animal guide

Snail Ready for Her New Home As She Leaves Me with a Poignant Message

Posted by Barbara Techel

I was recently inspired by an image I saw that sparked the idea to add a mirror behind this snail animal oracle art piece I just completed.

Made even better is the fact that someone who saw me working on it said that Snail immediately spoke to her and she knew she wanted to have it to take with her and her impending move to another state. She shared she is going to put it in her art studio as a reminder to take it slow and enjoy this new chapter of life she is embarking on in her late 60s.

To have a destination for Snail and know it was already touching the heart of someone, well, that made the process of creating her even more special.

Snail also feels fitting for me and why I felt called to create her in the first place. The older I get, the more I don’t want to rush and simply want to savor what is being reflected around me. This time of year especially, there is so much beauty in nature that fills my soul with such joy.

As I took my walk this morning, which I can sometimes go at a brisk pace, but because it is hot and humid today, I reminded myself to be like Snail and not overdo it.

This allowed me time to feel more into my senses and I took note of how good the breeze felt against my skin. I also stopped at a local pond and simply enjoyed watching the geese families floating on the water, imagining the water as if it was cooling me off too.

And Snail, not able to see well, but must feel their way to where they are going, well, such a poignant message. And somehow they find their way – and that is truly remarkable and inspiring – as I remind myself that those times I may not know where I am going – that by allowing myself to feel it all – this is the true and rich experience of life.

xo

Barb

    

Animal Wisdom Reading for October 2021 – Practicing Gratitude & Grace Toward Ourselves

Posted by Barbara Techel

I know! It’s been a while. But alas, here I am again.

There has just been so much going on with trying to keep abreast of it all and also even more importantly practicing self-care to help roll through these times we are experiencing. So much growth opportunity for us all!

John and I were also recently able to get away for five days and took our R-pod camper to central Wisconsin. It was just the reprieve we needed connecting to nature. AND our KOA campground had many stray kitties. These two outside the KOA office just stole my heart. Yes, I wanted to take one home, but my asthma wouldn’t appreciate that.


On our trip away I was reminded once again how vital fresh air is, sunshine, time in nature, and connecting with the animals as so important to our physical, mental, and emotional health.

So for this month’s reading, I continue with the theme of self-care and how vitally, even more than ever it feels, to practice going within and taking good care of ourselves. Because from what I understand from various astrologists I tune into, October is going to be a bumpy ride – though needed in order for new and positive energy to come in. 

So I hope you find my message helpful where I share that I too experience my own struggles, but also what is helping me, along with guidance from this month’s animal ally I pull from an animal oracle deck. Click here or below to listen.

Wishing you each so much love and peace in your heart as we continue to walk this journey of so much change in our world…

XO

Barb

Hedgehog Guides Us Gently Within to Find Peace

Posted by Barbara Techel

The oracle cards and the message for us this week are from Hedgehog and Peace.

I was immediately drawn to the light glowing from within the hedgehog as well as the orbs of light surrounding him. I felt an immediate sense of hope, centeredness, and calm flow through me just by gazing at the card for a few moments.

What a perfect card in conjunction with the peace card as that is what I was feeling also as I took in all the beautiful colors and twinkles of the light surrounding the hedgehog as well as the soothing colors of the peace card, along with the dove which is often symbolic of serenity.

I see the hedgehog as reminding us that when we are feeling off balance and the fact he is a nocturnal creature and curls up into a ball until he feels safe, that we too must be willing to go into the darkness within ourselves and sift and sort through feelings we are unsure about.

This message from Hedgehog was definitely reflecting my own inner state this morning as I’d been waffling back and forth wrestling with some things that had me feeling off-balance the last few days as I worked on deciphering what was mine and what wasn’t.

On Saturday I spent some time digging in my gardens planting some new perennials. This required digging down into the earth deep enough so the new plants will have their best chance at taking root and blooming and thriving into their best selves. The dirt was still cold as it will slowly begin to warm as the temperatures continue to increase as we move from spring to summer. This feels in alignment with the message from hedgehog and how we have to do the work to get to a state of peace also when we feel off.

Peace feels warm and comforting, just like the roots of those plants will soon experience as they take root and then feel more stable and nourished as the days begin to warm.

My hands digging in the ground and planting new life was helpful as it took me out of my busy, overanalyzing, and what can be sometimes a critical mind.

This morning moving through various exercises on my AeroPilates machine I began to feel even more grounded while I also began to feel the heaviness I was carrying begin to lift, too. I knew meditation would be what I’d end my workout with, and I curled up on the platform of the AeroPilates machine which I now see symbolic as the hedgehog curling up and then showing up as he did today for this reading.

As the meditation music played in my ears I felt called to list everything at that moment that I feel grateful for. The list was quite extensive, and all simple things really – a roof over my head, food in the freezer, gardens to nurture, a husband who loves me, a writing cottage to come to, and share my heart through my writing and other work, etc.

I now think about the hedgehog and when he emerges from within himself you see his sweet pink face – he is glowing and radiant! Just like when we take time to be with what is bothering us, rummaging through all the thoughts of why that is while being gentle with ourselves, to then eventually emerge feeling more in alignment with who we truly are…. and then we too glow and sparks of twinkles surround us just like the Hedgehog card. Another reminder that it’s an inside job to true and lasting peace.

So if you find yourself in a space of feeling off-kilter in the moment or encounter that this week, remember Hedgehog and find a place to curl up and just be with it all and soon enough peace will find its way to you too.

Have a beautiful week!

xo,

Barbara

Cards used: Archangel Animal Oracle by Diana Cooper and Wisdom of the Oracle by Colette Baron-Reid