Beauty from Brokenness:
Bits and Pieces of My Journey into Wholeness
Constance D. Funk
Publishing Works, 2008, $18.00
ISBN-10: 1-933002-80-8
Available: Publishing Works: 1-800-738-6603
Or www.ConstanceFunk.com
Reviewed by Carol M. Upton
And that is what horses do for me. They leave a trace of themselves. They communicate with their dancing eyes, their bodies, and their hearts. And if we are aware, we can do the same for them. ~ Constance D. Funk
If you treat yourself to one inspirational horse book this year, make it Beauty from Brokenness, a first work by equine-guided educator Constance D. Funk. In it, Funk shares her own experience with spiritual awakening through horses, beginning with a golden gift horse named Chasta.
It is well known that horses can heal without words, often by revealing our shadow selves. They can provide joy, love and peace, but also frustration and challenge, which Funk likens to a burr under the saddle.
This story opens at a crossroads, that familiar point of meeting the immovable object waiting on the trail, the problem that presents itself and appears to have no solution. Chasta’s behaviour initially reaches beyond challenging to explosive and dangerous. Is another horse the answer or can Funk face her own darkness as reflected in Chasta’s eye?
We are invited to travel on the ensuing journey, one that ultimately heals Funk’s rocky relationship with Chasta, but also connects her more fully to her own deepest thoughts and to her life path. Each leg of the book is enhanced by lively illustrations from outstanding equine artist Kim McElroy.
Funk loves words and that is evident in her talent as a storyteller. Her anecdotes about her work with children and horses are both entertaining and heartfelt. Beauty from Brokenness is written in easy, conversational style, but the emotional content deserves fair warning. Expect to be deeply touched on many levels by this book.
Constance D. Funk has been a lifelong lover of animals and nature and their connection with the human family. She has a passion for inviting children to Woodylane Farm in Washington State to learn about animal care and communication.
