Nature’s Cadence

My horse knows that winter solstice has passed. Even though she has no calendar or modern technology, and appears to simply exist as the short days come and go and the long nights come and go, she knows exactly where the season stands.

I could set my calendar to her haircoat. On June 23 each year her tiny summer-coat hairs begin to fly, even though the hottest days of summer are yet to come. And on December 23? You’ve got it: her long winter-coat hairs suddenly start to detach themselves. Even though there are plenty of cold days to come, her winter coat is beginning its migration. (And it won’t stop until there is enough fur in the compost pile to clothe three more of her.) I’m awed by this pulse of nature; amazed by the blatancy… I normally think of nature’s rhythms as subtle and erratic. But my horse? If she could shrug she would.

What about me? If I didn’t have a calendar and a clock… would I know? Would I feel hopelessly lost without those things? Or would I find myself more ‘at home’ than ever?

I suspect it would be the latter. If my horse’s seasonal cadence is any indication, I believe I too would become much more attuned to the “tick-tock” of nature. So much so that I might rediscover that deep sense of belonging and non-attachment that animals embody so comfortably. Maybe their propensity for grounded present-moment awareness is less about their supposedly ‘inferior’ neocortex and more about their superior connectedness to nature. (See below for the scientific version of “tick-tock of nature” 😉 )

As I ran my hand over her woolly body and shook off fistfuls of winter coat, I became oddly aware of how unaware I am. I check my clock, set my alarm, force myself out of bed with or without the daylight, turn on the artificial lights, and I hurry and I hurry.

And I’m quite certain my horse shakes her head in disapproval and pities me for it.

“Through a series of chemical reactions, the amount of light, processed through the eye’s retina, is sent through various parts of the brain and ultimately received by the pineal gland. The primary functions of the pineal gland are to synthesize and secrete the hormone melatonin. Melatonin is a powerful hormone that plays an important role in adjusting the body to photoperiod and affecting circadian rhythms, such as the sleep-wake cycle, as it processes light exposure. The release of the hormone is not constant however; it is a pattern of the lowest concentrations occurring during daylight hours and peaking at night when it’s dark. The varying levels of melatonin tell a horse what season it is and whether or not it should shed its hair or for mares to begin reproductive function.”

~ The Rutgers Equine Science Centre

So how can we improve our connection with nature?

• Try turning off some electric lights at night and lighting a few candles instead. (Safety first of course.)
• Definitely turn off the TV and put down those devices at least an hour before bed… preferably as soon and as often as possible. Read a book or go for a walk outside instead.
• Eat real, unprocessed foods including lots of vegetables. Drink water.
• Try ‘earthing‘… get those feet out of their socks and shoes and get directly in contact with the earth. We (just like my horse) are running electricity at all times and we are designed to ‘ground’ those electrons.
• Open windows, even if just a crack in the winter, to let some fresh air flow indoors.
• Pay attention to the stars and moon as much as possible. I try to get away from the big city lights to spend time star-gazing as often as possible… the night sky from my corner of the world has been stunning lately, and New Year’s Eve brought an auspicious half moon.
• Simply get out in nature (in whatever form it is available) as often as possible. Aim for daily.

What else? What do you do to keep in touch with the natural rhythms of nature? Please let me know in the comments!

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Note: I offer equine-facilitated psychotherapy/counselling with my horse as my co-therapist. Some of what I’ve written here is based on my private practice work. Check out the website if you’d like to know more, and don’t hesitate to get in touch. Distance coaching is available in some instances.

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