Blowing Off Steam

Photo by Sara Fogan

 

                The rainy season seems to have officially arrived in Southern California. For the past few days the rain has just been pouring down. That is great news for residents, wildlife and flora that live in this state because California is in a drought. Of course, the rain has created some tricky footing at local training barns. Today was the first time in several days that the ground was firm enough for my horse and his herd-mates to get turned out to play. They had been locked up in their stalls with nowhere to go since Saturday, so their frustration (“cabin fever”) was understandably high. The instant they were turned out—after their obligatory roll in the mud, that is—all they wanted to do was run and play.

My gelding galloped around the paddock with his tail held high and flowing behind him just like horse in The Black Stallion. Sometimes he would come back down to do a beautiful passage for a few strides before snorting and picking up the pace again. Meanwhile, the other geldings turned out with him did versions of the same routine, occasionally throwing in a buck or two for good measure. This went on for ten or fifteen minutes until they worked off their pent-up energy. Then, almost simultaneously, the horses resumed their usual turn-out routine of wandering around the paddock sniffing the ground looking for a stray piece of hay or nibbling leaves off the nearby pepper trees. Their ability to just turn down the adrenaline and go all Zen like that was remarkable, especially after watching them play so hard just moments before. If I hadn’t known better, I would have doubted that any rambunctious play ever occurred at all.

Of course, this is typical of horses. Over the millennia, these prey animals have evolved and survived by conserving energy (i.e., doing very little whenever possible) so they can tap into vast stores of energy to flee perceived danger at any time. Even when we’re working, if Galahad should shy at something, I know he will come right back to my aids and we continue the ride as if nothing has happened when he believes that whatever danger he perceived has passed. Several times a week, my cat suddenly, inexplicably runs around the house and practically bounces off the walls and furniture when something annoys her. However, once she’s got that out of her system she just curls up for a long nap and acts as if nothing ever happened. So, why do humans seem to have so much more difficulty releasing the past and letting go of previous frustration or annoyance? I wonder.

John Kappas, Ph.D., the founder of the Hypnosis Motivation Institute, used to say that it is impossible to have two opposite emotions or reactions at the same time. For example, you cannot experience joy and sadness, or anxiety and relaxation at the same time. If you don’t believe me, think about the last time you were very happy about something you had just done: perhaps you just earned your certification at HMI or started a well-deserved vacation in your favorite location. Did you even notice (let alone dwell on) anything negative in your environment at this time? If something untoward did occur, did you resolve the problem and return to your more positive attitude, or did you remain frustrated and agitated? The point is, you didn’t experience both conflicting emotions at the same time, because you couldn’t. None of us could.

Everyone has a different level of tolerance for stress and anxiety the same way that everyone has a different ability to deal with the things that stress, hurt or annoy them. Perhaps you go for a run, shoot hoops or participate in some kind of physical activity to blow off steam when you are frustrated. Some people turn to food, drink or other substances to help them get through a challenging time. Still others write in a journal, talk to friends or meditate. What do you do? Are you able to work through and release frustration in a safe, proactive and productive way? To find out how hypnotherapy and therapeutic guided imagery can help you learn to let go of that negative experience or association that has been holding you back and free you to achieve your self-improvement goals, contact me at (661) 433-9430 or send e-mail to calminsensehypnosis@yahoo.com.

  

 

Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy® and to set up an appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

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