The story of Yuma - Walk into freedom

 

'My dear Yuma, so much wisdom in one single being.'

 

You ask me every day the same question. 'Why can't we live in freedom?' Going where we want to go. Running and grazing from field to field.

You don't ask this with any sense of aggression or anger, no you ask it always in a gentle way. Without judgment, with no perceptible internal struggle, because you take life how it comes. But in your eyes I see every day this question. Not understanding this world where you live and where we all live. And every day I feel bad about it. Because, yes, why? The answers in my mind are clear: without a fence, a stable or a rope you will not stay. Not for the best food, not for the friendship with a human being. Because a horse is a nomad, in its heart, in its soul and in its genes. And the reality is simple: if I let you roam untethered, and you go, it doesn’t benefit anyone. You might survive a few days but then you will be caught, or cause an accident because the western world isn't set up any more for wild animals. Cities and cars rule life nowadays.

 

So the answer in my mind about her question is clear, but not gratifying. And therefore I do all my best to give my horses a life of freedom as far as possible. And dear Yuma, by always questioning but with full acceptance of what is, you show me a way to inner freedom. Because your not being free shows me how I myself am not free. Literally. My horses cannot search for water in the rivers and lakes on the land - though Yuma tells me that she is totally capable of doing so - so I have to fill the buckets with water and carry them to my horses daily. They cannot go in search for their own food, so I have to bring it to them. This means I can only leave my horses for seven hours at most and I haven’t left them for longer than this for many years. This meant my life was entangled in the same ropes which I tethered them with. This relationship has impacted my outer freedom to a large extent which has shown me very clearly that inner freedom is not dependent on outer freedom.

 

I find myself exchanging wisdom with my horses about inner freedom on a deep level. This has become my path to finding peace in the moment, in what I am doing and where I am. In the cold winters, in the scorching summers. Me and my horses, me and myself.

 

- Kim -

 

 

More wisdom from Yuma .