soulcollage

Message from Hippo. Welcome Home to Who You Are.

Posted by Barbara Techel

Message from Hippo. Welcome Home to Who You Are.

For over three years I’ve been giving thought to forming a women’s circle, which I’m in the process of preparing for, and gearing up to do, in the new year. I’m also collaborating with another young woman to offer a workshop on a Native American tradition about Talking Sticks. It will be December 21st, on the Winter Solstice.

As I move into this new space in my life I’ve been asking for guidance from the deck of Animal Wisdom Tarot cards and also from my deck of SoulCollage(r) cards I’ve created the past two years.

My question is simple as I shuffle the animal cards and my SoulCollage(r) deck: Please provide guidance for me around facilitating workshops for women.

Shivers ran up down and my spine when Hippo is the card that has revealed itself on three separate occasions in the past seven days when I’ve posed my question and Hippos wise message of Welcome home to who you are. Each time I think of this message it just makes me so happy.

And the SoulCollage(r) cards I’ve been drawing which have not been the same, but they have revolved around what I feel are reminders to follow my heart and are about the lessons I’ve learned around keeping myself grounded, going within often, and trusting in my intuition.

The first time I posed my question for guidance around doing workshops, the SoulCollage(r) card that came up was one of my spirit animals – the animal that came to me during a guided meditation in 2014 – Wolf.  The message I received at that time was to continue to open my heart and follow the fire within.

The other two cards that surfaced during two different occasions are reminders for me that no matter what I may do going forward, it is important to take time each day to refill my own well with time for reflection and meditation in some form.

And so it is. And I’m recalling when I decided to write my first children’s book – how I had feelings of fear and excitement all at the same time – and not sure where it would take me. And how I went on to write another children’s book and now two memoirs. I can’t say as I ever saw that coming or really ever planned it – but followed what felt right.  And oh, what a journey it has been!

And in many ways, I feel like it has led me to where I am today – venturing into somewhat new territory as I give thought to doing more workshops in my studio, Joyful Pause. I don’t know how it will all unfold, but trusting that if it is meant to be, I will continue to be guided.

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It’s True. I Feel Like the Luckiest Girl in the World.

Posted by Barbara Techel
It's True. I Feel like the Luckiest Girl in the World.
Existing perennial garden spruced up with a few new plants and chocolate mulch

As I write you today, I’m listening to Pandora radio, station of Doris Day.

Sometimes I think I was born in the wrong century or perhaps I lived another life. I love this type of music, nostalgia, vintage and old things. I think it’s perhaps why reading Susan Branch’s trilogy memoir recently resonated with me. So much so, I can’t get the books, her house on Martha’s Vineyard, and her way of life out of my head!

It’s a good thing though. There is something so comforting in her writing and how she lives a simple life.

And her gardens, well, I was so jealous (a good jealous!) when I saw photos on her blog.

And then I realized (terrible me!) that I posted photos on Facebook earlier this week of our new landscaping, but didn’t share here on my blog for you, my dear readers, as I had promised. I’m going to blame it on all the excitement and menopausal brain. Grin.

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But since our landscaping has been complete I’m feeling like Susan Branch with a bit of Tasha Tudor and Beatrix Potter rolled in. In fact, John has been calling me Tasha Jr. as I work on keeping up with the watering (tee hee!).

But every morning, I can hardly wait to open the blinds and look outside. And sometimes I just want to cry – happy tears, of course.

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I’ve always been a homebody and I can’t help but think back to when times were tough with the economy crash in 2008. We were scared of losing John’s construction business and our home. But we hunkered down and knew we could ride the storm out and live frugally. And we did.

And in many ways we still do. But having landscaping done has been all the more sweeter when we think about the tough times. We are appreciating it and enjoying it even more now.

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I keep pinching myself when I walk around my writing cottage each day as I take in all the beauty of the sweet little shrubs and the perennials that will bloom in the near future. When we built my little space in 2007 we had planned to add plants, but then had to buckle down with the bad economy.

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I’m especially tickled pink at the rock hill that leads down to the egress window of our lower level (well, okay, also known as a basement – but it does not feel that way because it is all fixed up).

Downstairs is where I hold my SoulCollage(r) workshops and the view out the window now is stunning!  Here is the view below looking out from lower level.

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It feels like the outside is part of the inside, and I couldn’t be happier!

When my friend, Shannon stopped over the other night, I gave her a tour around the house. She said, “I remember when we got new landscaping at our house up north. I felt like the luckiest girl in the world!”

And you know what? That is exactly it! I, too, feel like the luckiest girl in the world!

Thank you again to Willow Wood Acres and Land Steward for a beautiful design and job well done!

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Trust the Process

Posted by Barbara Techel

Trust the Process

One thing I share and stress when I teach my SoulCollage(r) workshops is to “trust the process.”

This was something that was talked about often when I went for my facilitator training in November 2014. It resonates with me on many levels.

We can so often get caught up in the idea of how something should or shouldn’t be done– often times buying into what one guru or another says. I’m not saying the gurus are wrong and that they don’t have a place — because they do.  But I think it’s just that we’ve forgotten a gift we all have – and that is to trust our own process – no matter what it is you do or who you are.

I know for me, I find myself gravitating more and more to this space of what feels right for me in several different areas of my life.

I want my life to flow in alignment of what feels right in my heart and body. I want to be in a place of trusting even more what my inner voice tells me.

And when I pay attention to my first thoughts or how my body reacts to certain things, I’m learning to be in more awareness of it and trust it.

And they say you teach what you also most need to learn, so it’s why I wanted a reminder of trusting my own process and to also encourage this in others that attend my workshops.

So when I came across an idea, similar to the painting I did above, I knew I wanted this as a reminder not only to myself but to those that attend my workshops in my Joyful Pause Studio.

How much struggle and disappointments I wonder we would avoid if we learned to tune in much more to our own process.

So I share these thoughts with you today, and my new painting, as a sweet reminder that listening to your heart is one of the wisest things you can do to live a life full of meaning that is exactly right for you.

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