Cortes Island residents will have an opportunity next week to spend a day learning how to be with horses in what White Horse Sanctuary calls “a meditation in nature.”
Founder Oriane Lee Johnston has been involved in equine-guided learning for 16 years, co-facilitating programs at Royal Roads University in Victoria and Hollyhock Leadership Institute.
Her own learning journey started with lessons in natural horsemanship, which she defines as learning “how to be with horses like a horse,” and she’s gone as far as Africa to spend time with the animals. She also credits her abundant life experience and studies in spiritual guidance, such as Buddhist compassion and equanimity, in informing her current work.
Johnston says her facilitated work with the horses helps to open hearts and quiet minds. Photo courtesy of White Horse Sanctuary.
Johnston is a member of the Professional Association For Equine Facilitated Wellness and is passionate about education. She writes articles about the many benefits of equine-guided learning, such as:
- Heart and brain coherence
- Being authentic and genuine
- Overcoming fear
- Various types of leadership skills
- Healing trauma
- Resolving grief
Finley will join Johnston in facilitating the one and multi-day workshops this fall. Photo courtesy of White Horse Sanctuary.
On Sept. 1 and 4, Cortes residents can join Johnston with co-facilitator Elke Finley and the herd from Devotion in Motion Equestrian to experience slowing down into “horse time” and the “energetic dance” with the animals.
Tune into the CKTZ interview with Oriane Lee Johnston below: