Way of the Horse: Dominance

Way of the Horse, Kohanov

Today's card from Way of the Horse by Linda Kohanov, is called Dominance. It shows a close up of the head and neck of a horse who is struggling against the reins. Veins stand out in his neck and his teeth are showing. His ears are turned back. He looks quite unhappy and stressed.



Linda Kohanov's commentary mentions that the image of a rider on a horse conjures up the notion of logic and reason getting control over animal passions (instinct, emotion, intuition) that we must 'rein in' in order to be successful human beings. She also talks about how horses are associated in our minds with war, because that was a primary use of the horse, and so horse and rider are mixed up in our minds with conquest and competition.

Surely the horse being dominated in this image is in a sorry state. So are we, when we are the victim of others trying to dominate us, but even more so when we try to dominate ourselves.

'Many people who would not tolerate the abuse of a horse push themselves beyond all sense of decency,' Kohanov writes. '[Compassion] begins at home, with respect for the wisdom of one's body, emotions, instinct and intuition. A mind that perpetually bullies its own heart and soul into submission can't be trusted to treat others differently.'

Those last lines really struck me hard. I've been thinking a lot lately about the pressures we put on ourselves to achieve 'perfection'. The arbitrary self-imposed goals, self-improvement programmes, and constant measuring up of ourselves and finding ourselves not quite good enough yet. The next time you find yourself doing that, imagine a rider kicking and strapping and sawing at the reins of a frightened horse. The outrage this image fills you with should be the same outrage with which you stop your internal 'rider' from abusing you.

Loose the reins on yourself today.