I have recently been reading up on energy healing theories. This came about because I attended some workshops last year which were enlightening and very fun. In an animal communication workshop, I learned that the things I was hearing animals say were not actually that weird and that it is possible to chat with animals through methods other than a knowledge of behaviour. In another workshop, where the focus was mainly on myofascial release and trauma release techniques, I learned that the tingling sensations I felt and the heat waves I could see when massaging horses or becoming very, very quiet around them, were actually evidence of my energy interacting with their bio-energetic fields. I used to believe that the “airy-fairy” theories were too subtle to make a difference, but through practice and observation, I may be eating my words. So we learn and grow.
It was on this journey of exploration that I discovered work by Barbara Ann Brennan. In her first book, Hands of Light, she describes in detail from both a scientific and a metaphysical point of view, her experiences with the human energy field (HEF), the Universal energy field (UEF) and the human aura. I took what I understood from it and discarded what didn’t resonate with me completely. I’m currently on her second book, Light Emerging and I found a fascinating piece of information that I just had to share!
In her book, she describes the findings of Dr. Robert Beck (a nuclear physicist) and Dr. John Zimmerman. In separate studies, they found some interesting facts about what is called the Schumann waves. Schumann waves fluctuate between 7.8 and 8 Hertz and can be measured as the Earth’s fluctuating magnetic field. Dr. Beck measured the brain waves of various healers around the world, practicing a range of different religions, beliefs or faiths. Every one of them measured between 7.8 and 8 Hz while practicing healing. Dr. Valerie Hunt and Dr. Andria Puharich from UCLA did a similar test and found all twelve healers in their study emitted a consistent 8 Hz magnetic pulse from their hands.
Dr. Zimmerman took it a step further and correlated what healers (and anyone familiar with energy) call “grounding” with “the action of linking up with the magnetic field of the Earth, both in frequency and in phase.” When healers are linked up with these Schumann waves, he also found that their left and right brain hemispheres were completely balanced with each other, displaying a 7.8-8 Hz alpha rhythm.
What makes this so interesting is that, by observation, it seems like a relaxed horse is completely in sync with the rhythms of the Earth. Studies have not yet been done to confirm this, but I would imagine the findings would correlate. Besides the horse’s large heart, which emits a slow, large electromagnetic field and pulse, these findings could also indicate another reason why people find horses to be such a healing and soothing presence. Could it be that our horses are much better than us at grounding themselves and falling in rhythm with the Earth’s electromagnetic pulse? If this is the case, they are certainly better healers than we could ever hope to be.
So how can we use this information? Firstly, it is important to be mindful of the energy we project around our horses – just because they can “cope” with our fluctuating moods, does not mean they should have to. Therapy horses possess a very specific type of demeanor and personality. The wiser, more grounded horses tend to be the best at their job. Extra sensitive horses also serve an important function in therapy, but they are more likely to suffer from burnout than the more grounded individuals. Being mindful of our energy around horses means approaching each session from a grounded place, taking time to adjust to the horse’s rhythm instead of bringing our own charge to them, and working towards creating a comfortable space for them to work in.
Secondly, energy healing theory states that anyone can heal through energy work. This means that if we bring ourselves to a grounded state (meditation or prayer is highly effective at helping us achieve this), we should be able to sense where the horse needs help – and we should be able to get help from professionals or lay hands on our horses ourselves. Even though horses frequently make us feel better, we should always strive to make their lives better, too.
Lastly, being aware of what can be achieved through plugging in to the resonance provided by the Earth, we should be able to realize that we have an unlimited supply of support available to us. We also have an example to follow in how our horses rest, eat, play and go about their day. Ungrounded horses are easy to spot – they will display lots of behaviour that we know as “vices”. They will be highly reactive and they will be stressed, frozen or completely shut-down. Relaxation is synonymous with being grounded. being happy, playful and engaged is an indication of being connected to the UEF, having a purpose, knowing oneself and being completely comfortable with who you (or they) are.
The more we learn and experience what life has to offer, the better we can be for our horses. Isn’t that what we’re ultimately striving for?
