Pasture Presence/Presents

Some days I need to remind myself to look for magic and miracles. Especially when the noisy outer world is trying its darnedest to dampen my spirits and convince me that my faith in the miraculous is childish and unfounded. I say, "Horsefeathers!"

I have found the perfect solution for me... ignore everything that is not based in love—to the extent that I can do this and still sustain my physical existence in a human body. I am working very hard on the practice of staying in the present moment and acting upon guidance that I receive only when in this desirable state of being. So yes, I still interact with the systems long enough to shop for groceries, pay my bills, and so on. But as much as possible, I aim to fill my waking hours with activities that keep me focused in the present moment on positive, peaceful, creative, and uplifting subjects.

Peace of mind is very important to me. I have been gifted with a lifetime on Earth, and I desire my remaining days to be filled with love, gratitude, joy and wonder. Life on a planet with eight billion people will always be filled with change, and I accept that most of this change is far beyond my control, and is largely irrelevant to how I live my own life. What I can control is the power I have over my own thoughts and emotional responses to the outer world.

Many people are seeking more enlightened lives these days, believing this is our birthright, as children of a benevolent Creator. At the same time, there are those with a different view of the world, who still seek power and domination over others. As far as I'm concerned, what they desire is none of my business, and I know that they are in the minority. We each create our own version of reality, our own bubble of perception that is strongly influenced by what we take in and what we put out. We are the gatekeepers of our own personal reality, which we feed with the information and experiences that we allow into our consciousness.

​With the advent of social media in particular, the competition for our attention is endless. Increasingly in 2025, as people respond in fear to shocking changes in the world news and share their reactions online, I am finding the need to fine-tune my gatekeeper filters, and turn away from former sources of entertainment and social media posts, just to maintain my equanimity. Worrying about something I cannot change, or imagining an undesirable future that may or may not come to pass, is a very poor use of my energy. One that blocks my access to the Divine solutions that will be there for me, if and when I need them! Staying present in these days of heightened chaos is a spiritual balancing act that requires daily monitoring of one's mood, and the discipline to avoid overstimulation from negative feeds.

The good news is that those who desire or relate to similar realities are attracted to one another. As more and more people focus on their desire for compassion, cooperation, peace, and love in the world, and adjust their personal realities to reflect these goals, relationships and communities will grow based upon these shared desires, and the old fear-based ways will naturally fall away.

Everyone has their own version of an idealized reality that would be perfect for them. Mine involves living in a beautiful, warm, peaceful place close to Nature, near to loving family and like-minded human friends, and befriended by kindly, dancing horses with magical powers. Towards this end, I currently live in California close to my Arabian horses, two of whom are young foals. When I look out my window, I am watched over by a huge Coastal Live Oak tree that is home to many bird friends, including Anna's Hummingbirds, Acorn Woodpeckers, White-breasted Nuthatches, Tufted Titmice, and Crows. These days I can spend hours sitting in a camp chair in the pasture, observing my two mares and their frolicking babies, while I play music to them and watch for their responses—real or imagined. At times I am joined by human friends with chairs, asking to partake of the peaceful pasture sessions. Such a beautiful present!