Have you ever experienced a true sense of coming home? A feeling that no matter what may be present within you or in your surroundings, you are still able to find a sense of peace and belonging? This kind of coming home is one that can hold anything, as the vastness of who we are gives space to whatever is present. It's a sense that something within us knows, and it's a quality that we can all cultivate.
One story that highlights this idea comes from Milton Erickson, a renowned hypnotherapist. When he was a young man living on a farm in the 1960s, he befriended a strange horse that had turned up. He gently made friends with the horse, spending time reassuring it and eventually getting on its back. As they meandered along, the horse stopped to nibble on grass, and then continued on until they arrived at another farm where the horse belonged. When the farmer asked how he managed to get the horse back, Erickson replied, "I just kept it company. I did not tell it where to go, it just kind of knew, I just kept it company."
This is what we can do for ourselves. By keeping ourselves company, we can come into a quality of embodiment, sensing the feet or where the body meets the earth. We can feel welcomed and reassured by mother earth, always available at all times. We can be companioned by nature and the body can sense space, as we are also created of space - being breathed by the universe. By coming home to the space, the stars, each other, the wildness of the forest, the rivers, and the oceans, we can find a sense of natural connection.
And when there are parts of us that are a long way from home, we can make room for them too. We can invite kindness and compassion to keep them company and breathe in the fragrance of love and care from the universe. Something within us knows how to come home, and by creating space for that grounded, spacious, and connected presence, we can help that something find its way home, just like the horse.
If you're interested in exploring these ideas further, you might consider joining the Community Nonviolent Communication drop-in Jamboree or the NVC Face to Face course in Cambridge, starting in March and April 2023. Also we have an array of Focusing courses too! These programs provide an opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and explore the concepts of Nonviolent Communication in a supportive and nurturing environment. Whether you're seeking to deepen your own sense of homecoming or to support others in their journey, these programs can provide a valuable space to do so.