animal human bond

My New Book, “I’m Fine Just the Way I Am” is Now Available to Order with Bonus Gifts (limited time)

Posted by Barbara Techel

I’m so excited to share with you that my new memoir, I’m Fine Just the Way I Am – Healing Emotional Pain through the Wisdom of Animals and Oracles is now available to order! 
 
The official launch date is April 22, 2020, but I’m offering this limited window of opportunity between now and then for you to order a copy of my book which includes bonus gifts (ordering and details below).
 
The thought to write another book happened one morning two years ago driving down a country road. It flashed quite quickly across my mind but then as quickly I tucked it away.
 
At the time, I was deep in the muck of going through a dark time and finding it difficult to cope with taking care of my special needs dog, Gidget.
 
I had no idea at that point how things were going to unfold, but somewhere in the deepest part of my heart, I thought maybe, just maybe, my story could help other women.
 
A few weeks later during an animal reading with friend and animal communicator, Dawn Brunke, I’d learn that Gidget was fine just as she was despite her health issues even though I was feeling challenged by it all. Her invitation to me was to see subtle perspectives I wasn’t considering and to see life sideways.
 
She also encouraged me to understand inner focus and details and how she really wanted me to get this. She said it was her final teaching to me.
 
While I didn’t at first fully grasp what she meant by seeing life sideways, I was open to exploring what insight this could bring me.
 
During that reading, Dawn also mentioned that perhaps I’d write a book about this someday even though she hadn’t known I’d just had that thought two weeks before.
 
She said that maybe a great title would be I’m Fine Just the Way I Am.
 
I still recall how my hand immediately flew to rest upon my heart. It struck a chord deep within me. Though, I wouldn’t know the full extent of its meaning until I embarked on the deep inner work that I was being called to do.

Little did I know I’d be taken on a journey to explore a significant and painful recurring vision that has plagued me for over two decades.
 
I wanted more than anything to be the best I could be for Gidget and also for myself. I was so very tired of suffering and the endless inward berating I’d done to myself for years.
 
After that reading with Gidget, I’d embark on an inward journey and employ a myriad of tools — each serving as a building block to self-knowledge and healing. 

  • I learned to trust my intuition and trust in the process.
  • I learned to dance with the wisdom of not only my dog, Gidget, but with a snake, a wolf and a horse. Each had a poignant message to help me heal different parts of myself.
  • I gained insight I’d not have considered by incorporating oracle cards and identified patterns that no longer served me. I also discovered ways in which I could course-correct when I fell into old patterning and repeated my never-ending story.
  • I paid attention to my dreams and worked with a dream analyst to understand how my dreams were guiding me to believe in the wounded little girl within me.
  • I incorporated the power of forgiveness and ceremonial work.
  • I accepted help from others who were beacons of light guiding me to listen to those parts of myself that felt shame and guilt.
  • I took part in life-enhancing breath work that took me to feeling the core of my wounding and healed me on a level of understanding that I was never alone, always loved, and most importantly, that I was worthy.

I’d come to understand that the turmoil in my life wasn’t happening to me, but rather for me.
 
All of this was integral in helping me transform my pain and accept it both as a gift and the path I was meant to walk in order to finally understand that I’m worthy just as I am. 
 
Bonus gifts included with pre-orders (until 4/21/20): 

  • Animals as Oracles – Oracle cards and messages from four of the animals I write about in the book that helped guide me in profound and powerful ways. This is a PDF that you can print and cut out the photo of each animal and use them as oracle cards if you wish. Plus pages to journal your thoughts on what each animal is personally offering to you to help guide you.
  • An inspirational 5 x 7 graphic to encourage you to embrace your worthiness and know that you too, are fine just the way you are. This is a PDF you can print, cut out, and put in a favorite frame. Place it where you will see it every day to remind you that you are worthy just as you are…and that you matter.
  • Coupon with a special discount toward one oracle reading and guidance session with me.
  • Special drawing: Your name will be entered in for a chance to win one of five oracle reading and guidance sessions I’ll be giving away.

**After you’ve placed your book order send an email to Imfinebookgifts@gmail.com with your name and order # for your bonus gifts.

Please note that bonus gifts will be emailed on or around April 22, 2020, along with notification of winners of the five oracle reading giveaways.

In closing… to my Gidge girl, I can never thank you enough for being you and walking so lovingly beside me. I miss you. But I’m so honored to carry you in my heart and the beautiful teaching you instilled within me.

xo,

Barbara

P.S. The e-book version will be available sometime in May.

Be More Dog – A Touching Story of a Tripawd that Reminds Us to Live in the Now

Posted by Barbara Techel
My wheelie dog, Frankie, from one of my favorite photos of her. I decided to take this photo of her next to the book “Be More Dog.” I couldn’t help but think she is admiring and saying, “Way to go, Jerry G. Dawg for spreading a positive message!”

As many of you know if you’ve been here on my blog since it began in 2007, my life took a pivotal turn when my dachshund, Frankie, became paralyzed and would live the remaining six years of her life in a wheelchair. It changed me on a deep level and one which I remain grateful for today.

There is just something about those ‘special needs’ dogs that will always touch my heart. One evening my husband, John was scrolling a group we belong to on Facebook called R-pod owners. Those of us who own these modern, but with a vintage flair campers, share many ideas, places we visit with our R-pods, and ask questions when we are stumped.

But this night, John came across a book someone posted called, Be More Dog – Learning to Live in the Now – Enjoying Every Day to the Fullest on the Road to Happiness and he tagged me on the post. The book is written by a couple, Jim Nelson and Rene Agredano, and tells the story of their German shepherd who is diagnosed with bone cancer and has his front limb amputated. After his recovery, they make the decision to hit the road in their RV to make the best of the time they have left with their dog, Jerry G. Dawg.

Not only have John and I shared our life with three special needs dachshunds over the years, two of which had wheelchairs, but our first dog, a chocolate Lab was diagnosed with the same thing as Jerry G. Dawg. Though her tumor was in her hip and pressing on her spine which made surgery too great of a risk. We opted for an experimental drug at the time which gave her another quality of life ten months.

So I just knew I had to read this book and ordered it right away. It only took me three nights to read as it pulled me along on their adventures.

While I’ve never experienced life with a Tripawd like the amazing and sweet Jerry G. Dawg, I understand the heart of what Rene and Jim experienced.

Their love for Jerry is so evident in the pages of Be More Dog. The fact that they just knew they had to spread a positive message about tripod dogs makes this story even more special as they then formed a Tripawd community. They have helped thousands of people with pets who have lost a limb.

As I read their story, my heart rejoiced with them as they encountered people on their travels who often had never met a 3-legged dog and the pride and joy they took in educating others sharing with them that Jerry was still an active, loving and happy dog. It brought back fond memories of my wheelie dog, Frankie when we educated young and old through my children’s books and memoir, and visiting schools and libraries, that paralyzed dogs can live fulfilling lives too.

I walked in understanding beside them as the story evolves to that day we all know will come, but find it so hard to bear. I applaud them for really feeling through every emotion and doing what they felt was best for Jerry each step of the way.

I was especially moved by a chapter in the book where they meet an intuitive animal healer. They had made their way to a campground in Vermont when they were approached one evening by the daughter of the campgrounds founders, Lesley.

She was intrigued by Jerry and explained, “I work with pets and people to take them on spiritual journeys. I try to heal souls and make people happier by helping them understand their animal companions better.” She asked if she could do a reading on Jerry to which they agreed.

When she relayed back to them what she received, it was confirmation for them that those times they doubted if they were doing the right and best for Jerry, that Lesley assured them that Jerry was happy and pleased for the opportunity he’d been given.

Rene and Jim had recorded what Lesley shared with them. I was really touched at the end of the short clip when Lesley said, “When the healthier you are, the healthier your pets will be.” 

This was something I learned and became so much more aware of and the teaching I received from my dog, Gidget, and which I wrote about in my memoir (and soon to be released), I’m Fine Just the Way I Am- Healing Emotional Pain through the Wisdom of Animals and Oracles.

In 2018 as I did the inner work I was being called to do to heal a past wound, I eventually came to feel a healing shift within myself. As I continued on my self-healing path I was honored and given the most precious gift of witnessing in Gidget a shift in her energy also. By doing my healing work not only did it bring more stability, peace and calm to my life, but it gave this same gift to Gidget.

As Rene and Jim continued their journey with Jerry G. Dawg they too are changed on a level that one can’t always express in words, but can only be felt by the heart.

Special needs dog or not, Be More Dog is one every animal lover should read. But what makes a story such as this one so impactful is that within a special needs animal, we are given the opportunity to see into ourselves the parts of us that feel wounded. And this is where the true beauty of this story shines because animals truly want us to heal and why they stand beside us with such devotion and loyalty.

So bravo to Jerry G. Dawg! And to Rene and Jim for their words on the pages about their beautiful and touching journey with you. It left this dog lover with a heart that expanded once again because of the teachings of Dog that never fail to make us better humans.

xo,

Barbara

P.S. Rene is also a metalsmith and makes the most beautiful paw print and cat and dog jewelry. Check it out!

Here’s a short video to learn more about Be More Dog.

A Fresh New Start in My Writing Cottage

Posted by Barbara Techel

I woke up Sunday morning with the niggle to clean up my writing cottage. So I spent the day decluttering, dusting, re-arranging, discarding and sweeping. I could hardly wait to come out to my writing cottage Monday morning as the new, refreshing energy was calling to me.

Walking through the door I was giddy with the light and airy feeling that embraced me. I just sat in my chair and took a moment to slowly look all around the room. It felt like I was floating on a feather that was ever so gently drifting in the wind.

I thought about how my latest book is complete. I have a clean slate and another opportunity at a fresh new start.

Looking at my altar(the photo above) which takes on different objects throughout the seasons, I thought about Gidget. In May it will be one year since she moved on. Her photo had been on my altar since then. I can’t tell you how often I looked at it, talked to her, and stroked the body and ears of the photo.

I also knew yesterday as I cleaned and re-arranged that it was time to move her from the altar. My altar—a space where I go for my inward work— pulling oracle cards, journaling my thoughts, connecting with my heart, and one that supports my continued healing journey.

While there are times I still miss her physical presence these last nine months have also been filled with what I find so difficult to put into words— it’s been a time of what I can only describe as a deepening of my love and gratitude for her and how she walked so very lovingly beside me as I went through a very dark time.

I’ve often said, and will continue to say because it’s what I believe, is that we are all a work in progress and we are always in some phase of healing. Gidget’s teaching continues to be such a blessing and I’ve found myself expanding on it even though she is gone. I welcome being in this new space of relationship with her. I feel also like I’ve moved into a new space of healing and why I felt called to move her photo from the altar. 

I placed the photo on my writing desk and to the right of my computer. This feels symbolic to me. She was the one that patiently and with such devotion stood by me through it all – knowing and believing I could find my way out of the darkness. She is the one that helped me finally accept that I am worthy – just as I am. I know and feel this now.

Having her photo on my desk where I can see her and she is looking back at me is a nod to her wise, healer self, and her beautiful teaching to me that I’ve learned to embody that says, this is me and I’m Fine Just the Way I Am.

My writing cottage has a fresh new start, my heart one too, and my relationship with Gidget that continues to evolve and is my beacon of guiding light I feel so remarkably blessed to have.

xo,

Barbara