animal communication

My Kylie, My Self: How Our Animals Mirror Us

Posted by Barbara Techel

2014-01-12 08.05.40I’m reading a fascinating book right now called, My Animal, My Self by Marta Williams. It is hard to put down. So much is resonating with me.

It is about how often times our animals are our mirrors. “Deeply and inextricably connected to us on the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual levels, they can pick up and reflect back to us the issues and events of our lives.”

A subject not often talked about, but as I’ve been reading Marta’s book I’m seeing on an even deeper level how much my animals have been my mirror.

It’s had me thinking about my chocolate Lab, Cassie Jo who passed away from bone cancer in 2005, as well as Frankie and Joie, now gone too.

What really struck me though is thinking about Kylie being my mirror. I never looked at her in this way. I have with Cassie Jo, Frankie and Joie, but it never occurred to me that Kylie has in some ways been my mirror also.

I went back to read what I wrote about in a blog post and a recent reading I had done a few weeks ago with animal communicator, Dawn Brunke, with both Kylie and Gidget.

What prompted me to think about Kylie when reading Marta’s book was how she talked about how animals are leading their humans down an intuitive path. “That is the path of your heart, the path from which your inner voice speaks. It can be really hard to follow that path. It means you have to pay attention to what you truly need, not everyone else’s needs. You have to listen to your own counsel even when it is contrary to what everyone else is telling you. This is one of the hardest things to do in life. Is it any surprise that our animals are right there helping us learn how?”

In the reading Dawn shared that Kylie is the emotional calmer and she has held the center for a very long time. She then shared that as of recently, Kylie has really come into her own. It has been something I’ve noticed about her the last six months or so also.

As I think about myself since Joie passed away, I too, have come more into my own. Even more comfortable than before in my own skin, my own choices, my own way of seeing life, and really owning that without so much fear anymore of others’ judgment.

I can’t help but think my coming into my own even more so has helped Kylie and in turn we mirror each other.

I think back to when Kylie was 6 months old and Frankie became paralyzed. Our lives we chaotic for quite some time after that. Kylie was the gentle soul that stayed back, allowing me to take care of Frankie.

Then with my busy schedule with Frankie visiting schools and our therapy dog work, we came and went quite often, and often I’d be in a hurry. That seemed to throw Kylie off balance and if she felt in my way, she’d scamper to get out my way.

Since Frankie and Joie have been gone, we’ve all settled into a less busy household. While I loved all my work with Frankie, I find myself also enjoying this new time in my life. Kylie is most definitely reflecting that back to me as I can feel, as well as, see how much she loves our life at a bit slower pace too.

John often says with affection, “Kylie is a different dog.”

I couldn’t agree more as it warms my heart to see how much more at ease she is. As if her work of holding the center is now done and she is enjoying her “retirement” years.

How blessed I feel to have a dog who has all along had my best interest in mind and waited patiently as I found my way. Love you my sweet Kylie girl. Thank you.

Can We Really Talk to Animals? Video that Brought Tears to My Eyes.

Posted by Barbara Techel

2014-02-08 17.04.41 eI felt crabby most of the weekend which isn’t like me. But I couldn’t seem to shake it. Perhaps it was the combination of website challenges I was having (my website now up and running again- whew), or my email not working, which I’m still working on, or maybe the frigid weather that seems to be relentless. But whatever the reason or reasons, I couldn’t even stand myself at times.  Ever get that way?

After a frustrating day of trying to get my email to work, I gave up. I sat down in my over-sized maroon chair, with Gidget next to me, and decided I needed to read something uplifting. I decided to read my friend, Dawn’s newsletter, Animal Voices. Am I glad I did!

In her newsletter she shared a video called, “The Incredible Story of How Leopard Diablo Became Spirit.” A 13-minute excerpt about the story about a leopard brought to a sanctuary from a zoo in Europe where he had been abused.

Jurg, who runs Jukani Wildlife Sanctuary, was at a loss of how to help Diablo who was miserable. He was a skeptic of animal communication, but didn’t know what else he could do to help this leopard who was so troubled. He decided it was worth a shot to have Anna Breytenbach “talk” with Diablo.  What happened had my eyes filling with joyful tears.

After watching the video, my mood shifted immediately. I was reminded that there is so much we don’t have control over. Watching what happened for Diablo, who became Spirit, reminded me of the bigger picture of life. There is so much amazing beauty around us. If we take the time to find that center, the rest of what is challenging, falls away.

After you watch this video I think you may agree, that yes, we can communicate with our animal friends. We’ve always had this ability, but have lost it because we’ve gotten swallowed up by doing instead of being.

It was a reminder to me once again of the love I have for animals. How truly being in the moment with Kylie or Gidget really centers me. How they make me feel happy to be alive.

I watched the video two more times last night and then drifted off to sleep with a smile on my face. The crabbiness all but a memory.

Today as I was practicing yoga and was in downward dog, I thought again about Diablo, now Spirit, and how I want to be open to an even deeper connection with my dogs. Just then, Gidget appeared next to my face, staring into my eyes.

She had been sleeping in her bed by the fire, but wondered over, which she rarely does. I smiled and held downward dog a bit longer, just being with her in that moment. I didn’t want the moment to end. She walked over to the center of my yoga mat, doing a little jig of sorts so I shook my head side to side with my hair brushing against her to engage her in a little play.  This lasted for about a minute and then off she went to her bed again.

I wondered what may have made her come over to me at that exact moment. But then I realized I was in a place of contentment thinking about our connection with animals replaying the video of the leopard in my mind. Perhaps Gidget sensed this and came to reassure me that we are all connected and we are all one.

After I was done with my yoga, I sat for a few moments with Gidget, just gazing into her eyes. I chuckled and said, “You really are my little Buddha dog, aren’t you?”

I hope the video leaves you in much awe and wonder of our animal friends and all they are teaching us, as it did me.

Gidget and Kylie Speak. What the Animal Communication Reading Revealed.

Posted by Barbara Techel

IMG_1968I knew I’d want Dawn, an animal communicator, to do a reading with Gidget. She has done them for Frankie and Joie, and each time they have been spot on. I also learn so much from them and about myself in the process. Well, I felt the time was finally right to find out what Gidget had to share.  So we set it up for yesterday afternoon.

Last Friday I sent her many photos of Gidget by herself, with me, with John, and with Kylie. She emailed me Saturday saying she woke up that morning with Kylie very much on her mind. She asked that I send over photos of her also as  she felt Kylie wanted to take part in the reading, too.

I could hardly wait for yesterday to arrive knowing both Kylie and Gidget had much to share.

Gidget was ready to share first.  Dawn said that she feels Gidget is a very special, individual dog and that she is a Master Teacher.  She expresses herself in many different ways.  Sometimes as a puppy, sometimes as a very wise dog. She is a puppy, wise dog, and teacher.

This feels right on to me.  Since first seeing her photo on Petfinder to bringing her home I could feel something very different about her. The fact that she is both wise and a puppy at times made sense in that I don’t really know her “true” age. While it doesn’t all that much matter to me, this actually made sense that age is just a number.  Gidget is all these facets of a dog, no matter her age.

So I’m going to go back and forth between what Gidget shared and Kylie, because that is how the reading unfolded.

Next Dawn shared that she feels Kylie is an emotional calmer. She is a very grounding and sweet dog. “What you see, is what you get.” I couldn’t have agreed more. That is exactly Kylie. She also has held the center for a very long time. Again, right on.  I’ve always felt that way about Kylie.

What really struck me is what she said next as I’ve been feeling this from Kylie also.  Dawn said, “She has come into her own, which has helped her.” John and I have talked about this quite often since Gidget has been with us. Kylie seems more comfortable and at ease in our lives. She loves to hang out with us, no matter what room we are in, when she didn’t always do that before.

Dawn said that Kylie is a teacher in the sense of what it means to be a dog and communicating that to humans.

Gidget relies on Kylie for certain things, especially helping her to feel grounded.

Gidget has many different personalities. Not in the sense as humans would view this, but because she is perceived in many different ways by others. She actually can adjust easily to these projections of how others see her. This made sense to me also because sharing photos here and on Facebook I’ve had people comment she looks like a puppy, wise, smart, and intelligent.

Now for the part that had me saying, “Whew.” Gidget is here to help me understand that I have a high degree of capability. She shared that it’s as if I am at the top of a mountain, the tipping point, just about to go over. She is here to help me get stronger emotionally as well as with my self image. She knows I am coming more into my maturity, spirituality and elder wisdom.

Regarding the tipping point, Gidget feels I am dealing with being more in balance, while having one foot of connection in this world, and one foot in another. Whew. I believe she is right. For me, it speaks to my fascination with what animals are here to teach us and wanting to go deeper with knowing more.

Dawn said that Gidget needs help with balance in much the same way, one foot in this world, and one foot in another (or perhaps with her it is paw!)—so we are together to help each other with this and in a true partnership together.Our work together is very inward orientated. Dawn said not that Gidget isn’t good with others in the world, but it’s more of a focus on inward work that her and I need to do.

This makes so much sense to me after losing Joie and the inward work I did then, and really, continue to do. Gidget is here to keep me on that path.

Gidget has much wisdom to share with me and her challenge is learning how to communicate that to me. She feels it is a very exciting time on our planet because so many people are beginning to awaken. She also feels like I am the first human who understands her for who she is.

It then came time for my questions, some of which I’m not going to share here today as they are between Gidget and me.

But one thing I was curious about was her past.  The reason being if there was something I needed to know that might help me to help her. Gidget didn’t necessarily want to share her past, but would if I really wanted that.  She is focused on her new beginning with me and is very happy and content. She wants to be taken for who she is right now. I accepted that and decided that was perfectly fine with me.

This was a very powerful hour for me with Dawn, Kylie and Gidget.I think what I learned yesterday speaks very much to where I am in my life right now, and I’m so glad I opened myself to another world to explore.

As somewhat of an aside, I have to share what Dawn said about one of the photos I sent her of Gidget and me for the reading, which was this one: g and me 1-14Dawn pointed out the word joy at the bottom left, the stuffed dachshund at the top (that sort of looks like it is coming out my head!), and the bicycle card next to it. These are all parts of what makes up me—what I love.  And as a kind of funny, but something people often comment on, is that I am good at marketing my books… and the book title on the left hand side, “1,001 Ways to Market Your Books.”  No words really needed for this photo, it says it all without speaking a word.

I’m hosting a workshop being presented by Dawn on March 8th and 9th at my home.  If you are interested, here are the details.