​Resources:  The Herd is Here to Support You

Possibilities Farm is offering online support designed to help you stay calm in your mind, strong in your body, and connected to your community during the COVID-19 challenges.  We hope you enjoy these videos and resources, which we will add to regularly on social media and archive here for easy reference in three categories:  

Soothing Sounds:  Just the horses, nature, or music - no talking

Horse Sense:   Wisdom to help you navigate this new world

Word from the Herd:  The horses respond to questions from the community  

Please also see our virtual services page for details on reiki, meditation, or coaching sessions available via zoom.  Sign up for our newsletter on the home page to be notified of upcoming events including virtual open houses and stable story time! ​ 

Soothing Sounds

Deep Breathing (1.5 min)

Silently and slowly count to 5 as you breathe in and 5 as you breathe out. As your breath becomes deeper and longer notice how your body feels and whether you’d like to pause for a few seconds in between breaths. Try this several times a day whenever you start to feel tense. It’s an easy way of resetting your system. If possible, try it outside in a sunbeam. You just might end up napping like Paddington.

Birds Singing, Horses Snuggling (2.5 min)

Paddington and Moon often lie down together, but watching them snuggle and listening to the birds is an extaordinarily peaceful experience. 

Singing Bowl Concert (11.5 min)

Enjoy the first day of spring with the incomparable Karin Reetz of www.kariomhealing.com as she leads us in a calming singing bowl concert with Mere and Paddington.

Possibilities Farm Playlists 

Based on recommendations from the Possibilities Farm community, uplifting playlists to bring you joy. 
Listen, or even better, sing or dance to them.

A Cozy Stall in a Storm (3 min)

​Enjoy the soothing sounds of Moon munching his hay in the rain. May it take you to a peaceful place within yourself that is always available even as storms rage in the outside world.

Expanding Awareness Meditation (5 min)

Horses are in tune with all of their senses simultaneously. As humans, we tend to focus on a dominant sense and largely ignore the others.  Enjoy expanding your awareness by watching a few different ways: 1. With sight and sound; 2. With your eyes closed to see what other sounds you hear when you just listen; and 3. With the sound off, watching as a silent movie to see what you notice.  

Horse Sense

Return to Grazing (3 min)

Learning to return to grazing while in a state of high alert is a powerful lesson horses can teach us. Staying in fight or flight disturbs our peace, stresses our bodies and weakens our immune systems, which we need to keep strong right now. Make a list of sensory joys - sounds, smells, tastes, sights, movements that bring you delight - and commit to integrating at least one (preferably more) into your day.

Put on Your Raincoat (4 min)

The challenges of the past few weeks have tested humans' resilience in unprecedented ways. Like the horses in a spring sleet storm, we may have lost some of our natural protections and need to put on a raincoat to help us get through challenges that normally would phase us. Your raincoat may be a break from the news, a cup of tea, a funny movie . . . anything at all. The important thing is to know when to put it on so you can take care of yourself and each other.

Balance Connection and Distance (4 min)

Happy Spring Equinox, a day light and dark are perfectly balanced. COVID-19 is challenging humans to find a new balance in many areas, including the balance between connection and distance. As always, the horses at have wisdom to share. Communication is the key to both!

Curiosity Leads to Calm (3.5 min)

​When we are curious, we can calmly respond, rather than react. Though we are living in uncertain times, the alarming stories we are telling ourselves about the future don’t help us in the present. Being curious keeps us open-minded in the moment and helps us return to calm in the face of unfamiliar situations. No one knows precisely what’s coming next but being curious will help us see the good with the bad and be better prepared to cope with whatever comes our way.

Identify Your Intentions (3 min)

Horses are masters of reading intention. Sweet Potato, as the sentinel of the herd, is always tuned in and assessing each situation. Intentions have power, not only to affect others, but also to profoundly change our own experience by becoming the lens through which we view events and respond. What are your intentions during this extraordinary time? 

Overview of Possibilities Farm Coping with COVID-19 Programming (1.5 min)

This video explains the goal of Possibilities Farm COVID-19 programming - to help you stay calm in your mind, strong in your body, and connected to your community. The herd has wisdom to share.

Working with Fear:  A Personal Journey (10 min)

​In this video, I share some of my fears and the strategies I use to move through them.  I hope it helps when intense fear arises for you.

The Hidden Danger of Making the Most of Every Day: A Personal Journey (6 min)

​Making the best of every day and truly living each one as it comes isn’t the same as trying to make the most of every day. One approach energizes you and one exhausts you, a lesson I learned the hard way.

The Word from the Herd

Underneath the Surface Tension Lies Calm (3 min)

​The horses are inviting questions from the community and our first one comes from Pete. What do the horses sense in the world right now? The word from the herd is there is surface tension which may appear hard and unbreakable. It’s actually a thin layer and just below the surface, there is settling and much greater clarity about how we all are connected as one herd. Thanks for the great question Pete! 

Tips for Toddlers​ (5 min)

Thank you Sam for asking the horses for tips on helping a toddler navigate the strange new world right now. The horses had a lot to say and most of it is relevant to all ages not just toddlers.

 What Happens Now Personally/Professionally (7)

​The word from the herd is that the answer depends on what you choose to take forward from this experience.  How are you showing up for yourself and in the world? Considering these questions now will prepare you to be ready to run when the gates reopen and to find a bountiful new place for grazing.

Pay Attention to Vitamin J (4 min)

Today’s questions come from Starr who asked how she could put others’ needs first during sequestering and how to bring what she learns during this time to her students and community. The horses said Vitamin J is the answer to both questions. By paying close attention to what brings you joy (your Vitamin J) and taking care of yourself during this time of sequestering, you’ll identify one or more of your unique personal gifts to share with the community.