Here we are performing a part of the horseman’s kata. Our instructions are to focus on feel, timing, blending, balance and breath. The same principles apply to the riding. My whole week here in both the dojo and the saddle have been about cultivating continuous, soft attention to all five of those elements.
Today in the dojo I felt myself distracted, having a hard time paying attention. I think of that as either dropping the reins or worst case, slipping out of the saddle. It is a way of stopping riding – tuning out, going on a little mental hiatus. Mark talks about learning to pay attention to whatever is most important, which is the thing that we are doing – not giving everything that is happening around us equal importance. I could feel myself struggling with that. Maybe I was tired or full of the week’s experiences, but I didn’t like to feel lax or inattentive. I wanted to hold myself to a higher standard – to meet the sensei’s or the horse’s presence with my own fullest, most engaged self.
