“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” ~ Albert Einstein

My riding lessons are a constant source of inspiration and realization for me and I’ve found that lesson learned in the ring translate into valuable principles for more effective living. The most recent realization came as a result of challenges I was having performing gymnastic exercises in preparation for jumping.

While working on transitions from one gait to another, my horse managed to find holes in my abilities and he quickly gained the upper hand, foiling my attempts for more work at every turn. In this particular case he was using various strategies to transfer weight to his inside fore leg, which alleviated the pressure on him but frustrated our mutual progress.

Without going into the details as to why and how he managed to control the process, the point I wish to make clear to you, my dear readers, is that the tendency on the part of the rider – and perhaps any human being in the larger sense when faced with something that is stuck or not working – is to zoom in, fixate upon and become tense about it, to the detriment of perspective, balance and wisdom.

The problem in the example given is caused by a a number of potential factors. If the rider fixes his attention on the symptom (the tension and heaviness on that leg), he will likely act out of reaction to the problem and drive the problem even deeper. An inexperienced rider will tend to take a head on approach to deal with what appears to be the problem, rather than taking the time to discover and address its underlying cause.

So it is in life. When you are confronted with a problem, rarely is it useful to do more of the same and expect a different result. Neither is it helpful to obsess about a blockage or to struggle directly with it. More often than not the solution lies somewhere deeper in the chain of causality. This applies to health, relationships, communication, finances, state governmental budgets…you name it!

Take note of the point of constriction or blockage and then look at the bigger picture. What or who else relates to that area? Is the imbalance a compensation for something else, a less obvious underlying disturbance? Are you still relaxed and centered and therefore in position to bring a healing, balancing or restorative influence to bear on the situation? If you are physically tense, emotionally agitated or mentally upset, the odds of you being a part of the solution decrease and the chance of you making things worse increases.

Einstein’s statement is brilliant. In this example there was obviously something missing in the foundation I had set for what I was asking for, otherwise my horse would have stepped naturally and gracefully into the next exercise I was requesting. If you are unsure as to where to start in correcting a problem, look closely at the foundation. Any weakness there is likely to be amplified, causing the visible problems on the surface that have come to your attention.

You cannot solve a problem using the same thinking you used to create it. New thinking, a new approach, a slightly different angle of attack is often all that is required to resolve even the most intractable issues.

Give it a shot!