The Animal Wisdom Tarot

It’s the Small Things, Really, That Give Us the Biggest Perspective

Posted by Barbara Techel

There isn’t a cloud in the sky this morning and it is as blue as blue can be. We have a fresh blanket of snow covering the ground, trees, and everywhere in between after a Sunday snowstorm. The calm and breathtaking beauty is all around me as I sit in my writing cottage. Gazing out the windows now and then I catch a glimpse of a chunk of snow that falls from a branch as the sun is beginning to be more potent each passing day.

Today I’m sharing some wisdom from hummingbird. But before I do I just wanted to say that I continue to experiment with how to bring messages to you each Monday from oracles and animals from various oracle and tarot decks I enjoy.

While I have used YouTube it requires more prep work as well as recording the video, (not to mention being personally presentable) and then finally uploading it. Depending on the length it can take quite some time. Doing it just as audio is a bit easier and quicker which I upload to SoundCloud. Then today I recorded and uploaded from my phone, though I discovered that has to be short and sweet. It also means I can only upload to my Facebook and Instagram page, but not here on my blog (at least that I’m aware of).

The other thing is that I also enjoy writing and sharing the message in this way too. So while I don’t yet know if I’ll find a ‘one and done’ way in which to do this, or just follow the flow of what feels right for me each Monday,  or will do a combo of things, I  just wanted to share that this is where I’m at – and still experimenting. 🙂

So onto today’s animal wisdom from the delicate but dynamic hummingbird. This card is from a deck by my friend, Dawn Brunke, called The Animal Wisdom Tarot. It’s one of the first decks I ever bought years ago as I continued to find ways to go deeper into my inner journey.

Hummingbird is my favorite bird. It has such deep meaning for me personally, which you may recall if you’ve read my first memoir, Through Frankie’s Eyes.

I can’t help but think of the word joy every time I see a hummingbird whether on a card, in a magazine, or the best place, in nature. Each spring, I look forward to hanging feeders right outside my writing cottage to attract them.

I feel hummingbird, being that they are so symbolic of joy, is inviting us to give thought to the small moments of life. So often it seems we prepare and work hard for the big moments, which we sometimes put so much expectation on, that we don’t feel the happiness we thought we would and then we feel let down.

I also feel that hummingbird is asking us to revisit how we define or accomplish success (which does not necessarily mean career). Is it something we are forcing? Or are we remembering to first take time each day and ground ourselves and remember our connection with spirit, source, the universe, God (however you define it) and then move from that space. I know in my own life when I do this, my life flows more organically. Then when I do bring about a realized intention I had set, it feels more natural and comes from a space of true joy.

It really is remarkable also that this tiny creature is the only one that can fly backward, forward, and up and down – no other bird can do that.

I see this as a metaphor to open ourselves to other perspectives – not just one we are familiar with and perhaps feel most comfortable with. While I can be stubborn at times of how I perceive something (and it has at times caused me great angst and struggle), I also am someone who is willing to look at things in a different way and enjoy hearing how others perceive something too. Oh, the times it has expanded me in a way I’d never considered and my life is richer because of it!

So often, when we do allow other aspects to come into play, we open ourselves to something far greater than we could have even imagined. And it’s those moments when we are flooded with more insight and more joy and I’ve found it also tends to really stick with me.

So hummingbird is inviting us to see life from all its different angles this week. And not get stuck in our comfortable or rigid way of thinking that this is how ‘it’s always done.’ Then watch as the magic unfolds and how life brings you something quite unexpected that elicits happiness you’d not anticipated.

xo,

Barbara

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It is an honor to serve as an intuitive guide and oracle reader for women who wish to embark on an inner expedition and evolve into living in alignment with what matters most to their soul and live a more balanced, gracious and peaceful life. I’m happy to help so feel free to reach out or learn more by clicking on the banner.

 

 

 

Soul Tending Tools in my Toolbox

Posted by Barbara Techel

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It seems that many of us want that one thing that will be it. That one thing that will be the answer to our souls calling or help us when we sometimes feel stressed, lost, or alone.

I can say this, as it is how I’ve felt before (and sometimes still do!). But then I realized over the years I’ve actually put together a pretty nice toolbox to help me through some of life’s tougher moments — or simply just to inspire me. Of course, I visualize my toolbox as periwinkle and chartreuse green—my favorite colors together.

So I wanted to share some of my “tools” with you today as maybe you will like them, too. We have so much more available to us these days than we ever have before.

My Soul Tending Toolbox:

IMG_2130**Walks in nature with my dogs.

**Reading books that encourage and inspire, such as Joan Anderson’s many books about being an unfinished woman. Her newest, a collection of essays, “Stretch Marks” which I enjoyed very much. FYI- being an “unfinished” woman is a good thing.61YfflDyolL._AA160_

**Daily Yoga practice.

**Doreen Virtue’s Angel cards, Dawn Brunke’s The Animal Wisdom Tarot cards and Cheryl Richardson’s acGrace and Self-Care cards.

**Meditating. I like Calm, Oprah and Deepak Chopra (they offer free 21 day meditations quite often) and Brain Wave Altered State app.

**I’ve also turned to life coaches when I feel stuck, such as Diane at Lead Your Life, and Pam at Meaningful Life Counseling and Coaching.

**Reiki is another tool that I became trained in a few years ago. I especially love practicing this with Gidget right now. When I do, I feel this deepening with her, which lights up my soul.

**Recently I’ve been reading more about EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) or also called Tapping. I’ve tried it a few times and definitely felt a shift when I do this simple and quick method.

**Something new I did this year during the month of January was to createll a mandala with my desires and conditions for the year using the book by Janet Conner, The Lotus and the Lily. Seeing my mandala every day hanging on the wall in my writing cottage is a reminder that I can live the life I want.

**Hay House Radio, radio for your soul (some of my favorite hosts, Dr. Wayne Dyer, Dr. Christiane Northrup and Cheryl Richardson).

facilitator_logo-slogan_H2v1_1**Last, but not least, something I’m really excited about is having discovered SoulCollage®. A unique way of strengthening your intuition and listening to your soul using images. I became a facilitator because I’m so intrigued by it and wish to share this powerful and fun soul tending process with others. I’ll be teaching my first workshop in April!

Do I do all of these every day? No, but I have them in my “toolbox” and choose what feels right for me on any given day, moment or time.

Do you have a particular resource or “tool” that you especially like? Please leave a comment below. I’d love to hear!

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Intrigued about SoulCollage®? Learn more about the introduction workshop I am teaching and register here.

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