“Don’t ever discount the wonder of your tears. They can be healing waters and a stream of joy. Sometimes they are the the best words the heart can speak” —Wm. Paul Young
I am always in awe when sitting with groups of clients. The horses can feel who needs them most at a particular moment in time. They will hover near people, and within a few minutes (with no exchange of words), the client begins to weep. My job as the facilitator is to allow the participant to be fully comfortable, and give them the space and freedom to express themselves authentically. Often, an entire group will be touched by witnessing the incredible energy exchange and begin to tear up. The energy of healing can be powerful to witness. It’s also an honor to facilitate. I always offer the time to sit in silence, as necessary. The heart chakra allows the deep pain to flow into a beautiful release of tears. A common question I often pose is, “If your tears had a voice, what would they say?”
Today, as I was writing this entry, I received a text from a good friend who also had experienced the deep grief of losing her horse Gus. We had talked about her coming to visit but made no specific plan. I continued to go about my day, and when I was out with the horses, she drove up followed by another car. At first, I thought, “Oh no! I booked a client.” I quickly finished with the horses and met the two of them in the barn. She introduced me her friend, who expressed that she had just lost her Friesian Mare who she had for 18 years. The three of us sat at the table in the barn and wept; we shared stories about our horses and relived fond memories of our time with them. We talked about grief and the importance of having a safe place to just be sad. We reflected on the importance of community and connection, ex great love and great loss. We listened to Brandi Carlile’s “The Story.” We acknowledged that our gathering was confirmation of our collective grief: The importance of being able to share our sorrows. Of course, Skye Mama and Luca were bearing witness to this time and celebrating our tears.
When we said goodbye, we all hugged and reminded each other of this time spent together and allowed our beautiful tears to flow.
Listen to your tears. They are essential to healing and being able to write your new story.