I stand in a pasture while a small herd of unbroken horses waits to be released from the adjacent arena. My back is to them, and the sun feels warm and familiar, comforting. At odds is the growing sense of anxiety tightening my chest, restricting my breathing. This is part of an exercise to bring me into the moment.

"What do you hear?" he asks. "How many sounds can you distinguish?" The truth is I can’t distinguish much beyond my pounding heart and the rushing pulsation of blood in my ears.