cocked just like mom’s. Siete didn’t last long, but Silk continued her “practice”, never even glancing at her.
Lama Surya Das believes that meditation in itself is a wakening up. “The Bodhisattva is the Awakener who, while coming into fuller consciousness, has begun the process of awakening others as well from the deep sleep of separateness, delusion and confusion.” Maybe I have a four-legged Bodhisattva living in my backyard.
9 comments:
A gelding I used to have would often stand in the pasture facing the open field, eyes wide open and never moving a muscle for what seemed hours. I always wondered just what he was daydreaming about. Greener pastures maybe, a girlfriend..LOL
My gelding does this too. I've thought that he appeared utterly bored, but now I know he was probably meditating, along with Silk.
Wow. I never knew that horses did that.
I wish my dogs were more zen-like. :-)
Silk is meditating and counting her blessings!
Royal has a special corner of his turnout, where he mentally checks out for awhile.
I always speak to him as I walk up to him so as not to startle him. He has the most blissful look on his face. He gives me that warm nicker in reply.
That's what it is all about for us ... right?!
Salina and Keil Bay both do this too. Salina has her spot in the sun right outside my bedroom window, at the top of the hill where she can look down at the other horses if she wants to.
Keil Bay often goes either to the end of the paddock or all the way down in the front field by the fence, where he watches the sun fall lower in the sky in the afternoons.
My two don't stay that way for hours but they do it usually for 20 minutes or so after morning feed/hay and then again in the afternoon.
I was directed to your blog by Detroit Dog. I am a big animal lover and though I don't own a horse or ride them, I have a great respect for their intelligence and magnificence. Please stop by my blog where you will find a poignant poem concerning some of these creatures.
Poetikat
I've never seen my horses actually do this. They are so busy playing and wandering about all day, I guess they are not much into meditating. I do know that anytime one of them stops dead in his tracks and looks at something intently in the distance it is usually a prelude to a good running spook for the whole herd.
I have a mare that I swear meditates as well. You can't help but wonder what's going on in there.
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