Creating a business based on the innovative and untried concept of authentic interspecies community, during a major worldwide financial crisis no less, was a research project extraordinaire, and I have much to share in this regard that you’ll likely be reading about this time next year when my fourth book is scheduled to be published.

Tentatively titled, The Horse in My Cathedral: Lessons in Visionary Leadership, Non-Predatory Wisdom and Authentic Power, this volume combines “cathedral thinking” (a mindset concerned with long-term, socially-significant ideas) with the wisdom of the horse, an animal that, while powerful, approaches the world from a non-predatory perspective capable of nourishing individual and group needs simultaneously. Not only will this book address how our concept of leadership needs to change in order for the human race to evolve, it will offer solutions taken from Epona’s own highly experiential research into emotional and social intelligence, intuition, assertiveness, nonverbal communication, and authentic community building. Over the four years we spent running an international study center at Apache Springs Ranch, a number of adventurous, highly individualistic people put Epona’s most ambitious theories to the test. The daily challenges were significant. We became a living laboratory, complicated all the more by the fact that several of us stayed on site with clients coming and going seven days a week. Many times, I felt more like a giant lab rat than a researcher or teacher, but the power of what we preached was enhanced through the act of living it, being humbled by it, and continually working out the kinks along the way.

In past books, I’ve emphasized that horses represent the wisdom of the body, the emotions, the instincts, and intuition. These elements have all too often been expelled from our businesses, our schools and our religions. Yet increasingly, researchers in leadership and emotional/social intelligence are realizing we need to develop these long-neglected qualities to create effective relationships in all aspects of life and work—especially now that we are moving out of the slavery stage of human development.

A major premise of the book is that we need to incorporate horse wisdom into our most ambitious long-term visions. There’s currently way too much predatory behavior in our “cathedrals” to make lasting change possible as we continue to devour the earth and traumatize each other in the process. Horses model non-predatory power, fierce sensitivity, and authenticity in relationship, qualities capable of breaking our most destructive habits.

Excerpts from Linda’s new book due out in 2010:

“Gaudi quite literally lived the concept of cathedral thinking. This term describes an emerging philosophy of sorts, one that explores the mindset involved in tackling any long-term vision. It contrasts sharply with our modern, quick-fix mentality, but socially conscious leaders recognize that significant, sustainable change requires generational effort. And so increasing numbers of innovative thinkers—in business, art, politics and science—are interested in the 150-year process that built St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. They’re even more fascinated with Germany’s Cologne Cathedral, which survived numerous wars, recessions, political movements, and religious reforms during the 632 years it took to set the final stone in place.

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As nomadic, non-predatory beings, horses radiate immense trust in the universe. Intelligent and highly adaptable, they embody strength, freedom, spirit, gentleness, beauty, authenticity, loyalty, and grace, fully immersing themselves in the moment yet always ready to explore new opportunities and ever wider vistas of experience. Equine “philosophy” values relationship over territory. In their honest yet sophisticated interactions, these animals easily navigate the paradox of nourishing individual and group consciousness simultaneously. As we continue to build our cathedrals, launch our space stations, refine our governments, and explore our visions of a peaceful global society, can we, as humans, learn to do the same?”

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