meditation - The Horse Physio - Sue Palmer

Tag: meditation

Beginners mind and horse physiotherapy

By Sue Palmer on March 7, 2024

“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few” Shunryu Suzuki In meditation, we are often reminded of ‘beginners mind’, the act of approaching something as though it’s the first time you’ve ever seen it / done it / felt it / been there, etc. As a Chartered Physiotherapist, I’m aware of the ‘curse of knowledge’, the assumption that everyone else knows the same things I do. As a non-tech person, that ‘curse of knowledge’ becomes very obvious to me when a tech person is trying to explain to me how to do something that I’m struggling with but they find easy. Approaching a situation with a beginner’s mind helps me to maintain a sense of wonder, and I love that feeling. Listening recently to a meditation, it occurred to me that I don’t need even to try to have a beginners mind when it comes to my work (and yes, I’m well aware that means that my mind was drifting - that’s ok, one of the aims of meditation is to be able to notice the mind drifting off and gently bring it back to the moment, so I’m not beating myself up for that!).

What are you doing next?

By Sue Palmer on January 29, 2024

Have you ever found yourself so busy thinking about what’s coming next that you haven’t got any brain space to think about what’s going on right now? I find my head in that place (usually the future) without knowing how I got there. I’m working on a task, and the next thing I know, I’m doing that task automatically and stressing about something that might or might not happen in a week’s time (or a month’s time, or a year’s time, or when I’m 88 years old… my brain doesn’t seem to mind where in the future it takes me!). I tell myself that it’s ‘this one thing’ that I’m worried about, and when ‘this one thing’ is over and done with, then I’ll find calm and contentment once more.

How to rest and recharge

By Sue Palmer on January 28, 2024

I had an epiphany. Time out is essential! Sitting still is not one of my strong points. I’m usually busy with a horse or with a child. If I am sitting still, it will usually be at my desk, writing, studying, or working on my computer. For years, friends and family have advised me to slow down, take a breather, make some time for myself, and have a rest, or I’ll burn out. Honestly, I do listen, and I do try!