animal human bond

Wednesdays with the Wisdom of Dog: Let Go

Posted by Barbara Techel

Wednesdays with the wisdom of dog - let go

Let go. Is this not the hardest lesson to learn?

I have a feeling if we really got it and I mean really understood this one lesson…well, then the word struggle would cease to exist.

I can say that each one of my dogs have absolutely been a teacher for me in this one lesson that I need reminding of quite often.

With Gidget’s third episode of a seizure, this time while I was not home on Sunday, the letting go of worry and fear really got my attention. I could stay in this place of fear for the rest of her and my life… and then neither of us would truly be living…

Or I could trust and let go that all will be well or be whatever it is meant to be. We think if we hold on and try to control that nothing bad will happen.

But we aren’t in control. Even though we like to think we are. While we can do our due diligence in taking steps to learn all we can to make our lives and the lives of those we love as happy and good as it can be, the rest is learning to let go and trust what is.

Maybe others don’t see it this way and that’s okay. Sometimes I don’t want to believe that letting go is the right thing to do – but then I believe that is only because I’m trying to control some outcome that I’m imagining- one that may never be. And control really does come from a place of being in fear.

So to let go is to live fully. To trust that our lives are unfolding just as they are meant to be.

Gidget is certainly my reminder right now of that. It is so close to the surface pulsing through my many thoughts. So I’m being reminded once again– let go and trust.  And to deeply appreciate and savor each moment of this delicate dance we do while here on this earth.

Wednesdays with the Wisdom of Dog: Friendship

Posted by Barbara Techel

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Miss Marie and Miss Gidget having a moment of contemplation over some of my SoulCollage cards

Not only is Miss Marie very special to me, she has a forever friend in Miss Gidget.

Yesterday was the first time Marie came to my house and we sat in my writing cottage chattering away like two birds who had not seen each other in a very long time. Marie is an artist and makes the most gorgeous pillows and handbags. She understands a space in which we need to create and she enjoyed being in my creative space for a few hours.

Sometimes I wonder if Gidget weren’t a part of the package would Marie and I be friends. But really, I’m just kidding. I have no doubt we would be. Marie’s love of Gidget enhances and brings a beautiful depth to our relationship. Though you know, Marie never emails me, but only sends emails to Gidget. I guess you could say they are also pen pals and I do find it quite endearing.

Gidget is in our own, unique way a therapy dog of sorts for Marie – something I never saw coming, but welcome as part of a new experience for me. Together we are a trio of therapy for each other.

I am pretty sure it was the angels who brought Marie into my life most recently  just as another friendship moved in a new direction, which was a difficult time for me.

Gidget’s love for Marie, and Marie’s of Gidget, is a lovely reminder that though some friendships come and go, another will find you when the time is right.

This friendship aligned in the stars waited for just the right moment to swoop in and light up each of our lives in a divinely sparkling way.

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Wednesdays with the Wisdom of Dog: Mirrors to Our Souls.

Posted by Barbara Techel

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I love when this happens.

As I was doing my yoga practice today, which yes, I should be concentrating on my poses, I got lost in thinking about what I wanted to share today for this weekly dog wisdom series.

What lesson or piece of wisdom of dog did I want to share? As I glanced down at Gidget lying in her bed, I smiled. Each dog I’ve had, in some way, shape, or form has been a mirror for me—reflecting parts of myself back of issues or areas I need to work on, improve, or heal.

That was it! I’d share this message today, dogs as mirrors for us that help us to understand ourselves better.

After I was done with my yoga practice I heard my inner voice urging me to pick a Grace card.  I shuffled the deck and decided on picking a card somewhere in the middle. You’ll never believe which card I chose. Okay, maybe you will. It was mirror!  There you have it – an absolute confirmation.

That confirmation led me to the thought of a book I read a little over a year ago called, My Animal, My Self by animal communicator, Marta Williams. If you’ve not read the book, I highly recommend it. I took it down off my book shelf to revisit some of the spots I had earmarked.

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In the book Marta talks about how we are deeply and inextricably connected – that dogs (and animals) pick up on our emotions, physical, mental and spiritual levels.

I have come to deeply believe this as it has been the case for me with each one of my dogs. So much so that when something is not right with one of my dogs, I will also think about myself and what may be off balance in my own life.

I love this paragraph in Marta’s book about animals helping us on our path and stories she shares of people and their animals:

It is clear to me from these stories that the animals involved were leading their humans down the intuitive path. That this 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 with it is contrary to whatever 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?

Reading and typing this just now brings tears to my eyes. Partly of joy, but partly because of agreeing, that yes, following your own path can feel so hard and sometimes lonely. But I’ve also experienced such a liberation with it too.

For that, I keep going and try to heed my own advice to others to pause often, to listen to my heart, and let it guide me. And when I falter or lose my way, I turn to the dogs in my life, who are beautiful mirrors to what my soul truly needs and wants.

How has your dog or animal friend been a mirror in your life? Leave a comment below.

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This is part of a weekly series of lessons I’ve learned from my dogs, and/or something I feel they are trying to teach us. I welcome your thoughts on any of the lessons or teachings that resonate with you.

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