snake medicine

My Yearly Birthday Ritual & Animal Guide. A Practice You May Enjoy Too.

Posted by Barbara Techel
Snake card from my deck, Animal Reflections Healing Oracle
 
Each year on my birthday – and what you can do for yours – is that I pick an oracle card as my guide until when my birthday rolls around again the next year. More often than not, I’ve chosen an animal themed card since I’ve learned (and continue to) so much from the Animal Kingdom.
 
Snake has been my guide this past birthday cycle.I’ll be saying goodbye to Snake on July 18th when I pick a new card for my next trip around the sun. I’m looking forward to seeing who it will be!
 
While Snake can be potent medicine, she was a bit more subtle this year helping me shed some aspects of myself that no longer fit for me. Not to say there were some challenging moments, but I find the more I continue to work with my inner self care, I don’t stay stuck in a negative space and the quicker I can move through what is calling to be healed.
 
So for your birthday why not pick an oracle card from any deck that speaks to you.
 
Place it where you will see it everyday (or a copy of it if you don’t want it out of the deck for the whole year). Then just be in awareness of how it nudges you to make changes, to see things differently, to let go of what no longer works for you.
 
At the end of your birthday cycle spend some time in contemplation with how that card and message served you. Perhaps do a meditation and journal as a way to reflect and honor the lessons and teachings. And lastly, express gratitude for this oracle that served as your loving guide.
 
Once that feels complete, pick a new card for your next year of evolution! Have fun! ❤
 
And I’d love to know if you decide to do this practice and how it goes!
 
If you don’t have a deck, but would like to give this a try, check out the free-pick-a-card on my website.
 
XO
Barb

    

How Animals Helped My Inner Child. Join Me for An Interactive Online Event Honoring Your Inner Child.

Posted by Barbara Techel

For over 25 years I consciously carried a vision of trauma from my childhood I just couldn’t shake. Every time it presented itself to me, I’d push it away into the dark recess of my mind.

It was too painful to look at. I also questioned my sanity at times. Where was this coming from, I’d often wonder. It can’t be real.

Over those years I’d share in the love and teachings from many dogs, each mirroring for me a lesson that helped me grow in my evolution. In 2014 I’d welcome into my heart a tiny grey and black dappled dachshund with special needs named Gidget. I knew from the moment I set eyes on her she was a Buddha in a dog’s body.

She was the catalyst with her unshakable persistence who would eventually shake things up for me and help me to face this trauma.

It wasn’t easy. At one point, I wanted to die instead of facing this because it was painful. But along with the love and support of Gidget, I’d have other animal guides along the way that walked the path with me.

One I’d never have “expected” and one many fear, Snake, was potent in her teaching that I knew I just had to finally shed what was haunting me. Horse who would guide me to stand in my power and Wolf who encouraged me to keep my heart open even when it feels pain.

Even sharing with others how animals have guided me felt scary for me at the beginning of my journey. Would people think I’m crazy?!

Snake Goddess Doll to honor Snake – made by Maria Wulf of Fullmoonfiberart

But the love, compassion, and peace I feel from the animal world is what brought me to where I am today.

I was never alone, though at times I felt that way.

In their honor and honoring who I am also, is why I love helping others connect more deeply not only with their pets, but also connecting to the wisdom of all animals, in conjunction with loving all aspects of themselves. Because we truly are all connected and there is so much to gain in our evolution and it’s how we can live in harmony with all that is.

At my deepest core I know that animals want us to live with inner peace. They are here to help guide us and as we heal, they too heal. How cool is that?!

NOVEMBER EVENT

November 4, 2023: Honoring Your Inner Child through the Wisdom of Animals and Oracles – An Interactive Online Event and Workshop

I’m honored to be hosted by Christine Noble Seller of Conversations with Animals for this special event to not only share my story, but to also invite you to honor your inner child during this workshop.

I’ll be picking cards from my new Animal Reflections Healing Oracle deck and providing prompts to journal and reflect on the teachings from the animals.

You will also have the opportunity to take part in a drawing for a 1:1 oracle reading session with me, plus a special discount for a reading for those attending or watching the replay.

35% net proceeds from the live event and replay will be donated to Friends of the Wisconsin Wolf & Wildlife.

I’d welcome big and little YOU to join us for this special event!

XO,

Barb

    

Please Don’t Look Away. Invitation to a Different Perspective.

Posted by Barbara Techel

Please Don't Look Away. Invitation to a Different Perspective.

I thought about whether or not I should share this SoulCollage® card I finally made this past weekend. I know so many have a fear of snakes – and I worried I may upset others or that they may judge me for sharing this – and the thing is, I’ve had a fear of snakes for a long time, too. 

And then I recall last year having shared the wisdom of Wolf from the Animal Wisdom Tarot card deck and how a reader of my newsletter was so upset with me. She couldn’t understand how I’d advocate for wolves when they have attacked and killed livestock on her farm.

And this is the thing, I guess ….there are many different perspectives – and I meant no harm in the Wolf card I shared, just as I mean no harm or discomfort in sharing this card – my only intention to help us see past our fears and look a bit deeper….for I do believe that all animals have wisdom to share with us.

And I truly can’t say I would have said this about Snake five years ago. But I’m learning to open to animals that are often not deemed as cuddly and cute. Not that it is always easy. But as I often say, I am a work in progress.

Honestly, I’m thrilled with this card I made of Snake. It’s been in the making for over two years…simmering in my mind…waiting to be born onto this card as a reminder of the healing that snake brought to me over two years ago.

It was seeing a mama snake, in beautiful shades of iridescent greens and blues, lying dead a few feet off the end of my driveway behind my car, and her unborn, dead babies beside her, and two a few feet from her, that I couldn’t look away…even though I couldn’t understand at the same time why I felt compelled to look.

In sharing this occurrence with my friend, Dawn, an animal communicator, she helped me to look deeper into what the message might be that Snake had for me.

It wasn’t an easy one to look at – though Dawn guided me by gently suggesting that I imagine as if I was in a dream and what it may represent that I came upon this dead snake and her babies.

While it is a personal healing that took place from working with snake in this way and not something I wish to share… I will say that it was a vital shift that needed to take place – one that had been begging to be addressed for a very long time.

It helped in many ways to set me free of something I’d carried as a deep wound that wanted desperately to be released. And honestly, if someone would have told me that by seeing a dead snake and her dead babies, then working with it as a dream while opening myself to a message of healing, well, I’d have thought they were crazy.

But I no longer think that. I feel truly grateful for the experience. Working with the images as seen on the card above came together so easily for me. And when I look at it, I feel a kinship with Snake and think of Snake as my friend.

And one last bit of honesty here:  I don’t know if I could actually pick up or hold a snake… though I think I could maybe do so with my friend Dawn’s sweet snake, Chloe. She has really grown on me.  🙂  And Chloe is great at recommending good books such as this one in the photo with her, of which I had to order.

So there it is…if you made it this far… and accepted the invitation to read about a different perspective regarding snake….BRAVO!!

Photo credit: Dawn Brunke

Thank you for sharing and subscribing to my blog updates.