workshops

Allow Nature to Seep Deep into Your Bones and Fill You with Peace

Posted by Barbara Techel
Allow Nature to Seep Deep into Your Bones and Fill You with Peace
The peaceful pond at LaValley Nature & Equine Sanctuary

Living in Wisconsin where winters can be sooooo long, I come alive in a new way once warmer weather is here. And I do my best to soak in as much as a I can while it lasts.

And why I’m looking forward to facilitating a workshop in nature with my friend and co-facilitator, Rachel Nick next week Saturday. I’m especially excited about this one as it will be happening at the wonderful non-profit Rachel is founder of, LaValley Nature and Equine Sanctuary.

I really appreciate the sanctuary’s mission: to preserve land for plant, wildlife, equine and permaculture use while inspiring others to do the same. We offer a permanent, safe and natural environment for aged horses to retire and live out the rest of their days peacefully.

In May after doing a private yoga session with Rachel at her sanctuary (yes, she also teaches Yoga!) she invited me to walk the 20 plus acres of her property. Rachel and her partner, Jeremy keep paths mowed along the property which take you to a quaint pond, past many beautiful trees, butterflies, birds and whatever else nature just may surprise you with as you walk the peaceful and serene land. Eventually you wind around the fences with the perfect view of the horses that eventually wind back to the front of the picturesque sanctuary.

During this relaxing workshop, you will be invited to play with creativity and make your own unique walking stick with sticks chosen especially for you from Rachel’s property. We will then take you on a guided visualization to begin the process of connecting you with your heart and then gently guide you into your walking meditation in nature.  Our intention is to help you connect heart-to-hand-to walking stick, to mindfully placing your feet upon the earth and connecting with all of natures healing energies to renew your spirit.

Your guides:  Barbara & Rachel with Dancer and Hank in the background

In our world that has us believing that rushing and getting ahead is what matters, Rachel and I are passionate about helping you to slow down, open to the beauty around you and really see and feel the exquisite influence of nature, allowing it to seep deep into your bones, and fill you with a peace that will have your spirit rejoicing.

We hope you can join us!  Click here for more details and to register today. We look forward to seeing you!

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Spirit Soaring Friends. Come Join us!

Posted by Barbara Techel

 

Spirit Soaring Friends. Come Join us!
Me and Rachel

My life has been blessed with this lovely, young lady, Rachel. While I’ve known of her for quite a few years, crossing paths now and then, it was last September we realized we had much in common and similar passions.

Together we’ve facilitated a few workshops together and I so appreciate how much we compliment each other in our teaching. Best of all, I’ve found such joy in sharing meaningful and deeply rich conversation with her. Often I marvel at how wise she is beyond her years.

Today we met at her home and non-profit sanctuary, LaValley Nature and Equine Sanctuary to get a photo of the two of us together for our upcoming workshop we will be facilitating on June 24th, Walking Sticks & Mindful Walking Meditation.

We were only together for about a half hour, but driving home, my spirit was soaring. Her energy and passion for life is contagious and I always feel uplifted when I’m with her.

You may recall me mentioning a few times my love of donkeys and my wish to be involved with them in some shape or form. Well, Rachel’s sanctuary continues to be on the look out for two mini senior donkeys to take in. And when that day comes, if you hear a loud hoot and holler….well, indeed, it will be me!

Currently she has four senior horses: Hank, Nola, Dancer, and most recently joining the crew is Charlie. I’ve only been at her place a handful of times to date, but each time I’m there on her peaceful 24 acres my heart feels home.

I couldn’t help but think after being with Rachel today how vital it is to have friends that make our spirit soar. Those that see the glass as half full, instead of half empty. Those that look for the positive. Those that find inner peace in tough times. Those that see beauty in nature and animals.

And that is Rachel and why I feel blessed to call her friend.

We’d love for you to join us at Rachel’s serene and beautiful sanctuary for our workshop on June 24th. It’s our wish that your spirit will soar too after spending time with us, creating, taking time for YOU, and soaking in all the healing energies of nature. Come join us!

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For more details and to register, just click on the graphic.

Thank you for sharing and subscribing to my blog updates.

My Perfectionist Kept Me Awake Last Night

Posted by Barbara Techel
My Perfectionist Kept Me Awake Last Night
My Inner Critic SoulCollage® Card

It was midnight when I found myself wide awake. Around and around and around in my mind went thoughts and worries about the workshop I’ll be facilitating tonight. Third in a series of five and tonight we will explore and create SoulCollage® cards for one or all of the following — Maiden, Mother and Crone.

I tossed and turned trying everything to talk myself out of my concerns.

As 2016 came to an end I knew in my heart I was being strongly called to facilitate many more workshops in 2017 and bring women together in circle to gently guide them to creatively tap into their intuition to connect with their True Self and live a more meaningful life.

In many ways this is new territory for me. Along with lots of researching and learning as I go it’s a new energy I’m working with that I’ve not before.

Most recently I was introduced to The Circle Way as a structure to help create a safe container for women to tune into their intuition, create and share their stories.

While I’m grateful to now know about The Circle Way and which I’m integrating in my workshops, it’s still new to me. I worry that I won’t do it “right.” And I’m realizing this is my Inner Critic, which is also disguised as my perfectionist, who is showing herself more often.

Even though I’ve done much inner work on myself, the thing is it is never “one and we are done” but that we will now and then be challenged. This is what comes with growing and evolving.

The good news is that I can now more easily recognize what is going on. So this morning I pulled the card I made to represent my Inner Critic.  Here she is in purple worried that others will talk behind her back saying she isn’t any good at this facilitating role.

And seeing in the background the Egyptian woman with her hands raised I heard her say, “Stop all the madness!”

It brought me back to my senses and understanding that my Inner Critic has my best interest in mind. My Inner Critic wants to keep me safe and protect me. She really means no harm. She just needed to be acknowledged for her important role in my life.

So I silently talked to her and said, “Thank you for your concern. I got this. You can now rest for awhile.”

It’s going to be a great night with my Women’s Circle!

Thank you for sharing and subscribing to my blog updates.

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SoulCollage® cards are not sold, traded, or bartered to respect the artists whose images are collaged in the cards.