Resonant Riding Supplemental Resources
Here at Resonant Riding we believe that creativity is always reliant on inspiration and integration. No good concepts are developed in isolation to others. It is through connecting ideas from a variety of resources that we are able to build our own unique ideas. It has always been important to Carrie & Lala to share the resources that have inspired this program with our community. These will help you build a foundation of understanding and for those of you that love to dive deep we hope that these materials will influence you as much as they did us.
This is Carrie’s Bachelor of Science thesis on Flow that she completed in 2012. The study is titled Flow in Horsemanship: A equalization study on flow in Icelandic Horse Equestrians and was done at Holar University in Iceland. It is a fascinating read for those interested in understanding the concepts behind flow and how they may apply in horsemanship in Iceland.
Qualitative Study on Flow in Icelandic Equestrains
lecture on flow
Video lecture with Carrie on flow in psychology, her bachelor of science research, and flow as it applies in our lives in general. This is bonus material but a great resource to learn more about the science behind flow. This lecture delves deeper into the principles and characteristic of flow and how they may apply to us and our horsemanship.
Terms and definitions to keep in mind:
Extrinsic motivation: Being motivated to perform a behavior or activity because you expect to get something out of it that is outside of yourself - an external reward.
Intrinsic motivation: Being motivated to perform a behavior or activity for its own sake. The behavior itself is its own reward.
Autotelic experience: Something done for it’s own sake. Having an end or purpose in itself.
Qualitative research: Research that involves interpreting non-numerical data that can be used to understand a subjective perception.
Quantitative research: Research that involves objectively collecting and analyzing numerical data in order to test causal relationships between variables and make predictions and generalizations that are applicable to a wider population.
Bill Evans documentary
The Universal Mind of Bill Evans. Bill Evans documentary on the creative process and self-teaching. One of the key concepts behind Resonant Riding. We highly recommend watching this short documentary.
LALA’S RESOURCES:
MUSICAL MINDSET
Since my discovery of Bill Evans’ documentary “The Universal Mind of Bill Evans”, my life has changed drastically and taken me on a path I never thought possible. His theories on flow and jazz as a stylistic medium directly correlated with how I wanted to train my horses and that revelation combined with Carries’ studies on flow psychology, began a new evolution for the both of us. Not only was my musicality and artistry reborn, but it inspired and motivated me in my horse training, my teaching and also my life interactions and experiences. Those musical theories took me on a journey into studying other musicians and concepts that all ended up with the same language. Flow and the creative mind is something for everyone, regardless of job, craft or hobby. I have compiled a list of books here that I have read and often re-read that have helped me in this discovery and how I live my life. As an artist I have tendencies towards impostor syndrome, writers block, feeling inadequate or being uninspired. These lead to detrimental thoughts that prevent me from doing what I love and sharing my art but they have diminished immensely since I began to understand these concepts and now I have the tools to deal with the pesky “brain bugs” whenever they pop up. I have also included 3 web links below.
The first is a correspondence blog from a favorite artist of mine, Nick Cave. After the death of his son, he received an outpouring of letters from fans and he started reading them and responding to them in this blog. The topics vary vastly from dealing with grief to how to find your own sound in songwriting.
The second is a link to the Herbie Hancock MasterClass which I started back in 2017. It is always available online and again, even though its musical, the theories apply in so many ways to whatever your craft may be and I have used it to reference many of the Gaedinga Dressage concepts you see today.
The Third is Mike Garsons’ MasterClass series which is a live interactive MasterClass. After beginning piano lessons with Mike in February of 2021 via Zoom, I joined his first ever masterclass series which is one of the greatest discussions I have ever been a part of. You can choose to join in on the live sessions or you can download recordings of sessions past that seem applicable to you. Mike is an incredible mentor and in studying with him I have once again been reminded that flow and intention is not only an artistic concept but a very important part of growth and quality in your daily life.
READING LIST:
Bill Evans: How my Heart Sings - Peter Pettinger
Bowie’s Piano Man: The Life of Mike Garson - Clifford Slapper
Beyond Boredom and Anxiety - Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
How Music Works - David Byrne
Real Artists Don’t Starve - Jeff Goins
The Artists’ Way - Julia Cameron
Carrie’s Resources:
Contemplative Readings
These are all books that have had a big impact on me over the last couple of years. These resources have played a huge role in developing my ideas around the flow mindset section in our Handbook II and you will notice that many of these authors are quoted in the handbook. I don't expect you to read all of these so much as give these authors credit for the impact that they have had and perhaps if you feel inspired you can order a couple of these books to peruse yourself!
The Evolving Self: Psychology for the Third Millennium
by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
The Rise of Superman: Decoding the Science of Ultimate Human Performance
by Steven Kotler
Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience
by Brene Brown
A New Earth: Awakening Your Life’s Purpose
by Eckhart Tolle
The Mind’s Own Physician: A Scientific Dialogue with the Dalai Lama on the Healing Power of Mediation
My and Life Institute: Multiple Presenters
Edited by Jon Kabat-Zinn, Phd & Richard J. Davidson, Phd
Untamed
by Glennon Doyle
Neither Wolf nor Dog: On Forgotten Roads with an Indian Elder
by Kent Nerburn
Dressage in Harmony: From Basic to Grand Prix
by Walter Zettl
FREESTYLE INSPIRATION
Check out the creativity that everyone from professionals to amateurs brought to their #nostirrupnovember competition freestyles in 2021! Doing a freestyle performance is an important and fun way for riders to practice implementing Resonant Riding principles. These performances are fantastic examples of spontaneity within a creative framework.