Search for Yourself, by Yourself

Posted by Barbara Techel

Search for Yourself, by Yourself

Do not allow others to make your paths for you. It is your road and yours alone. Others may walk it with you, but no one can walk it for you. Accept yourself and your actions. Own your thoughts. Speak up when wrong, and apologize. Know your path at all times. To do this you must know yourself inside and out, accept your gifts as well as your shortcomings, and grow each day with honesty, integrity, compassion, faith, and brotherhood.  ~Terri Jean

I love this quote though may I add, “sisterhood”  to this as well. The quote is from 365 Days of Walking the Red Road – The Native American Path to Leading a Spiritual Life Every Day.

I’ve become increasingly fascinated by the Native American culture. The more I learn and understand, the more my heart breaks for what I feel is such a disservice we did to the Native American’s in our history. How we thought our way was better. How that caused great distress and harm to the Native American’s and to the earth and to our ourselves.

Their connection to the earth, plants, animals,  sky, and the Creator, and the wisdom this offers is something I feel more drawn to everyday of my life. How their connection to all living things is what they instill in their everyday practices and rituals to guide their lives. 

Author Kent Nerburn quotes Ohiyesa, a great Dakota teacher and thinker in his book, Voices in the Stones – Life Lessons from the Native Way, “Each soul must meet the morning sun, the new sweet earth, and the Great Silence alone.”

He goes on to write, “There is no need to justify the purity or sufficiency of your spiritual convictions, no need to defend them through theology or philosophy or argumentation. All that is necessary is that you acknowledge the Great Mystery that is behind everything and present in everything.”

Having read this last night and then the quote from Terri Jean about walking your own road alone this morning, accepting your gifts and your shortcomings, and understanding that the road is yours alone to travel really hit home for me today.

We all take wrong turns in life. I was reminded of that today having just let go of something I thought I wanted to pursue and realizing I wasn’t doing it for the right reasons. I’d lost my way of who I was.

What I’m grateful for is that I found myself back to what matters most to me in a relatively short period of time and didn’t spend too much time traveling down what I feel was the wrong road for me.

It was by being in silence and having an honest conversation with myself that I realized an opportunity I was looking to follow wasn’t coming from my heart. When I took the time to tune back into who I authentically I am it became clear that the intention and committment I made to pursue teaching workshops and SoulCollage® workshops is exactly where I want to be.

While the other road I took for a very short time may have afforded me the opportunity to gain more financially, it didn’t speak to my soul of how I want to continue making a difference where I can.

As I read the teachings of the Dakota teacher in Nerburn’s book I was reminded that being open to the Great Mystery, having faith, and trusting the path ahead when walked with integrity and from the compassion in my heart is the right road for me to walk….

And my spirit soars for having found my way back to myself, by myself.

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Space still available for Talking Sticks Workshop at Joyful Pause Studio, this Saturday, March 4th, 10am-12:30pm.

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Animal Communication is Real. Thank you Kuma the Cat.

Posted by Barbara Techel

I’ve certainly had signs from the other side of the veil from dogs in my life. And one that stays with me to this day as one of the most profound was when the shape of a water paw print appeared after the passing of my dachshund, Joie. I tell the story of this in my second memoir, Wisdom Found in the Pause – Joie’s Gift. I’m still in awe for this gift she sent me just when I needed it most.

Photo of water paw print from Joie

This is a sign one can’t simply dismiss or explain away. Though that isn’t always the case.

At times I have my doubts about animal communication. Not that I don’t believe it isn’t real, because I absolutely do. It’s really my own lack of self-confidence that can get in the way.

But a little over a week ago I got a huge boost of confidence in animal communication. I’d gone to a small shop in our town, “Two Fish Gallery” to pick up a gift for my mom. It’s my favorite shop in our small village.

For years they had a darling white and gray cat named Snarky. He was almost always around to greet the shoppers and also loved to sit in the sun in their colorful and beautiful gardens that surround the shop. But then he passed away about three years ago.

To set the background a bit here, I was in the shop this past spring and also right before Christmas. While there I hadn’t given thought to whether or not they’d gotten a new cat or not. But when I was in there recently, looking for a specific item to buy my mom, I silently wondered to myself if the owners had gotten a new cat.

I was standing at the counter where you check out, looking through a basket of fabric animals as I continued to wonder if they had a new cat. I then thought that if they did get a new cat I’d sure like to meet him or her.

Just then I looked up and past Pat the store owner who was sitting on a stool behind the counter, peering into what is part of their home as the shop is in front, and down the stairs came a cat!

I said quite excitedly, “You did get a new cat!” 

Pat said, “Yes, we’ve had him for about two years now. His name is Kuma which means Bear in Japanese.

Well Kuma, the caramel and black Siamese cat, glided every so beautifully toward Pat, by-passed him and came from around the counter and right over to me where he proceeded to rub his sweet self up against my legs.

I didn’t get a photo of Kuma, but this is a likeness – though Kuma is slimmer.

Now even more excited I said, “He heard me!”

Pat tried to dismiss it as just that Kuma is friendly, not really understanding what I was trying to convey as I explained how I just had thoughts moments before wondering if they had a new cat and how I’d love to meet him or her.

But I know Kuma heard me. All of the electric feelings vibrating through me couldn’t be denied. I wasn’t going to try to convince Pat and just decided to enjoy the moment in all its divine glory.

I knelt down by Kuma petting him and talking with him. Pat told me he loves to be picked up and I could hold him if I wanted.

Oh boy, did I!  He was just so adorable and handsome. When I picked him up, his deeply intense azure eyes looked right into mine. I wanted to take him home right there and then. I was smitten!

I said, “You heard me, didn’t you?” and he purred and purred.

I hated to leave that day as it was such a wonderful experience. But to seal the deal of our new friendship, Kuma walked me to the door…and right into my heart.

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It’s Here! My First Ever Online Course: Connect with Your True Essence through SoulCollage®

Posted by Barbara Techel
It's Here! My First Ever Online Course: Connect with Your True Essence through SoulCollage®
This is an Introduction to SoulCollage® and how you can creatively connect with your true essence

I’m elated to be offering my first ever online video course! I saw myself in this place a few years ago, having this knowing that I’d be offering workshops for women… and this is the year it is all coming to fruition!  Don’t you just love it when dreams come true?

The more I’ve grown into the woman I am today, and the more I like about who I am, the more passionate I’ve become in guiding other women to do the same. We all deserve to pause often, listen deeply and capture what matters most.

So my very first online workshop is to introduce you to the principals of SoulCollage®, how cards are made, how you can work with your cards on a daily basis, and how by incorporating this as a creative practice can help you access your own inner wisdom for daily guidance and tap into your true essence.

As you move through this video series, and your exploration of SoulCollage®  I hope it will unearth many of the gifts as it has to me such as:

    • It’s a way to gently open to your wise, knowing self
    • It’s a way of practicing mindfulness
    • It’s a way of being creative, without having to have artistic talent
    • It’s a way of expressing yourself through images
    • It’s a way of opening to your inner voice
    • It’s a way of acknowledging those whispers in your soul
    • It’s a way of accepting all the many different facets of yourself, then seeing yourself as a whole, which opens you to that true, beautiful, light and essence of who you are

More details and registration here!

I look forward to connecting with you in this circle of wise, creative, inspiring women!  See you soon.

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