spirituality

Flower Power Message

Posted by Barbara Techel

A beautiful surprise walking around to the other side of the garage yesterday! I thought this perennial had perished. Little did I know the life that was underway in a way I couldn’t see. And huh. Ain’t that just like our own lives…another wonderful reminder to trust and have faith that all is working out for the highest good.

One of the symbolic meanings of the clematis is mental beauty. Applying that to my life at the moment I realized how the classes I’ve been taking part in the past few weeks have been so good for clearing out the gunk and allowing my mind to expand, bringing more beauty into view. 

This morning moving through my yoga practice I realized looking out the windows of my writing cottage with the clearing of mental gunk I’ve been doing, I’d reached a new level of understanding. The foliage seemed an intensified and deeper green than I’d noticed in a while. I’ve had this at various times in my life when I’ve worked through what needed emotionally working through that the world around me becomes more vibrant.

So grateful for these moments.

xo,

Barbara

Almost One Year Later – A Gift in My Garden From Gidget

Posted by Barbara Techel

May 11th will mark the one year anniversary since Gidget has been gone. It was the day before Mother’s Day when we had to say goodbye to her. I still remember clearly right before she passed and the message she gave me from the lyrics of a song by Terry Jacks, “We had joy, we had fun,  we had seasons in the sun.”

As the day of her passing grows closer I’ve been thinking about her often. Today I was planting lavender in one of my garden beds thinking about how she loved to lie in the sun near me when I was in my gardens. As I dug a hole in the dirt to place the new plant, I came across some rocks and within them, a tiny heart-shaped rock.

My heart burst with joy and I smiled. I knew it was Gidget letting me know all is well. You may recall after we laid her to rest in an area of the garden next to writing cottage that I placed rocks in the shape of a heart as a tribute to her. Just as I’d placed the last stone, I noticed a small stone off to the side shaped like a heart, which I placed within the large heart symbolizing our hearts will always be connected. 

So what a gift this was to receive another heart-shaped stone as I was thinking of her!

Looking up the symbolism of the Lavender flower I came across this that resonated for me: 

Lavender flowers are purple in color and the color purple is associated with the crown chakra, which is the energy center associated with higher purpose and spiritual connectivity. The crown or 7th chakra is located at the top of the head and the vibration of the crown is the highest vibration in the physical body. This symbolism is appropriate as the Lavender flower is often used for healing and raising our vibration to the highest level possible is the easiest path to healing.

Gidget, as many of you know, I called my Buddha Dog – My Master Teacher and Healer – because she helped me heal a long-held secret from my childhood. How fitting it is that I was thinking of her planting the Lavender and she sent me the heart stone. When we believe in our own higher self connected with the Divine, well, magical and beautiful things happen that confirm for us that truth.

xo,

Barbara

Hitting Milestones with Signs of Support from the Universe

Posted by Barbara Techel

Snow heart I discovered on a walk

Part of my day on Tuesday was preparing and addressing envelopes to send out complimentary copies of my new memoir to all the wonderful people who supported me along the way. 

Each time I hit a milestone like this I feel a whoosh of love run through my heart – and I know it’s Gidget. While she may not be here physically, I have felt her presence every step of the way, and I’m so grateful.

The books are now in the mail and on their way to the recipients. While writing is such a solitary endeavor it truly takes a team to bring a book into the world.

Writing a memoir for me has also meant that I have to first live my experiences before I share them. And then re-live them again as I write them. There is so much personal growth involved in the process for me.

In many ways, I’m welcoming this new phase as it is more linear, left-brain thinking as I am in preparation mode of getting ready to release it. And just an FYI that pre-ordering my new book, along with some bonus gifts is coming soon. 🙂 I hope you’ll stay tuned!

I also appreciate how the universe supports us with confirmation nudges along the way. Just recently I shared here on my blog about my story and an encounter with a snake that is included in a new book by my friend, Dawn Brunke, called Awakening the Ancient Power of Snake.

Reading Dawn’s book I learned about another author, Tera Thomas, who wrote a book called, Opening My Wings to Fly: What Animals Have Taught Me.

I read it in two days. It was hard to put down! Tera’s book is about how animals in the physical and non-physical have been some of her greatest teachers. She also shares her many experiences in communing with them, whether in dreams, meditative journeys, or in real life and how they have helped her become a better human being and live in harmony with them.

At times in my own life, I’ve thought I was losing my mind with how animals were showing up and trying to guide me – especially snake! It’s not something society often talks about and honestly not something many are even open to – this way of communing with animals that bring us messages we most need to hear and understand.  Reading Tera’s book, on the cusp of releasing mine, felt like connecting with yet another kindred spirit.

I’ve worked through much darkness to get to this point. Discovering other’s who have walked similar paths and their encounters with animals have been welcome validations. So to all the other authors (and animals!) who have walked before me, I say a big thank you! Just another welcome reminder that we never walk alone.

xo,

Barbara