Awakening to More

Introduction

Life is not a problem. It is a song that we must learn to sing. Sometimes it is harmonious and other times dissonant. We can sing solo or in unison. Yet, despite the various compositions placed before us, we must learn to cherish all the music. In Awakening to More: Life Lessons to Keep Us Grounded, Hopeful and Prepared we sing with pathos and passion. By doing so, we hope that you will enjoy the collection of voices that we bring to you in this magnificent cosmic chorus.  They awaken us to more.

We are not idealists. We are therapists who have worked with violent and mentally disturbed members for years within society. We have lived on the inside edges and contours of life. We have salvaged the wreckage of broken hearts and dreams. We tried to put the minute pieces of humanity back together again. Besides our backgrounds in clinical psychology, we are ranchers who have bred horses and other animals for decades. Studying animal behavior has deepened our awareness of the cosmology of life and the essential value of being interconnected. In fact, biodiversity is crucial to the very quality, substance and sustainability of our human lives. Involvement with animals and wildlife not only keeps human beings balanced and grounded, but it reconnects us with healing rhythms and vital lifelines. 

We are also trailblazing authors. In our first book, Horse Sense and the Human Heart: What Horses Can Teach Us about Trust, Bonding, Creativity, and Spirituality, we explored how horses offer hope, inspiration, and sense to humanity.

Our second book, Horses and the Mystical Path: The Celtic Way of Expanding the Human Soul, unveiled what can happen to human beings who follow the mystical path with horses as guides and soul friends.

In Awakening to More: Life Lessons to Keep Us Grounded, Hopeful and Prepared we take a relevant turn. We integrate our years of experience in human and animal psychology, and our vast knowledge in philosophy and spiritual wisdom to help others understand modern society’s growing turbulence and discover how to rise above the fray. We will share many encounters with you that inspired us to become eagles. Eagles see life from a higher vantage point. Undergoing this process, we gained a unique and uplifting outlook on life, particularly with regard to human well-being, distress, growth and healing. It enlarged our vision. 

The Many Faces of Human Nature

It is important to realize that our human suffering does not simply arise out of thin air. It undergoes a period of incubation, until one day the full blown ‘dis-ease’ or ‘unimaginable’ erupts. When this occurs society is faced with an epidemic of unsustainable behavior we see today. This increase is the result of our misplaced values, pastimes and priorities.  

To advance as individuals, and a species, we must begin to expand our view of what impacts our formation and reactions. How we spend our time matters. So does lifestyle. The books and music we choose etch memories in our hearts and minds. How we treat plants, animals and each other is crucial. Who we are is important because our own consciousness can limit or liberate us, depending upon whether we think big or small.

Our experiences and relationships set the stage for what is to come. Therefore, we must broaden our scope and repertoires. In the process, we can find auxiliary avenues to help us cultivate a resilient heart and mind. We contend that learning about Nature, including human nature, is an ideal venue to stretch one’s consciousness and compassion, because its messengers and cast of characters whisper to the human soul. Through these encounters we learn to handle stress, find solutions, soar higher and stand taller. 

Since, so many in modern times are cut off from ranches and wildlife; and so few have insights from the ‘world of the mentally ill and the psychological landscapes of people in general’ we are going to bring you a wealth of knowledge and relevant discoveries. We will share stories with you of life, love, hope, uncanny friendships and death; and offer you many enduring principles from psychology, nature, spirituality and philosophy that can open many doors.  

We will zoom in, and focus, on the ups and downs of life, and learn how human beings evolve. We will also explore what inner attitudes and outer environments are fertile ground for personal growth. By sharing stories of triumph and defeat, this book will help you see trouble brewing, rise after failure and, most importantly, enjoy the highs and endure the lows. It will help you find a strong decisive voice and make you battle ready. People who are battle ready become peace-loving because they are more prepared for life and less vulnerable. 

If you apply these lessons to your personal and professional lives, you will begin to act from a deeper place. You will also enrich the lives of others, young and old, that are entrusted to you. We firmly believe that all of us can create a more responsible and compassionate world, when we not only talk honestly about the joys, but the sadness of living. 

Ultimately, we feel there is always hope. Awakening to More: Life Lessons to Keep Us Grounded, Hopeful and Prepared is a book about learning to seize these moments, and appreciate the vast possibilities that are just within our reach.  Considering what is at stake, we hope that developing our human consciousness, to become wiser human beings will be on the top of everyone’s bucket list.  Yet, this personal quest often begins when we realize there are many things that are beyond our control. In our case, a devastating death deepened our search.