Huna Article
Huna International
My Teacher the Horse
by Bev Brody Skerik
How often in life do we focus on what we don't want instead of what we do want ...and get it? It was day
four of the Huna Pathfinder Course here on Kauai. Today was the day we were going to learn and work with the
2nd Level of reality...the telepathic level...how to communicate with nature (which includes humans and
animals) by using our thoughts, and what better way to practise this than go horseback riding?
We arrived at Princeville Stables around 10:30 a.m. and were given an orientation on how to communicate with
our horse using body language. Our guide, Annie, explained to us if you want your horse to go to the right,
gently pull on the right side of the rein, kick slightly with your left foot and most importantly, she says,
LOOK IN THE DIRECTION YOU WANT TO GO. She went on to tell us if you want your horse to go to the left,
gently pull on the left rein, give a slight kick with your right foot and again she emphasized...LOOK IN THE
DIRECTION YOU WANT TO GO. Sounded easy enough. We all mounted our horses and we were off. Our destination
was Kalihiwai Falls where we would have lunch and enjoy a swim in one of the most spectacular settings on
the North Shore of Kauai.
My horse's name was Manuwela. He was a playful horse and liked to be the leader. (Coincidence?...I don't
think so) We were riding through the upland pasture when I decided I wanted to go to my right so I could get
a better look at the mountains and waterfalls...so remembering the instructions at the orientation, I gently
pulled the right rein to the right and gave a slight kick with my left foot and Manuwela came to a complete
STOP! So I pulled right...kicked left again. NOTHING. No movement what so ever from this huge animal beneath
me. "O.K." I said to myself, "I'm pulling right, kicking left, pulling right, kicking left WHY are we not
moving?" Before I finished asking this question, the answer popped into my head.: Where was my attention? I
was looking straight ahead and down toward the ground! The minute I realized this, I just shifted my
attention by looking to the right, where I wanted to go, kicked slightly with my left foot and
VOILA!...Movement to the right! (At this point in time, I had only learned half the lesson...the rest of the
lesson was about to present itself)
About 45 minutes into our ride, Annie pointed out a small lake a few yards away. "Let your horses have a
drink there." So Manuwela and I made our way to the lake but my horse decided he didn't want to stop on the
edge and walked in to knee deep water.(his knees) "How far should we let these horses go in?" I asked Annie.
"That's deep enough Bev" she said, "Stop him right there." So there we were, in the middle of a small lake,
mountains and waterfalls all around with the sun shining on this beatiful Kauai day. It doesn't get much
better than this, I thought. I was just sitting on top of Manuwela appreciating all the beauty that
surrounded us when all of a sudden Manuwela started splashing the water with his left hoof. I heard Annie's
voice to my left..."Bev, pull to your left!...kick with your right!...pull to your left!...kick with your
right!...Don't ask why JUST DO IT! Get out of that water before he takes you in!" So I began pulling to my
left and kicking with my right and Manuwela kept splashing the water with his right hoof. I pulled harder to
the right, I kicked harder with my left...still no response from my horse except more splashing. All of a
sudden Annie yelled, "Bev, where is your attention?" To my utmost surprise, my attention was on
Manuwela's hoof splashing the water. I was focusing on what I didn't want not on what I wanted. All
my physical actions were in line with what I wanted (pulling left, kicking right), but my attention and
focus were not in line with these actions. As soon as I shifted my focus and looked to my left, to the
shore of the lake, Manuwela stopped splashing and made his way to dry land!
I have been studying Huna for 12 years and the third principle, Energy Flows Where Attention Goes, happens
to be one of my most favorite of the 7. I have taught this principle over and over again to classes, friends
and healing circle groups, but now this principle takes on a much deeper meaning. The day of our ride I had
the priviledge of experiencing an instant change in what could have been a not so pleasant situation just by
changing my focus. Sometimes physical action is not enough. I am now paying much more attention to where I
am directing my focus...Is it on something I want or is it on something I don't want? It doesn't take very
long to figure that one out, because I usually get it!
Copyright Huna International 1998
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