animal teachings

Sneak Peek Synopsis of My New Book “Wisdom Found in the Pause – Joie’s Gift” Coming Soon!

Sneak Peek Synopsis of My New Book "Wisdom Found in the Pause - Joie's Gift" Coming Soon!

The writing and production of this book has been quite the journey and one I can say now that I’m so happy I followed through on. There is a deeply gratifying satisfaction in moving through all the steps, and at times mental anguish, to finally be to this point. I can look back and say yes, it was worth it and it was absolutely divine timing in how it all flowed.

And it won’t be long now! Soon I will announce the release of my new book, Wisdom Found in the Pause – Joie’s Gift. I’m putting together a special gift package offer and excited to share it with you soon, so please do stay tuned, okay? You’ve been so great in hanging with me this long and I’m grateful!

In the meantime I want to share with you my book synopsis which appears on the back cover. I hope it resonates in some way for you or piques your curiosity that you will want to know more.

When we get lost while driving, it is common sense to pull over, reroute the GPS, and perhaps change course. When it comes to the course of our lives, however, we often take a very different approach. Each of us has an “internal GPS” – that still, small voice inside us guiding us to our best and highest good. But what if that small voice is begging us to slow down and re-evaluate our lives? If you’re like most people, you judge this as a waste of time or being lazy. In Wisdom Found in the Pause, Barbara Techel explores both the real-time beauty and long-term benefits of life’s transitional periods.

In what has become Techel’s trademark, Wisdom Found in the Pause shares the profound life lessons we can learn from animals. Her first book, Through Frankie’s Eyes: One woman’s journey to her authentic self, and the dog on wheels who led the way, told the story of how a paralyzed dachshund named Frankie led Barbara to groundbreaking work with children, persons with disabilities, and the elderly. After Frankie’s death, Barbara often felt called to embark on another direction, yet she was reluctant to let go of the purpose and identity she had so closely tied herself to.

Wisdom Found in the Pause is the story of Joie, another paralyzed dachshund, who would serve as Barbara’s teacher, friend, and ultimately angel. Joie’s unexpected death would remind Barbara that the only way to really change our lives is from within.  Along the way she received spiritual signposts  – some subtle, some profound – that  convinced her she was on the right path. Through this journey she realized the most valuable gift we can give ourselves is the time to slow down, hear and heed our inner thoughts, for this is how we will welcome  that sweet stillness of being, that wisdom found in the pause.

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And This…

And This...

And this…

this is what turns a frown upside down,

what fills a troubled heart with love,

what stands the test of time as true,

what never disappoints,

what offers support with no questions asked,

what gives with every fiber of their being,

what grounds us to what is real,

what never fails to heal,

this…this is the love of DOG.

Thank you, Kylie and Gidget… you are two of my greatest JOYS!

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The Truth is, I Didn’t Remember…But then a Pause Reminded Me.

The Truth is, I Didn't Remember...But then a Pause Reminded Me.

Perhaps it was because I woke with a sinus headache, fed the dogs and went back to bed this morning, which isn’t like me to do. But I honored what I felt I needed.

An hour later I was feeling much better and knew today was the day I would stop procrastinating and get the back cover text written for my book coming out this fall, Wisdom Found in the Pause – Joie’s Gift. 

I planted my butt firmly in my writing chair and vowed to not leave it until I’d gotten a draft written. After three hours and may re-writes I was happy with what I’d written so off to my editor it went. Will see what she has to say.

One thing I have to remind myself to do is to take breaks and give myself small rewards for tasks accomplished. So being a beautiful day – suspended between summer and a hint of fall, I set out with Gidget in her stroller, for a walk around town.

As I walked through the senior assisted community complex, I noticed the sweetest, small leaf on the ground. When I looked up, I noted the tree is beginning to change.

red leaf

I enjoy savoring every bit of fall and decided to be on the lookout to create an altar from things found on my walk to place in my writing cottage when I got home.

tree

Small pine cones, two goose feathers, a stone, snippets of wheat grass, a yellow coneflower and two maple leaves were the items I collected as I walked.  Along with my collecting bits of nature on my path I paused to also take photos of things that made me smile. Little did I know it was going to lead me to remembering…

door

apple

bench

…and then I remembered…when I saw this wooden sign in a downtown retail shop…

bike

Today is three years since Joie passed away…and with it she left me the gift of what I would learn over the last three years…that pausing often in ones life is essential to well being…that the journey and purpose of life is to be happy.

I couldn’t help but feel a sweet joy well up inside me for the spiritual signposts I was rewarded with today. When I got home, I created the altar with a photo of Joie beside it, and have a battery operated candle lit in her memory.

And I’m reminded once again of the divine timing of her life with me…the gifts of transition…and the timing of the book I’ve written about her due out this fall…and trusting in what one can’t always see until it is time.

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