oracles

Honoring the Summer Solstice on the Lakefront with Whale

Posted by Barbara Techel

Among the sounds of church bells, IndyCars racing around the Road America track, boats humming across the lake, and kids on bikes, I sat on a bench at the lakefront in our small town of 950 people. Summer is here for the most part and alive with many tourists visiting our small legendary village. It’s been a little unseasonably cool. But today it’s in the low 70s, with the wind coming from the east off the big body of Lake Michigan, which sometimes puts a little chill in the air.

Summer Solstice is here. It’s also been seven years today since my dachshund, Frankie – known somewhat famously as the Walk ‘N Roll Dog, passed on.

With this being the longest day of light I love to think of an image of Frankie in my mind of one I had in meditation two years ago. After we met up on the beach and had a lovely connection in my meditation, I watched as she rolled away down the beach as if into the sunset. Not in a hurry, but the epitome of savoring every precious moment.

Always a sweet reminder for me to do the same. So around mid-day, I took my journal and oracle cards and rode my bike down to the lakefront—about two miles from my house— to pick cards in honor of the summer solstice and what it was I needed to know.

One card that comes up often for me in my personal readings is from the Spirit Animal Oracle deck and that of Whale Spirit. Sometimes I sigh in a bit of frustration as the message on the front says, “Trust the Mystery.” Sometimes I just want to know things! This is human nature of course.

But as I sat looking out onto the water, appreciating the slower pace of summer, Whale helped remind me to go with the flow too. Sometimes I feel in this liminal space wondering what’s ahead instead of just being curious and open to life to just unfold.

Yesterday I finished writing the afterword and updated the last round of edits and suggestions from beta readers for my manuscript—my third memoir—I’m Fine Just the Way I Am. It’s now ready to be sent off to the editor. Though I’ve not yet contacted her. I’m giving myself the weekend to simmer and make sure I feel it’s truly ready to go.

When I think back to how writing this book came to be, there were often times I had to be in that trusting of mystery space and how at times I really fought it. But now here I am. The manuscript is complete. In a way, it feels a bit surreal.

So I think about Whale Spirit guiding me now as the summer solstice is upon us and the days will grow shorter once again. 

When I read the guidebook for Whale this passage struck me: “Stay in present moment awareness and allow the Hidden Realms to hold your intentions safely until it is time for them to manifest in the Realm of form.” 

My memoir and all the emotion, time, and effort I put into it is still hidden from many. It will be a while yet before it takes form out in the world for others to read. So I love this reminder that when I feel fear about letting it go out into the world at some point, that my intention for writing it is to help others—and to trust the mystery that I can never truly know the impact it will have—but that it was something I felt called to do and I honored that calling.

Wishing you a Happy Summer Solstice and some time in reflection and contemplation…

XO,

Barbara

Subscribe here to receive my bi-monthly newsletter which includes a digest of my blog posts, oracle readings, wisdom from the animal kingdom, first to know special offers and more

and/or…

Subscribe here to receive my blog posts as they are published.

Happy, Happy is Just Being You: Oracle and Animal Guidance for the Week

Posted by Barbara Techel

Right away pulling these cards I was struck by the blues and greens within them. Whenever I see these colors together I immediately feel a calming effect on my central nervous system.

I pulled Happy, Happy in reverse which is called protection in this oracle deck – which means to pay closer attention and it’s like a hug from Spirit.

The essential meaning of Happy, Happy is joy and contentment, a sense of fulfillment and a feeling that all is well.

Because it’s in reverse we are being asked where in our lives are we not feeling this? Where do we need to pause, check-in with ourselves, and take stock of where we perhaps are pushing too hard to try and force happiness. 

How often do we forget that we can choose happiness at any given moment? Whether we are working or taking time for play – there is happiness in both. Each provides us satisfaction in some aspect. But if we are too much in one or the other, we can tend to feel a lack. Both are important for feeling grounded and whole.

Peacock Spirit and the message to Let it Shine reminds us that no matter what we are doing or if we are just being, to be totally and authentically ourselves in everything. Within each of us we have many colors. Some days we shine with the most brilliant light and vibrant colors and other days our light is not as bright and our colors more subdued.

But they are all part of who we are. Each serves a purpose in their own way. When we can appreciate all of who we are and what life brings us, this is the key to how we can live a more balanced life and find gifts in all of it.

Looking at the hummingbird on the Happy, Happy card and one who can fly backward and forward, and up and down, so too can we flow with this rhythm as we are called to do on any given day. Within it all there is something to learn and grow from and an opportunity to practice finding the gift in all situations.

And today is also the full moon – strawberry moon – which the energy in this moon is here to help us put into practice, even more, staying in the present moment and following the natural flow of what your heart is calling you to. We each can shine our own light, even in a world that often has much darkness – but how important it is for us to each continue to shine our special light no matter what.

Cards used: Wisdom of the Oracle and Spirit Animal Oracle by Colette Baron-Reid

XO,

Barbara

P.S. I offer personal one-to-one oracle readings and guidance sessions. If you are feeling stuck and need some support, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. You can learn more about my oracle reading service here.

Making Magic: Oracle and Animal Guidance for the Week

Posted by Barbara Techel

 

Our cards this week are Flexible in protection (reverse) and White Raven.

Flexible in protection is asking us where it is we are being too rigid in our lives. When we stay stagnant or stuck in a certain way of perceiving something or a situation we can potentially lose out on a way in which we could grow.

With White Raven as our second card and symbolic of magic, creation and deeper awareness ask yourself in relation to flexibility how you can see something in a new or different way.

How often do we get stuck in our logical and analytical mind? White Raven reminds us to pause and tune into the deeper aspect of ourselves, within the center of our heart, and really listen for the answer of what is true. This is where the magic is.

In the book, The Key to Spirit Animals, author Dawn Brunke writes “Raven is a powerful bird that oversees changes in consciousness, helping us to deepen awareness and move between worlds.”

When we get locked in something or an outcome to be a certain way, being inflexible, Raven can help us tap into our deeper self in connection with the Divine to hear the truth of what is best.

***

Yesterday I ordered a book by author Brianna Saussy called Making Magic – Weaving Together the Everyday and the Extraordinary. Then just this morning in my inbox was an email from Sounds True who published Brianna’s book. It was an announcement of an interview they recently did with her and I listened to part of it before I pulled today’s cards.

After pulling the cards for our reading I looked up to notice on my bulletin board where I keep photos and inspirational quotes this quote from the book, The Secret Garden:

I shall live forever and ever…I shall find out thousands and thousands of things. I shall find out about people and creatures and everything that grows and I shall never stop MAKING MAGIC.

How perfect I thought to be surrounded by all this symbolism of magic. And something I’ve realized over the years is that we can have magic not only in big moments but in many simple and what we might deem as small moments.

I tend to be someone who loves routine and the perfectionistic part of me can get in the way of being too rigid and thus losing out on the magic that could come my way.

But when I allow myself to listen to my heart and follow its lead, I’m often granted the gift of magic. And in those moments I feel that deeply in my bones as the truth of who I am. That IS magic while at the same time that is REAL.

And I don’t know about you, but the more magical moments in my life, the more I want to be like that quote above from The Secret Garden. The more it happens, the better I feel, and the more I want to keep living in this way.

Cards used: Wisdom of the Oracle and Spirit Animal Oracle by Colette Baron-Reid

XO,

Barbara

P.S. I offer personal one-to-one oracle readings and guidance sessions. If you are feeling stuck and need some support, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. You can learn more about my oracle reading service here.