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Robyn Harris's Blogs
If you've been following my blog over the last few weeks and months, you might be wondering about how things are now with me and the amazing horse that I took on in May. We've had our challenges and our ups and downs,...
So, it's official, we have exchanged contracts and the removal vans are booked for 2 weeks' time! It has felt like a long wait and I can hardly believe that we'll soon be in our new home. It's been a very busy...
How are you at coping with change? If you're like me, change is fine in theory - it can mean something new and exciting, right? - but in practice it always seems to come when I'm not ready! I'm kinda like: 'I'm...
Something that I often hear from clients - and that I've felt myself, at times, in my journey with Dax - is a sense of frustration around facing an issue that they thought had been dealt with in the past. It can be rather disheartening...
Last week I looked again at some important questions that this journey with Dax has raised recently and the answers that I have found so far. This whole process has been a very interesting one for me. It has caused me to question...
Isn't it interesting how allowing our horses to say 'No' can bring up so much stuff - both for them and for us!? Since Dax arrived there have been some changes in his behaviour, as those of you who've been following...
So last week I mentioned that I was concerned that Dax's recent behaviour could possibly have been triggered by pain. I therefore booked him in for a session with Helen Jacks-Hewett the McTimoney and Sports Massage therapist. ...
Those of you who've been following this blog - or even who've just read last week's post - will be wondering what I meant by Dax's 'darker side'. Let me start by saying that overall this boy is very sweet...
The weeks rolled on and Dax's behaviour started to change subtly. When he'd first arrived in Bristol he'd seemed happy to walk around on a lead rope and follow me wherever I took him: into the stable, into the field...
In the last couple of posts, I've shared some of the techniques that I've been drawing on as my life has been going from 'busy' to 'more than a little crazy'! I'm aware that reading this sort of...
Last week I started sharing some of the things that I’ve found helpful when I start to slip into stress and overwhelm. Below are some further thoughts on this: Having trained in a range of energy therapies I...
Last week I talked about some of the challenges that I’ve been facing after taking on the care of ‘Dakota Horse’. If you’ve read some of my other recent posts you might remember that we’re currently...
Last week I started the story of how a handsome young gelding came into my life. This week I'd like to formally introduce him! In his previous home he was known as Lucky, however I felt drawn to giving him a new name...
Oh boy! What a journey this is turning out to be! As I began writing this I was waiting in excited anticipation for the arrival of the horse that I’ve taken on permanent loan. He was travelling from St Albans to...
THE CROWN CHAKRA – SHAHASTRARA This chakra is located at the top of the head and corresponds to two glands: pituitary hypothalamus The hypothalamus is located in the back part of the brain, just behind the...
THE BROW CHAKRA – AJNA Also known as the Third Eye, this chakra is located in the middle of the forehead, slightly above the level of the eyes. It relates to the pineal gland, a part of the brain located at...
THE THROAT CHAKRA – VISHUDDA Unsurprisingly this chakra is located at the throat! Its glands are: thyroid parathyroid. The thyroid gland has 2 lobes that are located on either side of the larynx. ...
THE HEART CHAKRA – ANAHATA Located in the middle of the chest this chakra corresponds to the thymus gland which is found at the sternum and plays an important role in immunity. The body parts influenced by this chakra...
SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA – MANIPUR This chakra is found between the sternum and the belly button and corresponds to the digestive system. Its glands are the pancreas and the adrenals. ...
THE SACRAL CHAKRA – SWADHISTANA Located slightly below the belly button, this energy centre relates to the gonads (ie the ovaries in the female and the testes in the male) which secrete sex hormones. It...
THE BASE CHAKRA – Muladhara Also known as the Root chakra, this is located at the bottom of the spine and corresponds to the adrenal glands. These glands are situated on top of the kidneys. They...
In this series of 8 posts I’ll be looking at the Chakra System. The word ‘chakra’ comes from the Sanskrit word for wheel. It is a metaphor for the eternal cycle of time and so represents...
What an interesting process it is, selling your house and looking for a new place to live! The first response everyone gives me when I say that we’re moving is: “Oh, that’s so stressful…!” My husband...
"Only by being in harmony with our inner nature, and the Nature all around us, can we truly experience wellbeing and flow" Robyn Harris It almost seems that 'busy' is the new black! ...
Another way to support this is through ‘play’. I’m taking this in its broadest terms, to refer to something that you enjoy doing, that lights you up inside and that ‘makes your heart sing’ –...
When we’re in stress our bodies are effectively in Fight or Flight mode. This can be necessary, for example if we need to escape from a dangerous situation, however our bodies were not designed to stay in this state for...
Another way to look at stress is to imagine that we have a ‘stress bucket’. The capacity of the bucket can vary from person to person depending on the experiences we’ve had in our lives and how these have shaped...
Unfortunately we have become conditioned to a culture where things are expected to be instant: access to information, or entertainment, and even fast food. This means that we often look for a ‘magic wand’ –...
“Only by being in harmony with our inner nature, and the Nature all around us, can we truly experience wellbeing and flow” Robyn Harris It almost seems that ‘busy’ is the...
Frosty - a case study Frosty is a 12 year old Exmoor X mare. She looks like a typical Exmoor pony: brown coat and darker points with a pale muzzle. When I first met her she was living at HorseWorld in Bristol, a centre...
So what can you expect from a typical healing session? When working with a horse, it is helpful for me to begin by getting some information about the them and the environment in which they live. It can be helpful to see...
Animals are particularly receptive to energy healing as they are generally very open and accepting, without the conditioned concerns that we humans often experience. Energy Healing: involves the transfer of natural energy relaxes...
Energy healing in its many forms has become a very popular way for people to enjoy deep relaxation and enhanced wellbeing. If you are a horse owner and have experienced this sense of peace for yourself, you might have wondered...
Shall We Dance? I'd like to reshare this blog that I wrote some time ago, because I love this concept and it is still very relevant to my work: I’ve been having some rather vivid dreams recently and last night was no...
Something we need to consider when our horses are stabled is what and how we feed them. Think about how the horse eats and drinks in the wild. Here they graze for up to sixteen hours a day, eating grass growing on the ground. ...
Many of the situations in which we keep horses mean that it’s not possible for them to be turned out all the time. We therefore need to think of ways of making their time in the stable more ‘natural’. ...
Last week I mentioned that stabling can be stressful for horses, so what can we do to provide them with a more appropriate environment? Where at all possible it is best to try to create natural conditions as far as possible. ...
Last week I looked at some of the similarities and differences between us and our equine friends. One of the ways we can see this is in our use of body language. For example, when two horses meet, they introduce each other...
Horse Psychology can be defined as: ”the scientific study of the horse’s mind and its functions. Encompassing the mental characteristics or attitude of the species” http://www.training-horses-naturally.com/horse-psychology.html (link...
Last week I shared the start of my journey from feeling overwhelmed and powerless to creating greater balance and wellbeing. Having explored the inner wisdom behind what I was feeling I started to work on the underlying emotions...
This topic has been big in the news this year, with Prince Harry working to help change attitudes towards mental health issues: Prince Harry helping to reduce stigma around mental illness Prince Harry to help tackle mental health...
Supporting bees and other pollinators There are now schemes where you can own a part-share in a bee colony. One example is Adopt-a-Hive Ltd based in Oswestry in Shropshire. They aim to support bees and raise public awareness. ...
Last week I began to explore some of the threats challenging the honey bee. In addition to parasites the bees are also suffering from: Habitat loss Farming habits in England have changed dramatically in the last century. ...
Issues facing the honey bee Scientists are still unsure why so many bees are dying. Various different causes have been proposed: parasites, loss of suitable habitat, bad weather, pesticides. It is probably a combination of...
Last week I began looking at the life of a bee colony. As the numbers grow the colony can reach the point at which it becomes too big for the hive, the worker bees start turning one of the female eggs into a queen. They...
Back in June 2015 the campaign group 38 Degrees held an event in Westminster to “arm our MPs with everything they need to know about bees and bee-killing pesticides.” That was over 2 years ago but bees and...
In part 4 of this series I looked at the BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) diet. Some people, however, have voiced concerns about feeding raw food to pets. The Pet Food Manufacturers Association says: “There...
Roger Meacock, a vet based in Swindon, UK says: “What people need to understand is that while on the outside dogs and cats have been domesticated into cuddly pets, inside a dog is 99% related to the wolf, while a pet cat’s...
As most pet guardians now spend less time preparing food for themselves and their children it is not surprising that they are less likely to give their animals a varied, unprocessed diet. Many people buy commercial pet food because...
In the first part of this series I started to explore the commercial pet food market and why it can be so difficult to get reliable information on what constitutes a good diet for your cat or dog. Supermarkets now have large sections...
I just shared an article from Dogs Naturally Magazine giving '10 Simple Rules to Get You Started' on raw feeding your dog. This prompted me to repost this article that I wrote a while ago on dog and cat nutrition: Let's...
In this, the last part of the series, I will continue to explore some recommended complementary therapies. This is by no means an exhaustive list, and I would be very interested to hear from you about anything which you have...
In this section I will mention some other complementary therapies that can be a very effective support for anyone who is grieving. One is Homeopathy. There are several possible grief remedies. The most appropriate...
In this section I will explore some of the ways that people can be supported through their grief. GPs have traditionally often prescribed medication such as antidepressants though they are now more aware of the benefits of providing...
In this section I will explore each stage of Dr Kübler-Ross’s ‘Grief Cycle’ in a little more depth. Denial – Denial is a conscious or unconscious refusal to accept facts, information, reality,...
In this section I will look at how the work of Dr Elisabeth Kübler-Ross changed how we look at the grieving process. Dr Kübler-Ross, who pioneered methods in the support and counselling of personal trauma, grief and grieving,...
In this section I will explore the feelings that we can experience following the loss of a person or thing that is close to us. It often results in a sense of grief or bereavement. This is a very natural response when something...
The issue of Bereavement and Loss comes up in my practice on a fairly regular basis and so I decided to polish up this article that I wrote a while ago and re-present it as a series of blogposts.
In the previous 3 posts I’ve shared what happened at a recent zoopharmacognosy (self selection) session with a canine client of mine, Willow. The session was offered via Skype by Rachel Windsor-Knott of My...
In the last 2 posts in this series I’ve described a zoopharmacognosy (self selection) session offered by Rachel Windsor-Knott of My Animal Matters to one of my canine clients, Willow. Having offered all of the remedies...
Last week I started sharing a little about a recent zoopharmacognosy (self selection) session with a canine client of mine. Rachel Windsor-Knott, of My Animal Matters, sent a box of samples to Willow’s owner and, via...
I’ve recently been working with a canine client, Willow, who has been experiencing loss of strength and sensitivity in her hind legs. The vet diagnosed a lesion, within her spinal canal but outside of the spinal cord, causing...
In my work I pay close attention to people’s beliefs and their self-talk. Often the beliefs were created around a trauma they experienced at some point in their life. This is a natural survival instinct, where the...
Last week I looked at the benefits of being ‘selfish’ but how does this relate back to what I said at the beginning about Positive Thinking? To me it’s about being open and honest with ourselves and –...
Our lives seem to be full of contradictions! On the one hand we're bombarded by news that is often negative and full of doom and gloom, while on the other we're encouraged to be positive, smile and avoid negative thoughts...
Last week I described a ‘stinking’ situation where I was felt intense jealousy. For me this was unexpected, dramatic, isolating and I had no coping strategy (a UDIN or Trauma Conflict...
As a further example of using META-Health to understand what's going on in the body, I'll share with you another personal story. I recently experienced an episode of sinusitis and it didn't take me long to get to the...
So, having looked at the process of META-Health, and a personal example from my own life, how can this help you in your healing journey? My first step in working with a client is to ask for their ‘timeline’. This...
Previously I talked about my personal experience of how a trauma created digestive dis-ease in the form of IBS and food intolerances. Another common feature with fears around survival are that the body retains water. Its reasoning...
The right fuel As someone who's experienced food intolerances in the past I've become very interested in reading labels and knowing what's in the food that I eat.
The importance of Rest So often we are looking for a magic wand: that pill or procedure that can make us well, but in doing this we are relying on others to heal us when the only real and lasting healing comes from within. Our...
Relationship Working with horses has taught me that relationship itself can bring healing. As I mentioned in part 2, trauma can be very isolating. Our system goes into the 'freeze response' and we dissociate...
Listening and Observing When seeking to establish the connection that I wrote about in parts 1 & 2, listening and observing are essential skills. As humans we have come to rely heavily on spoken language in our relationships...
In the last post we looked at how dis-ease is actually part of a wellbeing process. Now I'd like to give an example to illustrate how this works. When we experience a traumatic event - one that is Unexpected, Dramatic,...
'META-Health' is an analytical tool which looks for the root cause behind a dis-ease so that it can be addressed directly rather than just trying to reduce symptoms. If the cause behind a disease can be identified and...
In this article I will look at the interaction between our horses and ourselves: ? how we can develop a deeper understanding and connection with our equines ? ...
Connection with the moment In order to achieve the full self awareness I talked about in my previous post I need to ensure that I am fully present. In other words, am I fully in this moment, or am I thinking about something...
I've been working with a business coach recently which has resulted in me taking a fresh perspective on the work that I do. It struck me how much my work with horses feeds into, and enhances, my therapy practice with people. ...
If you've never had a session of Reiki or Energy Healing it can seem a bit 'out there' so I thought I'd share a little more about what happens in a typical session and why this is such an effective therapy. I work...
In ?Part 1 I looked at the various elements that need to be in place in order to maximise your horse's chances of success when transitioning from shod to barefoot, and in
In ?Part 1 I looked at the various elements that need to be in place in order to maximise your horse's chances of success when transitioning from shod to barefoot: lifestyle diet working with your horse trim When...
In my work I often come across people who have made the choice to take the shoes off their horse, only to run into challenges. Going barefoot is often not for the faint-hearted, but I do believe that it is the best choice...
I'm currently studying a course in 'MetaHealth' - an analytical tool which looks for the root cause behind dis-ease in order to allow us to address it directly rather than just trying to reduce symptoms. If the cause...
Each of us may have a slightly different understanding of the term 'wellbeing'. To me, it is not simply the absence of disease. I believe that wellbeing encompasses all layers of our being: physical,...
Energy healing in its many forms has become a very popular way for people to enjoy deep relaxation and enhanced wellbeing. If you have experienced this sense of peace for yourself, you might have wondered if your horse(s) could...
Energy healing in its many forms has become a very popular way for people to enjoy deep relaxation and enhanced wellbeing. If you are a horse owner and have experienced this sense of peace for yourself, you might have wondered...
This has not been an easy post for me to write and in fact I've been skirting around it for a while, feeling that it is an important thing to share, but not quite getting round to doing so. Partly this has been because I've...
Last year I attended a very interesting workshop entitled “Essential Oils: molecules, electrical impulses and energy“, organised by Jane Lawson of The Natural Approach in Cheltenham and lead by Cathy...
Do you either own, or care for, a horse who is experiencing some issues: either health, behaviour or stress, related?
Recently I seem to have been meeting lots of people who are suffering from inflammation and pain.
When someone suffers the loss of a person or thing that was close to them they may experience a sense of grief or bereavement. This is a very natural response when something we are attached to, disappears from our lives. ...
The Training Horses Naturally website defines Horse Psychology as: " the scientific study of the horse's mind and its functions. Encompassing the mental characteristics or attitude of the species". This field...
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