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I feel so fortunate to be able to facilitate/teach the workshops and retreats at Mandala which has been my home since 1970. It is like a dream come true.
I have been an avid horse person since I can remember, running away from home at age 2 to follow hoof prints down the side of the road, saving my hard earned pennies to ride the ponies at the fair each summer, and finally at age 9, having the opportunity to take up riding “seriously”.
I can remember, when asked what I was going to be when I grew up, my answer was always the same. “I’m going to have a farm with horses and dogs!”
My life revolved around horses; riding, learning, studying, and finally teaching and training.
I left Toronto in 1969 to pursue my lifelong dream of living with nature, horses, and other animals and teaching and sharing my ideas. I was drawn to Nova Scotia by the relaxed way of life, the wisdom of the “old” land, and the proximity to the ocean.
I remember driving down a dirt road, thinking it was 10 miles (in reality it is only 1!) and arriving at a piece of land that I immediately recognized as home. These 70 acres became Mandala. The beauty, tranquility and spirituality of this land, the healing energy of the North Mountain, and the power of the Bay of Fundy all contribute to the workshops and retreats.
I began riding and training with Sally Swift (Centered Riding) in 1987 and in 1990 I completed a three-month apprenticeship with her, becoming the first graduate Senior Centered Riding Instructor in Canada. During this time I recognized that it was equally important to be able to help horses as well as riders and began studying TTEAM and Tellington Touch becoming a certified TTEAM Practitioner 2.
Over the past 16 years I have become aware of the great value that horses have as teachers and healers and the profound effects they have on people. This led me to the field of equine assisted/facilitated psychotherapy and becoming a certified facilitator.
A regular practice of Yoga ,meditation and Qi Gong has both benefited me personally and added a deeper dimension to my teaching.
Becoming a student again in 2010 I completed a Level 1 course in Operant Conditioning Behavior Analysis at the NS Agricultural College and also became certified in using The Horse Boy Method with working with people on the Autism Spectrum.
During the 1990’s I spent considerable time traveling to teach workshops throughout North America, but I have come to recognize the importance of sharing Mandala with others and holding workshops here.
My daughter, Nella Frosst, is a familiar face to all those who have attended summer programs at Mandala. As she says;
“ Growing up at Mandala was a unique experience. As a child I had the opportunity to explore nature and develop relationships with a whole menagerie of animals. I spent as much time on the back of a pony as most kids do in front of a T.V.”
Nella and her husband Ian live in South Rawdon, with two horses, three cats and their twin children, Alex and Anna.
Nella is a full time teacher but is able to return for part of each summer to Mandala. She is an asset to the teaching staff, incorporating her many years experience competing in Eventing, coaching students, and working with horses with her studies in Education to provide a high level of teaching. Nella incorporates Centered Riding methods into her teaching.
Nella is able to provide instruction/translation in French to francophone clientele.