Last weekend was Alyssa Aubrey and my first “Redefining Our Limiting Beliefs—Women, Horses & Leadership” course and I have to say that we amazed even ourselves. The combination of the leadership intelligence instruction and working with the horses to experience the critical connection between the mind and the body had so much impact that every student had a transformative adventure. They were good enough to share it, and I’d like to let their words speak for themselves:
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This class far exceeded my expectations in so many ways- the setting was outstanding, the collaboration was perfect, the exercises (written) were right on and working with the horses was icing on the cake.
Cynthia and Alyssa took me on an adventure that provided a major personal and professional breakthrough. I am forever grateful to you both.
KJ
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I was able to realize something about myself that I have kept buried for 25 + years. Not only did it come to the surface but also I am willing to deal with working through the issues.
DA
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What a unique experience! Cynthia and Alyssa provide a great opportunity for opening up to new thinking and intense understanding.
Both women are very powerful leaders and are excellent at holding space for each individual as well as being quite insightful.
BC
I’m a “head” person—I like to analyze things, I make rational decisions. I am more comfortable using my head than my heart. And in our culture, the head (rational, masculine, linear) leads.
But I’ve been noticing that my intellectual decisions sometimes don’t get me where I want to go—even the phrase “get me where I want to go” betrays that linear, rational mindset. With that mentality so deeply ingrained, how could I learn to trust my heart?
A horse taught me. A horse and Alyssa Aubrey, owner of Medicine Horse Ranch.
I went to Medicine Horse Ranch to work on the issue of self-care. As we walked out to the field, Alyssa had her eye on the herd of horses nearby. While I talked she watched them, and one of them came forward. The rest sauntered off.
Alyssa showed me how to do a lunge exercise, but before I could even take the line, my interaction with the horse took on a new quality. There was what seemed like a magical connection, and I burst into tears. The horse wrapped her head around my body. She almost scooped me up. I was embraced within her warmth.
I felt like the horse was very connected to me, supporting me, pushing me a little bit. I felt like I could take further step than I would take on my own because I had this support.
We stood there entwined for a long time.
And then Alyssa started talking to me, and I responded from my head. The horse walked off. I felt really deserted. Alyssa said, “The horse doesn’t have any time for your bullshit.”
The process revealed to me of how we use our mind and our thoughts and our intellect to process and make decisions, when it’s really our emotions and our sensations and our connections that should be driving the boat, that motivate our authentic selves.
As leaders, which most of us are at some point, we have to move from our center—our feelings—not just from our head. So we have to learn to value and use our feelings in being an effective leader.
I was so inspired by the experience that I wanted to share it with my friends and the women I work with. Alyssa and I created a course to help other women experience the force of opening their hearts to their own leadership power. You can read more about it here.
