01/14/2026
It’s been a little bit since I put out a good review post, but in my defense, I’ve been reading about 3 books at once, so expect a couple of these soon!
**The Yamas and the Niyamas: Exploring Yoga’s Ethical Practice**
by Deborah Adele
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This book jumped out at me because I recently restarted my yoga practice. I’ve had a yoga practice on and off for many years, but after a busy summer, I had taken a break. Winter was calling me back in. Little did I know, this book would be about so much more than yoga.
The book explores the pillars of how to show up in the world with love and peace, but the message that followed me most strongly into my life and into the barn was this: if we want to live a life with meaning, we need to bring our authentic selves into the world.
“Living the life that cries to be lived from the depth of our being frees up our energy and vitality. We benefit, and everyone around us benefits.”
The book calls us to do this by living in truth, practicing loving self-discipline, and facing things head-on rather than avoiding them out of fear.
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In the context of horses, bodywork, and the barn, this really got me thinking about how our role is to focus on being human. If we can take ownership of our humanity and show up as authentically as possible, then all the horses have to do in that interaction is worry about being horses.
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On a practical note, there are a couple of takeaways I’m holding onto from this book. On the topic of goal setting, the book discusses the concept of *adhikara*:
“this word challenges us to the reality that if we want something, then we better grow the competency required to have it.”
In my opinion, this rings true in life, but especially with horses. There are many situations where connection needs to be backed up by real competency. It was an excellent reminder for me to keep growing and learning intentionally. In my work as well, I find empowerment through knowledge.
“Our outcomes in life are consistent with our abilities, not necessarily our wishes or goals.”
This isn’t to say that we need to know everything right now. The book actually encourages finding joy in the learning process and noticing where we can improve. I’m taking that message to heart and choosing excitement over self-deprecation when I discover areas where I lack competency. If I’m learning, I’m living.
“I excite myself with my incompetencies.”
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“As we turn now to the disciplines of the Niyamas, we move our attention from an adult relationship with the world to an adult relationship with ourselves, and from a social focus to an internal focus.”
There are so many ways I’m still sitting with this book. I can already see a reread, or several, in my future. I’m constantly noticing how horsemanship applies to life and how life applies to horsemanship.
If this resonated with you at all, I would love to hear about something that learning about horses or horsemanship has taught you about being human.
