Circumstances have a wonderful way of letting you know if you’re on the right or the wrong track. They provide useful feedback that, thoughtfully reviewed, compels changes in approach or direction and occasionally in underlying orientation.
Those in the habit of bemoaning their circumstances often miss these cues as they are so busy reacting to their appearance. “Why me?” or “Aaargh, not this again…I thought we took care of it last time!” rolls off their tongues rather than “Thank goodness I recognized the signs!” or “I am so thankful to have had the vision to see that a change was needed!” Circumstances are always neutral; it is what you do with them that counts.
One of Germany’s many great horseman, Egon von Neindorff, offered this wise advice in his book The Art of Classical Horsemanship:
The rider should be more grateful when the horse’s natural reactions point out and repeatedly remind him of his shortcomings while simultaneously requiring his further advancement and issuing a warning. In this way, horse and rider are unremittingly educating one another – which is certainly to the advantage of both of them and far better than the other option of continual conflict. So the old motto: “Forward-upward!” will apply doubly on their journey together. And the rider’s acquisition of a proper education that promotes a consequent and consistent love for creation remains all the more valuable – bringing him joy and benefiting the horse!
When you approach the more difficult challenges in life in the attitude of appreciation (even if the only thing for which you can be thankful is that a master in living aka “you” was plunked down in the middle of it), you retain your capacity for critical analysis and creative tinkering. You eliminate the beast that comes roaring out of the sea – your untempered emotions – from the equation and you find yourself remarkably, yet repeatedly in position to bring creative solutions to bear on the problem…no matter how difficult, convoluted or chronic the problem may be.
This approach works with horses, but it just so happens that it works with everything else as well. Give it a try! Oh yes, and don’t forget to let me know how it goes. Forward-upward!
Gregory Hake 
We are always going to see where things need to be changed in life, which is all that “bad” circumstances really are. There are two things that I have been thinking about lately that relate to this. The first thing is that you should make the small correction when you first see a problem rather than let things get out of control. It allows for a more measured response, which prevents the wild oscillations that you sometimes see when things get too far out of plumb. The second thing is that sometimes things do get pretty far off from where they should be, and that it doesn’t matter who’s “fault” it was when that happens. Make the correction and move on.
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Thank you for your refreshing words. It is good to take note of what circumstances may be telling us just as a horse would nudge his rider if they were going astray. With an attitude of appreciation and an awareness that we are the master of our circumstances we can extend out from the core of ourselves an influence that brings solutions and direction. Here is a new day and the basis for forward and upward movement.
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Your blog gives constant reminders that there is a creative component to living. You mentioned that “Circumstances are neutral, it’s what you do with them that counts.” Every person has something to offer to their circumstances. You’ve illustrated that with the recent examples of training horses, raising children, the handling day to day issues. Taking the attitude that “I have something creative and constructive to offer here” puts us in the drivers seat for upward movement rather than “Oh no! Not this again!” It just makes sense.
I love this blog and have to thank you Gregg. It helps stoke the fire in myself to let my expression refine in all ways.
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We can’t forget that we have complete control of our own actions and reactions in any situation and that what we do determines our experience, whether it be creative or destructive!
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Seems that onward and upward and forward and upward are going in the same direction! Looking at our own involvement in a circumstance as an advantage for a successful outcome certainly is acknowledging our responsibility to view things from a larger perspective. Cirumstsnces are neutral we can bring the directional momentum. Love the book quote.
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