A Lesson from Mandy: Facing Uncertainty with Presence
Rebecca here.
Lately, like many of you, I’ve been sitting with the weight of our current political and social climate. In my work as a psychologist, I hear the deep impact this moment is having—fear, anxiety, and even devastation ripple through many communities. I feel it, too. And I’m grateful to have supports that help me navigate these times.
One of those supports is Mandy, our wonderful Sanctuary resident, and our shared guidance from our trainer, Farah. I want to share a story that offered me a powerful framework—one that’s helping me manage my own anxiety and might be useful for you too.
About a month ago, Mandy and I were in her paddock during a virtual training session with Farah. It was a chilly, rainy day, and Mandy was full of playful energy. We ran up and down the sloped paddock together, with a few treats along the way when she responded to cues like stopping or backing up.
But as we played, Mandy started showing signs of frustration—ears back, tail swishing. She began crowding my space, and I noticed myself growing scared. I was between her and the fence, and I imagined worst-case scenarios: What if she kicked? Bit me?
So I did something different: Instead of just overriding my feelings, I paused and told Farah the truth.
She reminded me of her core teaching—“energy follows thought.” She asked me to shift my focus from what I feared to what I wanted—to imagine the safe space I needed and to communicate that to Mandy.
I asked Farah: How do you do that when being prepared means seeing danger in advance?
And Farah said something I’ll never forget:
“I see it as being present, rather than afraid.”
🤯
Now this was a 🤯 moment for me because before my mind could make sense of that, my body knew the difference.
My body knows that when I am present instead of afraid:
✨I can breathe more deeply
✨I am more likely to notice subtle cues in my environment and communications from Mandy
✨I am more aware of my own feelings and nonverbal communication
✨ And because of this, being in the present moment, I am actually more safe
As a result of this lesson, I made adjustments and Mandy and I had a peaceful and fun remainder of our session that day. No one got hurt.
I offer these questions for reflection and maybe even a meditation:
🌀 What does it mean to you be present rather than afraid?
🌀 What changes in your body, mind, or actions when you're fully present?
🌀 How can we stay grounded in presence, even in uncertain times?
This practice has shifted how I relate to fear—helping me slow down, connect more deeply, and focus on what I want to build, rather than just what I want to avoid or protect myself from.
And maybe this is a tool we all need right now.
The threats are real.
But living in a constant fear state exhausts us and disconnects us from our own power.
“So I offer this to you, from Farah, Mandy, and me:
Let presence, not fear, guide your resistance.”
It begins in the mind and the heart.
Hold on to it.
We’re in this together.
SGS News and Updates:
🪻The Great Give is Upon Us!
On May 7th and 8th (next week!), we’re participating in The Great Give, a 36-hour online giving event. Our goal is to raise $10,000 to support Mandy’s care and the healing work we offer to the community.
We need your help to reach that goal.
Every donation, no matter the size, helps us sustain this work—offering a space where people and horses can heal, grow, and learn from one another. Stay tuned for the donation link!
🪻This Sunday!
Farah and Rebecca are co-facilitating a One-Day Horse Retreat at Ohana Farm. This retreat Sold Out within days and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to SGS! We are thrilled to join Farah in offering participants a container with the horses to ground into themselves, increase a sense of presence, and engage in nervous system care.
Thank you for being part of this community. Thank you for believing in this work. And thank you for walking with us toward a more grounded, connected, and compassionate world.