Impressions from Those Who Have Attended Epona Programs
"The Tao of Equus opened me up to a new way of being with my horses.
Before reading Linda’s book, I viewed my horses as respected subordinates. I treated them well, loved them immensely, and always expected them to do as I asked. I most certainly did not consider them equals. I saw a hard-to-catch horse as a challenge to my technical savvy, never as an opportunity to examine and understand my own emotional state.
But, since finishing The Tao of Equus, and having the opportunity to spend several days with Linda and her herd, I have experienced my horses as gifted communicators and emotional geniuses, animals with their own agendas about what to do and what to teach, who never miss an opportunity to show me where I’m holding back. On more than one occasion, my 5 year old Arab has ended a catch-me-if-you-can standoff at the precise moment that I get to the essence of my own emotions. And only a few days ago, my 25 year old very gracefully showed me that he needed something different than what I was giving him, and responded to the change in me with a rare show of devotion. Linda’s book has given me a new eye on my horses’ world; now, every interaction between my horses and I deepens our relationships and opens my heart wider to life itself."
— Carol Marra, Denver, CO Life Coach
"In early 2002, my beloved friend Crissi Tomlinson came to visit me at my Buffalo Woman Ranch outside of Dove Creek, Colorado. We share a great love for our horses and she was so excited about a new book she had just read, The Tao of Equus by Linda Kohanov. She told me that it would change my life. I ordered the book immediately and devoured it in a matter of days. Crissi was right on, it changed my life in ways I am still discovering.
In a matter of weeks, I arrived in Tucson to participate in Linda's workshop The Epona Approach. I knew after I had met her and her incredible workshop partner Kathleen Barry Ingram, I had in fact come home to my Self in ways I had never imagined. Immediately, I began discovering how I had been totally missing the point with my own horses in knowing how to BE with them. They are my teachers and I had never really known that before.
What a special sacred time it was at the Epona Center because the day before I arrived, Linda's horse Rasa had given birth to twins with only little premature Spirit surviving. One can only imagine the impact of that experience on the workshop. I told Linda, as I left to go back to Colorado, that meeting her, Kathleen and the horses at Epona had indeed changed my life and that I would return. In two weeks I was back in Tucson at The Power of Authenticity workshop. Once again learning about myself and this new way of Being with horses.
Since his birth, Spirit was being attended around the clock by at least two people taking shifts. What a precious Being as I entered the stall for my shift, it felt like a familiar Divine manger experience we have all read about. In the quiet midnight hours, I lay down beside him, wrapped us both in blankets and pressed my face next to his. We began a long period of breathing together with him nibbling softly on my lips as we shared a most intimate experience. In that sacred moment, my life was changed forever.
One of the great blessings of my life has been to know Linda and to have such a deep and meaningful friendship with her. I acknowledge her and the work that she is bringing forth for all of us who love horses and have never really understood who they truly are.My horses are forever grateful to her for awakening in me this new consciousness. What a difference it has made in our lives. I have only begun the process of discovering who they are and who I am in relationship to each other.
Thank you Linda for the gifts you are bringing to the realm of horses and the people who have passionately loved them forever. It is a profound work of healing which is changing our world and our lives. When I returned after meeting Linda I told a close friend, 'I have met the Horse Goddess!'"
— Charlie McGuire, MA, RN, HNC, Founder, American Holistic Nurses' Association; Co-Founder, Southwest Institute for Women; Co-Founder, Buffalo Woman Ranch, Dove Creek, CO
"As a psychotherapist practicing Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy for the last four years, I was extremely grateful to find Linda's book. There is no other text which articulates so precisely the experience of doing this work. Her book has served me personally as a validating guide which has enhanced my confidence and skill level in my own practice as well as opened the door to possibilities I could only vaguely see before. As a Field Instructor for the Naropa University's masters program in Wilderness Therapy, I have listed as required reading, The Tao of Equus, for the Equine Therapy Module each year. It will be an invaluable tool for students to use in their training.
Linda's workshop, recently hosted here in Colorado, was also a profound experience for all of those present. For myself, to have the opportunity to learn from another person doing this work was a true gift. I use daily much of what I learned that weekend. For participants in the workshop – lives were changed. Through having the opportunity to experience themselves in completely different – yet genuine - ways, these 10 women came to realizations and understandings which could not have occurred as quickly within the confines of 'talk therapy.' The experiential aspect of Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy once again showed itself to be a powerful, yet gentle healer of hearts, minds and souls."
— Jill Eldredge, MA, Plattville, CO, Founder, Eagle’s Keep Ranch; Field Instructor, Naropa University, Boulder, CO
"My trip to Tucson was empowering beyond belief. Through working with Linda, in partnership with her horses, I experienced a way of being that completely changed my life.
I discovered the ability to develop boundaries, listen to my body, and determine where I hold tension. I learned what that tension was saying and what to do with it, as well as what I could learn from my feelings that could better direct my leadership abilities. I also developed a strong understanding of what being congruent in the world felt like and how it could shift my relationships.
Since my time with Linda, my friendships, health and work have changed in wonderful, powerful ways. My confidence is apparent to the people around me, and I feel more grounded, happy and free than I've ever felt in my life."
— Ingrid Torrance, Vancouver, B.C., Actress and Energy Healer
"When I booked time with Linda at the Epona Center in Tucson I was anxious, nervous, and perhaps even a little skeptical. Could a horse really teach me that much about myself? The answer was a resounding, YES! The approach that Linda uses is a truly remarkable way to learn more about yourself, the connection you have with horses and with humans! If I didn't experience it I would have hard time believing how meaningful an experience it was. It was worth every cent!"
— Joe Esparza, Bozeman, MT, Co-Founder, Leadership Outfitters
"I first learned about Linda when I heard her discussing The Tao of Equus during an interview on Wisdom Radio. The book sounded fascinating and I immediately ordered a copy. Reading this book opened my eyes to a different way of being with my horses, BJ and Kindred Spirit. Her stories are riveting and the images compelling. I cried and I laughed. Perhaps most meaningful to me was the idea that a horse could act as a therapist, providing honest feedback and seeing us more clearly than we see ourselves. Like a dream, they help us discover a hidden treasure inside. Wow!
When I discovered that Linda was offering a clinic within three hours of my home, I knew I had to go. Linda's intuitive clarity about horses, her patience and her clear intent allowed me the sense of safety to relate deeply to a Palomino horse named Oeste. Oeste's willingness and Linda's guidance opened a door for me to communicate with a horse in a way I had not done before. I felt connected, drawn out, and confident. It wasn't about technique. It was about a deep, soulful connection with the horse. This is being with horses at its best --no debates about the right tack or technique, just a connection with the spirit of the horse and openness to something new. I loved that workshop."
— Bill Aiton, Nashville, TN
"Coincidence and timing figured entirely in my coming across The Tao of Equus and reading it when I did. The book gave me words to describe and justify my own profound and intimate connection with horses throughout my life, and it helped me give myself permission to 'allow horses back into my life.' The Power of Authenticity workshop gave me an immediate way to do that, and a tangible experience of the benefits of acknowledging myself as a whole person. Horses really do “speed the journey.”
My relationship with Rasa unfolded, from our difficult first encounter to her love-glances the next day as she invited me to “graze” with her, to my riding her with my eyes closed, to the visit three months later when I helped her care for her premature foal and spent hours listening to her. Rasa gave me the gift of myself, in abundance, and shared herself with generosity and patience to do so.
Rasa thinks and speaks very loudly, clearly, and beautifully, in the same clear, deep, sonorous language that mountains speak. Learning to hear her has been one of the most moving, profound experiences of my life. The book, and the workshop allowed and encouraged this to happen.It has been a great privilege to know Rasa and spend time with her, and it is Linda’s unique human gift to assist her in ways only a human can: by writing, by recognizing her talents, and by encouraging people like me to recognize them and respond to our own ability to learn from her and to allow the love to enter, to the speeding of our own journey.
I experienced first hand, in the company, and with the encouragement, of other humans, the power of authenticity: the beauty of who I am, in my own details and particular gifts; the harmony of a group of people making music and dancing together; the incredibly beautiful sound of Rasa’s voice, and the flow of her emotions, and the depth of her compassion and generosity; the experience that I too, and humans in general, have these qualities and the ability to access them. I have witnessed Rasa’s patience, humility, humor, and dexterity in dealing with people in situations I found difficult, and found myself learning by example. I have seen the power of human community in a common purpose and intent. I have learned that if I just “walk like a horse” I can face situations with a grace beyond my own very limited perception of my ability."
— Suzanna Thomas, A New England-based student of Equine Massage
"From the very first page of The Tao of Equus, I was fully captivated. Linda Kohanov articulated so beautifully, and validated for me, much of what I have sensed and thought over the years of my involvement with horses but could not adequately express in words myself. After reading the book, I immediately went out and bought copies for many of my friends and one friend in particular who is a psychotherapist whom immediately also shared the book with fellow psychotherapists.
The Tao of Equus is a very powerful book and I identified with much of Linda’s own personal journey as there were many parallels to my own life and journey over the past few years. I was able to identify with many of Linda’s experiences with Rasa as they paralleled many of the experiences I went through with my first horse Max, who was a black Thoroughbred, and with current horse Fred who is a grey Thoroughbred who is very spiritual and intuitive. I found the book to be not only enlightening, but it also captured the mystical and spiritual essence and healing powers of horses so beautifully, so gracefully and so elegantly.
Furthermore, what I also found very interesting and informative was the historical, scientific and mythological research that was presented in the book; it was not presented as a validation of Linda’s beliefs, but rather as insightful material to ponder. The stories of healing and the healing powers between people and horses were extremely moving; and at times, the stories brought me to tears. I found the book inspiring and courageous in that Linda was able to openly discuss her connections with the horse ancestors, her intuitions and the current shift in global conscientiousness.
After reading the book, I felt a strong sense of being able to embrace my own intuitive experiences with both people and horses and because of that connection, I felt a compelling urge to meet with Linda, and sought her and Epona out over the Internet. In doing so and finding her, I participated in the Power Of Authenticity workshop at Epona in March.
Through the workshop, I was able to meet with many individuals that thought the way I did and were on journeys of their own. It was a powerful group and our collective experiences helped each participant in some part of their own journeys. I was personally able to come to terms with many difficult struggles I was experiencing in my life. I was able to acknowledge and embrace my own intuitions and powers. I was able to acknowledge and embrace my inner self. I was able to better understand the connections between my physical and mental and emotional and spiritual states, and validate that it was truly okay to express my own intuitions, what I was thinking and feeling, and openly share those intuitions, thoughts, feelings and experiences with others. When I returned home from the workshop, I was able to transcend to a whole new level of being and communicating with my horse Fred. Meeting and working with Linda and participating in the workshop has set me on my way down a path that I was finally able to acknowledge that I wanted to travel. As a result, I am participating in further workshops and in one-on-one work with Linda. Linda is not only an inspiration, she is a caring, intuitive and thoughtful guide."
— Sue Ratcliffe, Toronto, Canada