My Wall of Love.

Posted by Barbara Techel

IMG_1888 eMost nights I sit and read in my over-sized red chair. When I look up, I see this wall. I call it my wall of love.

Cassie, my chocolate Lab on the right who has been gone 8 years.  A painting of Frankie on the left done by my friend, Cassy Tully commissioned by my husband as a gift for our 26th wedding anniversary. The family photo of John, me, Kylie and Frankie in the middle.  That photo was taken for Woman’s World when Frankie and my story was featured in it in July 2010.  The smaller photo on the left of Kylie and Frankie given to me by my mom.

When Joie passed away in August, having only had her ten months, the wall remained incomplete for a few weeks with no photo of her.  It struck me one day as I was thinking of her and looked to my wall of love realizing it was missing something.

We each have our own ways of grieving. Without Joie’s  photo of the wall, it felt odd, as if she was never even here, though I knew she was. It brought tears to my eyes one day when I realized this.  I immediately hopped on the computer and ordered this photo of her which is under glass done by Fracture.  This photo was taken of her on the movie set of The Surface.

When it arrived a few days later, I shed a few tears looking at her photo.  But then I lovingly placed her upon the shelf along with the other love dogs of my life. For me, this was a full circle moment. I felt like I honored her in my own special way and it helped me move forward.  I love looking to that wall now and feeling all the amazing energy of love that comes from it.

Learning About Ourselves Through the Books We Read. How Books Helped Me During My Sabbatical…And Continue to.

Posted by Barbara Techel

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One thing I immersed myself in the last two months was reading. I love to read. I rarely watch TV as books are far more interesting to me.

While I read often at night, during my sabbatical I read when I felt called to, or when a book was so good I just had to get back to it.  I also read with the intent of exploring some avenues that are of interest to me. I’m still doing that.  So many books and even with sabbatical, seems so little time to get to them all!

It is intriguing to me as I let my mind clear what was coming up for me. I found myself going back to books I had read years ago. I followed those impulses as I knew I either needed to be reminded of what matters to me, or I needed to glean something new I might have missed before.

I break my books into three separate categories below. Category one is exploration. These are topics of which I am interested in learning more about. Category two are books I felt the need to read again which I call Revisited.  Category three is For Fun.  No explanation needed there!

Thought you might enjoy a peek inside my sabbatical in this way.  Many books I’ve listed  I have read, some I’m currently reading, and some I look forward to reading.  I think books we are attracted to tell us a alot about ourselves, our interests, and what our hearts may be trying to tell us.

Another thing I realized in the books I’m reading and continue to be attracted to are all affirmations of what is meaningful to me.  When I walked away from writing for my blog and newsletter, as well as setting others things aside, I found that through the books I chose to read, and thoughts that flowed through my mind, that this is who I am. I felt so empty walking away largely in part due to grief, which made me question all over again, what is my purpose? But I continue to be fascinated by exactly the things I’ve always been:  Animals, writing, finding happiness in what brings me joy, and living within what it is that makes my life meaningful for me.

EXPLORATION

Animal Voices, Telepathic Communication in the Web of Life by Dawn Baumann Brunke

Animal Voices, Animal Guides by Dawn Baumann Brunke

Shapeshifting and our Animal Companions by Dawn Baumann Brunke

Animal Teachings by Dawn Baumann Brunke

Enchantment of the Faerie Realm- Communicate with Nature Spirits and Elementals by Ted Andrews

Awakening Joy- 10 Steps That Will Put You on the Road to Real Happiness by James Baraz and Shoshana Alexander

The Simple Living Guide by Janet Luhrs

The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown

Bringing Your Soul to Light by Dr. Linda Backman

I realized when looking through my notes from 2005 when I was going through my life coaching work with coach, Diane that one of my interests I had listed was animal communication. Many of you may recall that I’ve had readings done for Cassie, Kylie, Frankie and Joie.  Also some amazing signs from my animals seem to present themselves to me, which further intrigues me.

I will continue to explore the animal communication world through reading.  I’m also working with Dawn to bring her to my home for an animal communication workshop later this winter or early spring 2014.  The two-day weekend workshop will be limited to 14 people.  If this is of interest to you, please do let me know and I’ll add you to my list of people to contact once we have all the details together.  You can learn more about Dawn here.

REVISITED

A Year by the Sea by Joan Anderson

The Second Journey- The Road Back to Yourself by Joan Anderson

A Walk on the Beach by Joan Anderson

A Weekend to Change Your Life-Find Your Authentic Self After A Lifetime of Being All Things to All People by Joan Anderson

When the Heart Waits- Spiritual Direction for Life’s Sacred Questions by Sue Monk Kidd

Endings. Beginnings…When Midlife Women Leave Home in Search of Authenticity by Ani Liggett, Ph.D

Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg

FOR FUN

Blush- A Mennonite Girl Meets A Glittering World by Shirley Hershey Showalter

One Woman Farm by Jenna Woginrich

The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert

Jonathon Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach

Missing the Blue Ridge Mountains. Carrying them in My Heart.

Posted by Barbara Techel

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Wisconsin mountain?

The last 12 days of my sabbatical were spent on vacation in Asheville, NC.  I’m not missing the hustle and bustle of Asheville, but I am missing the Blue Ridge Mountains. I did take a couple of pictures of the mountains, but they just don’t do them justice.  One has to see them in person to truly experience how magnificent they truly are.

I saw the mountains in Tennessee and Vermont during our last two vacations. Each time I see them, they speak to my soul. I feel home. Maybe that sounds odd. But they make me feel safe, strong and protected all at the same time.

I actually had to prepare my heart for the departure from North Carolina as we got in the car last Wednesday knowing I would only see the mountains for a few more hours as we began our journey northeast again.

Late yesterday afternoon sitting at the kitchen table, I glanced out the front door and caught this view above of the clouds.  I said, “Look, John, a mountain!”  The cloud had the prettiest blue tint to it and the shape seemed to me a mountain of sorts. I was reminded that even though I couldn’t bring the mountains home to Wisconsin, I can always carry them in my heart.

I can call upon the feeling of what they did for my soul anytime I want. It also reminds me of loss too.  That even though I may not have my beloved Frankie and Joie with me any longer, I can recall the love and light they brought to my life.  That lives forever in my heart.  As will the mountains.