How often are you running on "automatic"? We all rely on our ability to carry out basic tasks like driving a familiar route, while our minds are busy planning next steps or working out problems. With ever-mounting commitments and packed schedules, more and more of us are spending a great deal of our time in this automatic pilot mode.
     But how long can we sustain this--our bodies engaged with actions in real time, while our minds flit from issue to issue--without creating a deep disconnect? In this splitting of our awareness, we may think we are simply being efficient. But the nervous system feels otherwise, and the energy system responds by rerouting power away from our Radiant Circuitry,
     Like the meridians, the Radiant Circuits each carry out specific physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual tasks. But they also have a special, "on-call" status, that allows them to travel around the body when needed. The ability to feel joy in the present moment is one of their most brilliant contributions to our well-being.
     But when we are too stressed, too desperately task-oriented, it is as if many of these energies have gone dormant. That's when whole chunks of our experience, of our world, begin to take on the character of mere "backdrops" to our to-do lists. If this dormant state persists, it can lead to a sense that life has become lackluster, too full of obligations that don't have enough meaning on their own to feed our soul.
    This "backdrop syndrome" most often comes to my attention when I'm driving. If I have to remind myself to notice the surrounding landscape, it means my destination-orientation has taken over. The mind is out ahead of the body like a kite in a strong wind. As a child, I spent hours in woods and fields, immersed in the sights, smells, and sensations, along with my dog and pony companions. I even tried to maintain that connection to the land as a car passenger on long trips. Looking out the window, I imagined that I was on horseback, riding through whatever terrain we passed. These joyful interactions with nature--even the imagined parts--are Radiant Circuit activities, and boost those energies. Yes, adult responsibilities can dampen your spirits, but with intention and attention, you can re-awaken your Radiant Circuits.
     Imagine a spectrum, with survival mode on one side, and joyful, radiant mode on the other. If you find yourself experiencing your surroundings, not as three dimensional, but only as a backdrop to whatever goal you are working toward, it's a sign you need to move the needle. The Radiant tracing exercise I demonstrate in the video below can help with that. So can a number of other fun approaches that I would be happy to share with you in my energy classes or in individual sessions.

       You can barely make it out in this picture, but I had just finished dressing my strong-willed pony, Scout, in a garland of morning glory vines. Obviously, in my cutoff jungle pants, red, white, and blue knee highs, and black cowboy boots with multi-colored inlays, I wasn't concerned with making my own fashion statement. I was more enchanted by Scout's brown and white coat, its pattern shaped, in places, like continents and oceans.
       Scout had a laid-back temperament and enjoyed being groomed, but he had his own ideas about what a trail ride was about. He had a habit of snatching at snacks of grass, and once, when I reigned him in to prevent it, he decided to simply lie down on the trail so he could eat. Being with Scout was always a lesson in negotiation--could I get him to take me around the field? Would he stand quietly to have his hooves picked if he had a bucket of oats? Maybe I could scramble onto his back while he grazed. Saddles were too much bother, for both of us. My nine-year-old self was in it for the fun, and if Scout wasn't having a good time, neither was I.
       One of the things I love about Equine Advocates Rescue and Sanctuary in Chatham, NY, is that they respect each animal's individual character, recognizing that its behaviors will be grounded in that unique temperament, as well as in adaptations in response to life circumstances. The horses, ponies, mules, and donkeys living there have typically come from tough situations, ranging from overwork, exploitation, and physical abuse, to abandonment. The Sanctuary allows the residents a great deal of freedom, and is careful to match them with compatible pasture mates. Each rescued animal's story is highlighted for visitors, and there is often a remarkable contrast between their present good fortune and their previously dire conditions.
       Visiting the Sanctuary can be a bittersweet experience, because for each happy horse or mule, there are many more out there still needing help. It's a great way to spend a beautiful fall day, though, and they still have two more Open Days left this year, on Saturday, October 14, and Sunday, November 12. You'll be charmed by the many animals you will meet there, from the smallest mini-pony and donkey, to the powerful Mustangs and stately draft horses.
       This organization needs money year round to support their mission of improving equine lives and educating the public. However, I like to donate to Equine Advocates in the fall (see my 9/8/16 blog), because I know expenses for hay and grain add up in the winter.
       With this in mind, Saturday, November 4 and 7, I will be offering special Equine Benefit Energy Sessions. Half of each $50 session fee will be donated to Equine Advocates. You can choose from 2 different one hour session offerings: a deeply relaxing Energy Medicine Black Pearl Sanctuary Session that works with neurovascular points to calm the nervous system and balance the emotions; or a Sonic Meridian Flush, which uses tuning forks to tone the meridian system. Please contact me if you would like more information about these sessions, or need help choosing which one may be right for you.

                Give yourself a treat, while also giving a gift to these amazing rescue animals!