Sunday afternoons are quite wonderful. With anticipation of the coming week, I look back on this past week and can not help but smile. A week full of adventures with friends, pet sitting, and dog walking, and an amazing TTouch session with a Sheltie I shall never forget. For 5 years now, I have been enjoying my life with animals via my life with my Terrier Mix, Jasmine, and my business, Aloha Pet Care & Dog Training. Through pet sitting, dog walking, overnight care, and dog training, I never stop to be amazed by what the animals will share with me and teach me about myself and their world. This week was more special than most, which is why I would like to share with you, as I begin Tails of Discovery, a blog about myself, my business, animal companions, TTouch, and the world we share.
My week began one week ago, last Sunday when I presented a special seminar at Minnesota Valley Humane Society on TTouch. At the seminar was a wonderful 9 year old Sheltie service dog named Time. Unfortunately, this past year he had not been able to walk more than a half a block without limping terribly. His owner was so concerned over this, as I would be also. Vet visits, x-rays, and many sleepless nights. She brought time to the seminar as she was hoping a holistic approach via TTouch, could help Time. At the seminar, my hands went directly to his hind quarters on the left side where I felt tension. I don't know how my hands do this, but once I set my intention to help an animal, my hands are already there. I did some work on that area but his owner wanted a one on one session so that we could devote more time to him. Wednesday it was.
On the way to Time's house on Wednesday, I listened to Eckhart Tolle to center myself and be in the present moment. With TTouch, I try to go in to the session without expectations. Open your heart, put your heart in your hands, and your hands on the companion animal. It is a beautiful technique that I am honored to be practicing, now for my 2nd year. I had just returned from a Cellebration of TTouch with Linda Tellington Jones, the creator of TTouch in Santa Fe, and wanting to help animals in any way that I could was clearly my wish.
Time was a former show dog and therapy dog so very willing to let me touch him. I found tension patterns in his neck, right front shoulder and left back leg. But the part that was the most amazing, was his tail. It was very tight and I kept going back to that tail with love and tenderness. With TTouch, we use moments, not minutes so at times, you may only touch an area for a few seconds and that is enough. With Time, he was so appreciative to have that tail worked on, he was just loving it. His owner, Kathleen, could not believe the tightness as I taught her the touches I was doing on her beloved dog. As the tail released and started to wag, the hind quarters became much more loose and I hardly had to do any touches on his front right shoulder as he was able to release the tension himself. We ended our session with a joyful little stroll in the neighborhood, as time was as happy as a young pup with a wagging tail, and a joyous stride.
I learned a lot from Time that we can all learn from. No matter how long we have had pain in our lives, or what we believe our reality to be, with intention and love, we can discover a new reality.
Life is so amazing with these opportunities with companion animals. I can not wait to find out what I will discover next.
