human animal bond

The Heart Knows

Posted by Barbara Techel

Thank you to everyone who has reached out to me with cards sent, via email or Facebook and your kind and sweet support and the loss of Gidget. Just as the heart trepidly walks with grief, sometimes receiving an outpouring of love and support can feel overwhelming too. But I realized a lesson in this and that I must simply take in what I can at the moment and return again when I feel called to.

I want to share this special double heart memorial marker with you. It’s in my garden outside my writing cottage. When I open the blinds in my bedroom each morning and when I sit at my writing desk I can see it.

Some of you may remember that two years ago I scattered the ashes of my two previous doxie’s Frankie and Joie around my writing cottage. Gidget now rests here too.

On Mother’s Day morning I walked out to my garden to be with her. I felt called to gather some rocks and form the shape of a heart in honor of my love for her. Just as I placed the last rock at the bottom of the heart, a small rock off to the side caught my eye. It was in the shape of a heart.

I smiled through my tears. Little Gidget already sending me a sign of love right back to me… and so I placed her heart within mine. Though honestly, I feel like the big heart is more representative of her.

There are many ways in which one nurtures and for a good part of my life, I’ve struggled with why I never felt called to have children of my own.

The core reason why has been revealing itself to me since 2015 and stems from a personal childhood wounding. A week before Mother’s Day and the passing of Gidget, it was like another window to my soul opened and I deeply felt the truth of why and I had to be with all I was feeling.  

As many of you also know, I’ve been working on my third memoir, I’m Fine Just the Way I Am. This book will share that journey of facing that inner core wound and working my way through it. At the heart of it was my dear Gidget guiding me and holding the most loving space for me.

For the most part, the writing of the book is done. I’ve received feedback from three beta readers which I’ll use to tweak the manuscript. I also realized two days ago that there will be an afterword. I’m not quite ready to write that yet as I need to give myself time to process the loss of Gidget.

But I do know and understand now that if I’d had children I’d not experienced what I have in my life and for that I’m grateful. And I know that this was the path I was meant to walk.

I also remember how I was feeling trepidation about sharing the news of Gidget’s passing as I didn’t want other’s who cared for her to feel sad. But just like I shared the joy of her, the grief must come with it too. Grief is something we all have in common – none of us escape it.

Then just this morning I received this note from a wise friend:

Not only are you feeling your sweet friend but you are assisting others to feel and release their grief. And that is what a catalyst does. Part of your work here is to help others with theirs. It’s not always easy, as you very well know, but it is your path.

I deeply felt the truth of this.

And so with Gidget’s heart a part of mine always, I journey on…

XO,

Barbara

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Two Penguins and a Dachshund Made Me Cry

Posted by Barbara Techel
Two Penguins and a Dachshund Made Me Cry
My writing cottage ready to take in the full moon energy

Last Sunday evening, I drew the blinds in my writing cottage all the way to the top of all six windows to take advantage of the super blood wolf moon.

As I write to you today, yellow finches, junco’s, cardinals and sparrows flit back and forth to the feeder outside my window as the sun reflects off the snow and fills and my cozy space with welcome light on this frigid day.

I love spending time in this sacred space where I write, provide virtual oracle readings for clients, practice yoga, meditate, and pull cards and journal for myself daily.

Something different I’ve been doing lately is instead of pulling oracle cards after my yoga practice, I’m now pulling them before.  As I move through my poses I can be with their energy and contemplate their meaning.

As happens now and then, I’ve not a clue of what a card is trying to share with me as was the case this past Monday.

Since the beginning of January, I’ve been putting in extra focus working on my newest book, I’m Fine Just the Way I Am. I thought perhaps the card had something to do with that, but I wasn’t quite sure. But lately, the minute I awake, my thoughts are on my writing for the day.

Sitting at the table where I pull oracle cards and journal, the card I pulled from The Wisdom of the Oracle was Soul Mates. 

Various thoughts went through my mind of what perhaps this message was for me. But nothing felt right. As I moved through the last down dog of my practice, I was suddenly overcome with emotion.

It felt like it came out of nowhere. Before I realized it, with a quiver in my voice I said out loud, “I love you Gidget. I love you so much. Thank you.”

In the last few months I’ve been deepening into the teaching Gidget brought me in 2018 – a time of great angst and darkness that caused me much emotional pain.

The more it integrates into my being (and what I’m writing about in my new book), the deeper my gratitude for her grows.

Still not sure the cards message, I knew I needed to let it percolate some more. Sometimes it will reveal itself later in the day or it will be a week or so later that it makes sense.

As I was eating my breakfast I received a message from my friend, Missy. She sent me a short video titled, “Loyal dog walks slowly with elderly owner.”  She added,  “So much symbolism here for you, Barb.”

It was a a video I’d seen before, but now it had a whole new meaning. Here’s the video before I share the insight I received:

My eyes misted over as I recalled the animal reading I had done last February when Gidget and I were going through a difficult time.

During the reading, Gidget shared that her body may not be quick, but she is in her wisdom. She also shared  that she continues to come into her higher self, which I now understand as she was also encouraging me to do the same.

As I watched the video I sensed on a deeper level that Gidget was my reflection of the importance of slowing down and working on the details of my inner world – because I’d lost my way – and I had to go within and work on healing a wound that had been with me for many years in order to evolve into the next phase of my life.

And never did she give up on me.

After breakfast, I walked back out to my writing cottage to journal with the cards I picked for the day. When I looked at the Soul mates card again, I saw it as speaking to my relationship with Gidget. She truly is my soul mate at this time in my life guiding me to be my best self.

Turning to the guidebook it read: “This is the kind of soul mate who comes with a powerful gift. Your patterns and all your old stories that don’t serve your well-being enter into this dynamic so you can heal them. This person is called to a sacred task – to help you learn, even if it seems uncomfortable. Look into this mirror. You will only be changed for the better.”

This was so true and profound, I smiled through my tears. And this is how I believe the Universe speaks to us and supports when we open our hearts to take in the wisdom that is always here for us.

XO,

Barb

Honoring the Memory of Joie and the Gift of the Importance of Pausing. Special Price on E-book.

Posted by Barbara Techel

This photo popped up as a memory on my Facebook timeline today. Little Joie, such a sweet, sweet soul. Her time with me short, but that didn’t matter to my heart, as I loved her so much.

It took me quite some time to understand why she had to move on so quickly after coming to live with me. In her leaving, I learned to appreciate and honor the importance of pausing during uncertain times in our life, and how important it is to pause each day, too. To step back, to reflect, to ponder, to be, to really see what is directly in front of me, and most importantly, what is within me.

That inner world we tend to push aside thinking the push and forcing is what will get us ahead in life. That call to take time to re-evaluate our path, though fear can often try and steer us away from taking time to be in the stillness and really listen for the answers.

But time and time again, I’m reminded how vital it is to our well-being to pause and connect with what really matters at each step along the way of life.

A part of me has regret for not fully and truly honoring the gift that Joie left me with. While I wrote about that journey in my second memoir, Wisdom Found in the Pause – Joie’s Gift, for the most part, I kept it quiet that I had published and released this book in early 2017. It was because of fear of judgement and that others wouldn’t understand my need to let go of an identity and move into who I am today.

So in honor of Joie and the lovely reminder of her gift that showed up today as a memory, I’m offering the ebook version of Wisdom Found in the Pause – Joie’s Gift for $1.99 through Sunday, October 14th. I’m providing it as a PDF so you can download to your Kindle, computer, phone or anywhere you read content digitally.

Just click here to purchase or on book cover, and enjoy the pause in reading and how it can open your world to a new perspective and understanding. And feel free to share the purchase link with anyone else who you think would enjoy.

XO,

Barb