trauma

Video Book Excerpt Series: Animals, Oracles, Healing & Love

Posted by Barbara Techel

When I look into the eyes of an animal I don’t see an animal. I see a living being. I see a friend. I see a soul. ~A.D. Williams

Today, May 11th marks the two-year anniversary of Gidget’s soul passing on to greater adventures.

As a tribute to Gidget, my desire to help others understand how animals are these incredible, noble beings of light guiding us, and along with my desire to continue to encourage and inspire others to walk their own healing journey, I’ve put together a series of videos with an excerpt from each chapter of my book, I’m Fine Just the Way I Am – Healing Emotional Pain through the Wisdom of Animals and Oracles.

The gift of this tiny dog with the heart of a Buddha walked ever-so-lovingly and patiently beside me on a self-healing pilgrimage during the time we were together. This continues to be one of my greatest treasures and stays with me as one of the most profound and positive impacts on my life.

Each day I’ll release a new video until the afterword conclusion has been reached (though disregard I’ve stated in the earlier videos I’d be releasing them weekly. A girl has a right to change her mind!)  🙂

You can follow along with the daily excerpt videos right here on my YouTube channel (by subscribing and clicking on the bell you’ll be automatically notified when a new video goes live).

Other social media areas I’ll be posting a link to the videos are:
Instagram
Facebook

We are never alone on our journeys though at times it can feel that way. So again, I hope the sharing of the healing journey Gidget and I walked, shared in these bite-size pieces will be of value and benefit and encourage anyone who needs these messages…

and that we may all begin to really know and trust that we are all fine just the way we are.

So without further ado click here or on the graphic to the preview kick-off to my book excerpt series:

XO

Barb

Owl Asks Us Who We Wish to Be

Posted by Barbara Techel

As the world shakes and rumbles with its deep state of pain and fear being unleased all around us, Owl beckons us to remember to come back to what is our truth – tapping into that wise inner self when things around us feel out of control is what we can take control of as a way of enacting peace.

An owl can turn its head 270 degrees. I like that as a reminder for us that we too must see and look all around us and while we may not agree or understand the different views or what is transpiring, we can work to accept that it is all playing out as a way for each of us to come back home to ourselves and what really matters. The more each of us can do this, the more we can tilt this planet back to a place of peace.

Looking at the Owl card, part of the background design caught my eye – no pun intended – as I saw what looks to me as many eyes closed. I heard in my mind, sit as still as you can among the chaos and uncertainty of the outside world and be assured that true and lasting peace only, and always, comes from within.

What a different world it would be if we hadn’t lost our way so many thousands of years ago when we knew then that the only true and real answers come from trusting in our intuition. It’s the tool of navigation I believe owl is trying to help us get back to and we can begin right here and now.

Owl is also reminding us we can each play our part in practicing being in the darkness by closing our eyes, feeling what we need to feel within our own space of self – instead of projecting it – and to trust that in time this will greatly contribute to humanity making a positive shift.

Who are you going to be? Observing the world around us, we see, we experience, we feel, and we acknowledge the darkness that is here. We then close our eyes and for a moment it is dark within us too as we acknowledge how at times we can feel so helpless. This is our cue to tap into those times in our own lives when this has personally played out – it’s our opportunity to feel those times of pain fully so we can release and heal them. This is what will allow the light to enter within even with our eyes still closed.

There was a time when I would have looked away at something happening in the external world that I simply could not handle because it was too horrific. But I realize the more I am able to look, take it fully into my being, allow it to move through me even though at times it feels excruciatingly painful. But to really feel and acknowledge that this darkness exists, I’ve come to experience that this is the way of actually expanding my heart to feel all that it needs to feel. When I don’t allow all those myriad of feelings I’m experiencing to flow through me it actually stunts the growth of my soul.

We are each so wise beyond what we give ourselves credit for – Owl wants for us to take it all in – eyes closed and accepting the darkness – and eyes wide open to let in the light.

Turning to the guidebook the last paragraph really jumped out at me:

“The solitary owl invites us to deepen our spiritual practices, turn inward for answers, and to develop a trusting relationship with our own intuition. They show us that a stealthy, still, and quiet spiritual practice can be more beneficial than those who take a more ‘loud and proud’ approach.”

Owl asks of us to ponder, who is it we wish to be and become?

xo,

Barbara

Revealing the Cover of My Next Book: I’m Fine Just the Way I Am

Posted by Barbara Techel

I’m so excited to finally share with you the cover of my next book! 

As I’ve been reflecting on the past year, it will likely not come as a surprise that I’ve often been moved to tears.

Gidget’s spirit has been so strong around me of late, and while I feel some sadness she is no longer with me physically (and this is my first Christmas in 35 years without a pet), I continue to feel this deepening of utter gratitude for her. This is such an exquisite gift because of the healing she guided me through.

There was a time I didn’t believe I was going to make it through that dark night of the soul that began in the summer of 2015, but now on the other side, I continue to swim in this magnificent gratefulness and see clearly that Gidget knew all along I could do it. My dear devoted sweet one I say thank you from the bottom of my heart…always.

I don’t have an exact release date yet, but I hope you will stay tuned as I’ll be announcing in early 2020 when pre-orders will be available!

Thank you for being here, for allowing me to express my thoughts, and for pondering and growing along with me. I hope you know how much I appreciate your support of me and my work.

What this Book is About:

I’m Fine Just the Way I Am takes you on a deep, intimate and powerful journey as I explore the significance of a painful, recurring vision that plagued me for over two decades. To do so, I must call upon every ounce of courage, faith, and commitment, or be swallowed by the depression and anxiety that has consumed me.  
 
Like a metaphysical detective, I employ a myriad of tools, each of which serves as a building block to self-knowledge and healing. I learn to tap into my intuition and the insight from oracle cards on a level I’ve never done before; I also examine my dreams and embrace the power of ceremony and life-enhancing breath work. Most importantly, perhaps, I learn to accept help from others and trust in the process, understanding that the turmoil in my life is truly happening for me, not to me.
 
As in my previous two memoirs, I also draw on the profound teachings I received from animals—from my special needs dachshund, Gidget who served as a reflection of the darkness and what needed to be healed, to a snake who helped me shed what I no longer needed, a wolf who encouraged me to keep my heart open, and a horse who empowered me to stand in my strengths.
 
All were integral to help me transform my pain and accept it as both a gift and the path I was meant to walk in order to finally understand that I’m worthy just as I am.

xo,

Barbara