Equine 5-Element Therapy

In Classical Chinese medicine, we recognize that the heart is the most important organ in the body.  It is the home of the shen, or spirit that facilitates the peace and organization of the rest of the organ systems allowing for us to know happiness, contentment and have an ability to contribute effectively to society and our world.

The horse is said to embody the attributes of the heart.  They have the largest heart relative to their body mass of any other mammal, the heart is their focal point of their physiology even more than with other mammals.  Horses are incredibly sensitive to the world around them, noticing subtle cues of change in all directions.  As a prey animal, they have the ability to launch into flight mode in an instant, yet they exist in a herd dynamic that allows them to be extremely at peace and relaxed.

Spending time with horses in the context of a therapeutic dynamic can be powerful and transformational.  While this may be common knowledge to those who work with horses routinely, equine therapy is an emerging field in healthcare and is gaining significant recognition due to the incredible outcomes people are experiencing. Equine therapy can be similar to a typical office style therapy session although set outdoors with horses nearby, it can be a horseback riding experience, it can be a group process or a prompted private experience depending on the style and system the therapist is using.

The nervous system in human bodies has a remarkable ability to be affected by those around us. While the nervous system has many aspects of complexity that we can dive into later, a big picture view of the nervous system function is the concept of a down-regulated or calm person or how up-regulated or stressed a person is. We can think of this like a scale of 0-10 or a dial where we are typically at 0 when we sleep and could be up to 10 when we're calling 911 in an emergency. Between that, we consider the nervous system of most people to function at a certain level, or tone most of the time.

A highly toned nervous system (7-9 out of 10) will present as someone who is overly reactive, carries a lot of body tension and can have a very difficult time just feeling ok in the world. In this state it is very difficult for the organ systems to function normally, so they may experience many physical health issues as well. Someone with a very low toned nervous system (2-3 out of 10) will be able to think before they act, have a calm demeanor and generally have good physical health. This is different than comparing active versus lazy as humans are biologically designed to function in a down-regulated nervous system tone most of the time. This is similar to the concepts of fight or flight and rest and digest, or sympathetic and parasympathetic function of the nervous system although there are far more details we can explore to further understand our unique patterns.

Horses affect our nervous system regulation just simply by being in their presence. The baseline state of the horses nervous system if we were to compare it theoretically to the 0-10 scale I used for humans above would generally be in the negative numbers. Horses exist in an extremely down-regulated nervous system state as their baseline when they are healthy and comfortable in their herd. This may be compared to being in a dream like state as a person, or a very deep meditation.

Have you ever noticed when someone walks into a room with you that is having a strong emotional response it has an almost contagious affect? Do you feel like you pick up on others emotions? This is a true and natural phenomena and is especially affected when we interact with a person or body that is physically larger than us, our nervous system will gravitate to match the tone of their nervous system. If they are relaxed, that can be very calming. If they are stressed out (even if they try to hide it) we will tend to start to produce a higher stress state in our own bodies. This is significant not just for adults determining who we want to spend our time with, but even moreso in the parent and child relationship. Children who grow up in the presence of parents living with a high physical stress tone will have a tendency to set their nervous system tone in an up-regulated state as well. This can easily carry over into adulthood and become the normal state of being we experience.

Horses assist the nervous system and a persons emotional process in a very unique way. Yes it can be calming just to be with them, but once we engage in interaction things can get a lot more interesting. In the context of a therapy session, horses have an exquisitely keen sense of truth.  When a person is sharing something that maybe is only partially true, the horses will often feel repelled. They do not have tolerance for incongruity, when we act one way but feel another. Horses are drawn toward authenticity, they feel comfort and can be magnetized to people when they are expressing in a truthful manner.

Like humans, horses exist in complex social dynamics and have incredible and unique personalities.  This can easily reflect for us our own dynamics of trust, safety and love as well as compromise, dischord and strain in our lives. Horses and humans also share the same patterns of the Chinese medicine 5-element system. We each tend to be more dominant in one elemental aspect than the others. This is different than astrological systems or personality typing because it ties directly into our physical health as well as our emotional and personality patterns. In horses, the elements are simple, clear and consistent. In humans, we learn through traumatic experience to mask our natural state of being and often live as if we are someone else. This results in an ineffective use of our energy and can develop into emotional and physical disease.

Dr. Sara Hart facilitates group and individual experiences with the horse herd and the elements of nature. All biological systems function in a similar manner to generate life energy. When this system is disrupted, we have predictable patterns of degeneration that occur. The 5-element system of understanding health from Chinese medicine applies equally to the natural world, to human beings as well as to horses. We each carry within us all of the factors that generate life. These are described in incredible detail down to the finest aspects of biochemistry through the lens of Chinese medicine to help us understand how one aspects of ourselves assists the process and function of another part of ourselves.

When we apply the wisdom of Chinese medicine to the observations of the horse herd, it is incredible to watch how their relationships and personality dynamics demonstrate the 5-elements natural interaction. Like humans, some horses are bold, pushy and determined. Some love to be touched while others hold strong boundaries. Unlike humans, horses don't bother trying to fit in or please others. They are incredibly honest and true to their nature, expressing themselves without judgement or limitation. As people, we learn many strategies to hide who we truly are as a natural response to trauma and emotional patterns that develop in our lives. Joining into the horse herd, we have an incredible opportunity to start to know ourselves in a new way that often feels more real, more joyful and more free.

Dive deep into the understanding of the 5-element generating cycle of energy with the horses as your guides. Explore your own 5-element pattern and let the herd transform your awareness of self, bringing you into clearer connection with your own heart. Join Dr. Hart for a unique experience in health transformation with Equine 5-element Therapy.