A dear friend, Chris Hillis, sent me this fable that I want to share with you.

Chris was the companion of my mother in the last years after our father crossed the Rainbow Bridge. Our connection to my Mother has deepened my friendship and we’ve stayed in touch since her transition.

I’m drawn to two thoughts in this fable:

when I paid attention
“I could hear the unhearable sound of the flowers opening,
the sound of the sun rising and warming the earth,
and the grass drinking the dew of the night…”

“It’s necessary to listen to the unhearable side of things
because that’s the most important side of the human being…”

I had the great gift of spending many days with Mother during the last year in the hospital. We often sat in long periods of comfortable silence as I TTouched her each day. More than once when I asked her what she was feeling or thinking, she replied, “I’m just lying here counting my blessings.”

She left us in 2008 on Valentine’s Day at the age of 94. On the eve of her 94th birthday she danced at midnight with her grandson, at her granddaughters wedding. Mother’s habit of counting her blessings is a gift she has left to me. And I pass that gift along to you.

Listening in Silence – A Fable

A king sent his son off to study in the temple of a great master with the aim of preparing him to be a great person. When the prince arrived at the temple the master sent him to the forest alone. He should come back some years later with the task of describing all the sounds of the forest.

When the prince returned to the temple after a year the master asked him to describe all the sounds he could hear. Then said the prince: “Master I could hear the singing of the birds, the sound of the leaves, the breeze touching the grass, the buzz of the bees, the noise of the wind cutting the skies…”

When he finished his report the master asked the prince to return to the forest to hear whatever else possible. Although the prince was intrigued he obeyed his master’s demand thinking: “I don’t understand, I’ve distinguished all the sounds of the forest…”

For days and nights he was there alone listening, listening, listening… But he couldn’t distinguish anything new apart from what he had told the master already. However on a certain morning the prince started to distinguish some vague sounds, different from everything he had heard before. And the more he paid attention, the more clear the sounds became.

A beautiful sensation came over the boy. He thought: “These should be the sounds the master wanted me to hear…” And without hurrying away he stayed patiently listening and listening. He wanted to be sure he was on the right track. When he returned to the temple the master asked him what else he could hear. Patiently and with respect the prince said: “Master when I paid attention I could hear the unhearable sound of the flowers opening, the sound of the sun rising and warming the earth, and the grass drinking the dew of the night…”

The master smiled and said: “To listen to the unhearable is to have the necessary calm to become a great person. Only when we learn to listen to the heart of others, their mute feelings, their unconfessed fears, and their silent complaints, only then a person can inspire trust around himself, understand what’s wrong and meet the real needs of everyone. The death of a relationship starts when people listen only to the words pronounced by the mouth without paying attention to what’s going on inside the other, to be able to listen to their feelings, desires and real opinions. It’s necessary to listen to the unhearable side of things because that’s the most important side of the human being…”

Author Unknown

During this busy holiday season, may this fable inspire you to give yourself two gifts:

Take time to listen
&
Count your blessings.

–Linda

Sabine is a German Companion Animal practitioner (teacher) and wrote to the yahoo group recently to ask for TTouch help for her thumb. She had an injury that resulted in a “snapping” thumb, also known as “trigger thumb” – when the two joints in the thumb pop with the slightest movement. In a recent surgery, a nerve was moved and now that the stitches are out she can feel only 3/4 of the thumb and the rest is numb.

Here’s what I wrote to her:

Dear Sabine,

You have to be extremely respectful of your thumb and treat it with MUCH RESPECT, as though it belonged to someone else you were working on. Most people have the tendency to be angry or frustrated with themselves and use too much pressure. That means you would not be in heart coherence and the healing will take longer.

I had the same problem with my thumb after working on a friend who had years of so much back pain. She could not ride horses any more and her back felt very little except pain. I TTouched her with Nashorn with a 10 pressure for a long time. I NEVER do more than 5 or 6 TTouches at a 10 pressure. It seemed to give her a lot of relief, but I wound up with popping joints in my thumb. I bought a thumb brace to keep it from popping, and did lots of TTouches on it. Now it is totally normal.

My personal experience doesn’t help you, except that I can well imagine what you are going through. And you CAN encourage your body to heal with the help of TTouch and a clear image of how you want your thumb to recover. You’ve got more work to do since the OP operation (?). Talk to your thumb as you do 2 pressure, 2 second Raccoon TTouches –FIRST ON THE HEALTHIER THUMB–reminding your other thumb what it is like to feel it, imagining that your affected thumb can feel it.

It’s important to IMAGINE the cells responding – activating- with light in the cells and sending messages to the parts that cannot yet feel.

I suggest keeping a journal. Give yourself about 5 minutes a day, every day. Map the parts you can feel – and the parts you cannot YET feel. Every day!

When TTouching your thumb, alternate between a 3 pressure (so long as there is no discomfort) and a 2 pressure. If you find that you are holding your breath with a 3 pressure, do less.

If you send me some feedback on these TTouches and procedures, I may have other suggestions for you. It is very important that you hold the image of the improvements you want. That’s proven to be successful to support healing.

Enjoy the journey and know you will learn much.

Liebe Grüße,

Linda

…and Sabine’s response:

Dear Linda,

You ttouched my heart very deeply. I felt the love while you were writing this to me. It was as if you read my mind. Yes, some days I am frustrated. I will do everything you suggested. What a great idea to keep a journal – with my dog clients I always do.
I wish I had known before about a thumb brace. But past is past – things happen for a reason!
Thank you so much for letting me share your own experince.

Lot´s of heart hugs to YOU and your family (2 legs or 4 legs)
Love,

Sabine

I’m really thrilled to receive feedback on my blog. The following email response all the way from South Africa took me back to a memorable experience on the coast of British Columbia in 1988 when I joined a group of friends on a trip to support Jim Nollman’s studies of interspecies communication. We had many awesome interactions with orcas that I wrote about in my book, The Tellington TTouch: Caring for Animals with Heart and Hands. It’s full of stories of my work around the world with many species.To read more about my experiences on that trip, scroll down below Michelle’s email!

Here’s Michelle’s email:

Dear Linda,

Thank you for this amazing story.
I had such a feeling of love, joy and warmth when reading it and seeing your pictures.
I absolutely love dolphins and have been swimming with bottlenose dolphins in Mozambique Southern Africa since 1998.

They have changed my career for me, inspired me to be honest about my spirituality, start teaching meditation and breathing workshops and run holistic trips to see them. I have been doing so since 2004. Even though I am based in Johannesburg, I travel to the coast 3-4 times a year to see my finned friends and interact with them. They truly are the angels of the sea!

I also spent 3 months in Bermuda in 2004 working with Atlantic Bottlenose in captivity and they inspired me to look at TTouch more seriously. I have always done some form of “touches” and it all has come together for me now – thank you! I started the practitioners course here in South Africa this year October with your divine sister Robyn. I am so enjoying this journey and getting to be more of me and less of what is expected!

I wanted to share a few of my pictures with you of my friends and my time with them. ENJOY!!

You can see more on my website Oceansessence.com if you are interested.

If you are coming to South Africa one day and would like to meet them, in the wild and on their terms, it would be my honor to assist you.
Blessings to you, dolphin spirit!

Michelle Sachs
Bermuda

Jim Nollman has been known for interspecies communication for decades. He first began by playing music to turkeys, who would then respond by gobbling turkey-talk when Jim stopped playing. Jim is a prolific writer and has many fascinating tales to tell.

On the expedition I was on, Jim was recording orca/human interaction with a newly developed underwater recording device. He played his electric guitar and orcas would respond when he stopped playing. They were “jamming” together!!! Michelle’s email brought me right back to those quiet nights in the bowels of the boat listening to the magical interspecies connections. When you hear the recordings you cannot tell when the orcas are vocalizing and when Jim is playing his guitar. Had I not been sitting on the boat observing I would not have believed that an orca would answer, or could make such a sound! To learn more you can go to Jim’s website Interspecies Communicaton.org where you will find his newsletter, list of books and CDs and adventures and listen to a short orca vocalization.

I was doing a lot of journalling during that trip. We were camped right the edge of the water where orca pods were swimming by daily. One day I was kayaking with a friend and a single orca swam by us not 10 feet away and looked me straight in the eye. I had a profound feeling of connection and that evening I had a most unusual experience.

I had been writing by candlelight in my tent and suddenly heard a “whoosh” of the breath of an orca very close by. I felt as though I was being called. It was a dark night without a moon, but I went to the water’s edge only a few steps away, and an orca was swimming directly toward the shore where I was standing. The phosphorescence in the water was outlining the orca. S/he swam straight toward me and turned less than 10 feet from the shore – so close that a wave of water washed up on the shoreline. I could not help myself and as I shone my flashlight right onto the eye of the orca and I felt a deep soul connection. S/he swam along the water’s edge looking straight at me and then turned and headed out, leaving me with an overwhelming sense of gratitude.

The following evening as I sat on the waters edge at sunset I wrote:

The sun sets
As the fisher flies
I sit and contemplate
The clouds in the skies.

The tides flow
The waters glow
And I know That my time here
Has brought me so near

To the orcas
The bears
The trees

And the cares
That weigh the world
Have lifted and gone.
The Heavens have opened
As we sang each song.

That “Feeling” described
By the orcas to us
Will stay with us always
And free us from fuss

Or tears
Or unnecessary fears
When life gets a little heavy
Or boringly steady

That “Feeling”
Can guide us
As we walk through life

To spur us to remember
That stress and strife
Need not be on our path

We are forever free
To live as the orca
In ideal harmony.

That “feeling” is something we can experience by taking time to admire the beauty of nature that surround us when we slow down to look and listen:
admiring a flower;
acknowledging a butterfly;
delighting in the humming of a bee gathering nectar;
the voice of a soft breeze rustling leaves;
early dawn bird chatter;
leaning your back against the trunk of a tree;
meditating, praying, listening;
TTouching your dog, kitty, friend, child, partner.

I would love to hear what gives you that special “feeling” of awe, reverence, appreciation. Share your thoughts by commenting below if you will.

Heart Hugs,

Linda

There is a major uproar occurring in the international equestrian scene regarding the latest ruling by the FEI, that is due to be set in place in the spring, that would allow what some veterinarians view as performance enhancing drugs. Of course, the argument is that the drugs are being allowed for the health of horses.

Kim Cox Carneal and I are sitting here in Hawiian paradise (78 degrees, sunny with a balmy breeze and the soothing sound of high waves rolling up on the shoreline close enough to excite us) discussing this issue (see her blog Enlightened Horsemanship Through Touch).

So I rang my friend Kate Riordan to get more details since she and I had mused over this shocking issue yesterday. Kate found the link that is reassuring to me about the attitude of the German Equestrian Federation (FN). They are taking this rule change very seriously. In a recent statement protesting the FEI rules, FN President Brido Graf zu Rantzau mentioned the unthinkable – that the european alliance within the FEI is considering a boycott of the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Kentucky if these rules are enacted. Kate said she had read that there are already 40 countries ready to join this boycott.

In response, the U.S. Equestrian Federation asked for a delay in implementation of the rule, which was slated to go into effect Jan. 1. John Long, the USEF’s CEO, said the request also stemmed from the need to make sure all drug-testing labs used by the FEI around the world observe the same protocols, as well as the need for more education on the subject of using NSAIDs internationally. Extra time also would help the FEI sort out difficulties involving what is perceived as a ban on the use of bute in horses by some countries.

The FEI originally decided to postpone enactment until April, but under continuing pressure from a variety of nations, on Friday it contacted all its member countries asking for permission not to enact the NSAIDs rule — but rather, to schedule another vote on the matter at the general assembly next November in Taiwan.

I believe every thinking horse person who stands for fair play in horse sport should be educated on this subject of drugs.

Here is an excellent treatise by Dr. Eleanor Kellon, with many references for further study.

December 6, 2009 Dr. Eleanor Kellon VMD: Open Letter To the FEI About The Progressive Medications List

The shock waves from the FEI’s implementation of the progressive medications list has encircled the globe and sharply divided the equine community. I am very concerned by the rhetoric being used to justify the change. I signed the petition at www.no-fei.com, and stand squarely with the BEVA (British Equine Veterinary Association), many of the FEI’s own present and past veterinarians, their Honorary Scientific Advisor, all national organizations opposing this change and concerned individuals everywhere.

To suggest that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are not performance enhancing but rather “restorative”, implying they are actually beneficial to the horse, is patently ridiculous and flies in the face of current scientific knowledge. These drugs do not “treat” musculoskeletal issues. They mask the animal’s natural, protective pain response by interfering with inflammatory pathways (the cyclooxygenase enzyme systems) while the cause of that pain remains.

Short term use of NSAIDs for the humane relief of pain in injured animals is reasonable, but no horse genuinely in need of NSAIDs should be competing. Compelling evidence has accumulated in the human literature that this class of drugs used chronically interferes with the normal metabolism and healing process in bone, joint cartilage and tendon insertion sites onto bone. In fact, human orthopedic surgeons caution their patients to avoid NSAIDs for at least a week before and several weeks after surgical procedures. A review article on the impact of NSAIDs on the musculoskeletal system in humans which appeared in the September 2008 issue of Drugs Today concluded:

“It is clear, however, that cyclooxygenase activity is involved in the healing of many skeletal tissues, either directly or indirectly through modulation of the inflammatory response. Consequently, pharmacological manipulation of cyclooxygenase using NSAIDs or celecoxib can profoundly affect skeletal health.”
Preliminary studies, published in the American Journal of Veterinary Research in May of 2000 and December of 2001, confirm similar effects in equine tissue. In the study by Dr. Rhode et al, Ohio State, phenylbutazone at 4.4 mg/kg every 12 hours (a common therapeutic dose), significantly reduced mineralization and delayed healing at bone biopsy sites compared to untreated horses. Dr. Beluche et al, also at Ohio State, used the same dosage to assess the effects of phenylbutazone on cartilage and concluded:
“Oral administration of phenylbutazone for 14 days significantly decreased proteoglycan synthesis in articular culture explants from healthy horses to a degree similar to that induced by in vitro exposure to IL-1beta [an inflammatory cyotkine in arthritis - EK]. Phenylbutazone should be used judiciously in athletic horses with osteoarthritis, because chronic administration may suppress proteoglycan synthesis and potentiate cartilage damage.”
The BEVA has expressed concern that the change could lead to an increase in catastrophic injuries, a concern that is supported by a June 2009 study in the Journal of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics which found higher levels of phenylbutazone and flunixine in catastrophic breakdowns in racehorses, as well as injuries in general. Pain means injury. Is it not simply common sense that masking pain so that a horse can perform with weakened tissue is asking for trouble?

This is to say nothing of the legendary potential for this class of drugs, in particular phenylbutazone, to cause oral ulceration, gastric ulceration, renal damage and right dorsal colitis.

It is being claimed that there is no concern over NSAID use in human athletes. In truth, several recent articles have expressed concern over the level of NSAID use by human athletes with respect to decreased blood clotting, drug side effects, negative effects on the ability of muscle to respond normally to exercise, electrolyte abnormalities and the potential for worsening injury, for example:

We are told that the permitted dosage of 1 gram of phenylbutazone no closer than 12 hours before competition is too low to have a significant effect on lameness and would be administered in a supervised setting. There are several problems with that statement.
A study in the December 1994 issue of the Journal of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics found that 2 mg/kg of phenylbutazone, 1 gram for a 500 kg horse, the same “low” dose being proposed by the FEI, provided as much pain relief as higher doses in an experimental model of severe arthritis. Higher doses only provided a longer duration of pain relief.
It’s true that a 1 gram dose of phenylbutazone 12 hours out from competition would not be providing significant pain relief at that 12 hour mark. However, the proposed allowable plasma level of 8 µg/mL is well within the known therapeutic blood level and is more consistent with the level that would be found between 6 to 7 hours after administration, not 12. This leaves the door wide open for abuse by anyone inclined to give the horse more drug on their own, a practice called “topping off”. In his letter to the FEI protesting the rule change, Leo B. Jeffcott, former Chair of the FEI Veterinary Committee, refers to past problems with topping off. Does anyone seriously believe that won’t happen again?
Advocates of the change also refer to violations that occurred under the zero tolerance policy, alluding to those being unjust or the test too sensitive, and applauding the new rules for that reason. However, the level detectable under zero tolerance depends on the sensitivity of the assay being used. These drugs lose their analgesic effects long before the nanogram levels detected by ultrasensitive ELISA tests. Using chromatography techniques, a typical limit of detection for a 3 gram dose of phenylbutazone correlates with the drug having been administered 30 hours prior to testing, or 39 hours for its metabolite, oxyphenylbutazone when testing blood samples. The limit of detection for this high dose when testing urine is 48 hours for the drug itself and 120 hours for its metabolite. Lower doses would be undetectable much sooner. Is it really all that unreasonable to ask that a horse not be given NSAIDs for 3 to 5 days prior to a competition?
I am also concerned that the rule change will lead to greater use of NSAIDs in general, both between and at competitions. Trainers and riders will feel that those who are using them are at an advantage and will feel compelled to give their horse an equivalent edge.

As a veterinarian and advocate for the horse, I cannot support the progressive drug list and strongly agree with those who feel it is a step backwards both in terms of equine welfare and the clean sport effort.

– Eleanor M. Kellon, VMD
Equine Nutritional Solutions
Denver, Pennsylvania, USA

www.drkellon.com

Eleanor Kellon, VMD of Equine Nutritional Solutions, Ephrata, Pennsylvania, is one of a handful of experts in the field of applications of nutraceuticals for horses. She is an authority in the field of equine nutrition as well as conditions affecting performance horses. As co-owner and moderator of the Yahoo Equine Cushings and Insulin Resistance list, a group that has over 8000 members, Dr. Kellon is a most valuable resource.

Background:
An Honors Graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Kellon completed her internship and residency in Large Animal Medicine and Surgery at the renowned University of Pennsylvania New Bolton Center. She is a member of the Veterinary Advisory Board for Smart Pak Equine. As Veterinary Editor for Horse Journal and John Lyons Perfect Horse, many of her clinical trials have been published.

Lay Publications:
Dr. Kellon routinely writes four to six articles a month. A prolific writer, her articles have appeared in magazines such as The Chronicle of The Horse, Hoofbeats, Practical Horseman, Equus, Horse Journal, and John Lyons Perfect Horse. She has written over 1500 magazine articles, most concerning nutrition.

Professional Publications:
Dr. Kellon has also contributed to professional publications and professional meetings. Her topics frequently include muscle disorders, thyroid disorders, and nutrition. Her most recent have been:

Contributing author on laminitis and dietary therapy of insulin resistance in Equine Podiatry, WB Saunders Co, 2006.

Use of the Herb Gynostemma Pentaphyllum and the Blue-Green Algae Spirulina Plentensis in the Horse. Third European Equine Nutrition and Health Congress, Gent, Belgium, March 2006.

Iron Status in Hyperinsulinemic/Insulin Resistant Horses. Third European Equine Nutrition and Health Congress, Gent, Belgium, March 2006.

Treatment of Equine Metabolic Syndrome, Compendium of Continuing Education for the Practicing Veterinarian, Vol 26(2) February 2004.

Books:
As a best-selling author, her books are compelling, easy to read and informative. They include:

The Older Horse, Breakthrough Publications
Keeping the Older Horse Young, Breakthrough Publications
Raising and Feeding the Perfect Horse, Belvoir Publications
Guide to First Aid for Horses, Breakthrough Publications
Equine Supplements and Nutraceuticals, Breakthrough Pubilcations
Equine Drugs and Vaccines, Breakthrough Publications
Horse Owners Veterinary Advisor and Record Book, Breakthrough Publications
Horse Journal Guide to Equine Supplements and Nutraceuticals, Globe-Pequot Press

Field Trials:
Best known for her field trials, Dr. Kellon continues to break new ground with her findings. A few are summarized below.

In 2000, Dr. Kellon published, in Horse Journal, the results of the first field trial on Chastetree Berry (Vitex Agnus Castus) for horses with Cushings syndrome. For more information, visit:

In 2000, Horse Journal published Dr. Kellon’s field trial on the use of magnesium supplementation in horses with cresty necks and laminitis.

In June 2000, Dr. Kellon published, in Horse Journal, the first warning against feeding organophosphates to horses. Ultimately, this created awareness amongst horse owners andbrought about some changes in common feeding practices.

In March 2006, Dr. Kellon was a guest speaker at the European Equine Health and Nutrition Congress in Belgium. Her presentations included “The use of Jiaogulan and Spirulina in Horses” and “Iron Status of Hyperinsulinemic/Insulin Resistant Horses”. For more information on Jiaogulan for laminitic horses, visit:

In Aug. 2006, Horse Journal published Dr. Kellon’s article on DSLD’s Devastation, which included the results of a field trial treatment plan to help alleviate the pain and symptoms of this disease.

In Dec. 2007, Horse Journal published an article on the use of Acetyl-L-Carnitine in horses with chronic laminitis. This was another ground-breaking field trial on the use of supplements for a chronic condition.

Equine Advocate:
Veterinary editor and contributing author of Horse Journal, the only completely subscriber supported horse magazine that accepts no advertising. Being free of industry ties, Horse Journal publishes objective and unbiased product reviews and field trials on supplements, feeds and all things of interest to horse owners, from hoof picks to trailers.

Pergolide:
In March 2007 the FDA removed pergolide from the market, a drug that has been very successful in the management of Equine Cushing’s disease. Dr. Kellon spearheaded a nationwide effort to urge companies who market and distribute Pergolide to keep this drug available for veterinary use. She was relentless in her communications with the FDA until they announced on May 11 that they would allow bulk pergolide to be used in compounding pergolide for use in horses.

Feed Recall:
Recently, Dr. Kellon has been involved in informing readership of the feed recall in the eastern United States. Always an advocate for the horses, she has kept the public up-to-date on the developments in this very serious health risk.

Professional Experience:
Dr. Kellon currently works as a writer, teacher and internal medicine/nutrition consultant. Prior to this, Dr. Kellon has over 10 years experience in private practice, including management of a breeding farm and rehabilitation facilities. She also has extensive experience with performance horses, including eventing, fox hunting, racing, and showing.

Dr. Kellon lives on a farm in Pennsylvania where she and her husband raise, train and race Standardbreds.

This is me giving the "Hang Loose" sign underwater

Early yesterday morning saw a full moon casting a “moon river” over Kealakekua Bay as Lynn Powell and I were the first to arrive slightly before 6:30 am at one of our favorite spots to hang out with wild dolphins. We waited quietly on the shore for about 20 minutes and then many dolphins began spinning and jumping out of the water and tail-slapping, not more than 100 yards from shore! The water was totally quiet – the quietest I have seen it in that bay since I began swimming there almost 20 years ago.

Swimming together as one pod.

It's not easy getting good photos of dolphins underwater, even when they are quite close. Here they are swimming around us, checking us out.

Lynn Powell is the jeweler who makes the angel bracelets I often give to participants in my trainings. She swims most days when she is home and not flying somewhere around the world as an airline attendant. We had an awesome swim together today.  For more than 90 minutes, dolphins were swimming really close to us, looking me right in the eye. There were many groups of 4 or 5 dolphins swimming close to each other as they do – often rubbing sides and sometimes bellies. It’s fascinating to watch them move through the water in small groups or pairs – as though they are holding hands! Many were picking up leaves and dropping them in front of me in a clearly playful gesture, and they seemed to like it when about 8 swimmers hung out together in the water watching them. I had the feeling we were looking like a pod of dolphins to them.

I had a similar experience 15 years ago in the same bay when Joan Ocean and I went out in a zodiac (a rubber boat) and five dolphins stayed with us for more than 2 hours. Joan had brought a few big leaves out and dropped them and the dolphin kept circling and delivering the leaves back to us.

Each year in February during the TTouch for You & Your Horse and the human weeklong retreat, TTouch for You, we take everyone to swim with the dolphins with our friends China and Melainah of Sunlight on Water. We’ve often been in the water with more than 100 dolphins all around us. Swimming with dolphins is one of the most profound and rare interspecies connections a person can make. Why don’t you join us for one of these spectacular trainings and experience this for yourself?

This is the boat we ride on when we go out with Sunlight on Water during our Hawaii trainings.

Today’s dolphin experience was reminiscent of the Dolphin Guided Journey I often lead people on. We recorded one such guided journey at this year’s CELLebration in Santa Fe, and at some point this winter I plan to have a podcast of the Guided Dolphin Journey for those who would like to take it together.

Another dolphin experience: with Keiko (from the movie "Free Willie") when I worked with him before he was shipped to Oregon. When I got in the water to swim with Keiko, the dolphins kept surrounding me, seeming to want to participate.

My first dolphin encounter with "Holy Fin" (you can see the hole in her fin) at Monkey Mia, on the west coast of Australia. I had met her 2 years before and stayed in almost daily communication with her. This was my first visit back after 2 years and she came right up to greet me as though she knew me. It's the only time she did this. I tell the story in my book, "The Tellington TTouch: Caring for Animals with Heart and Hands" - a about my travels around the world working with many different species.

The following TTouch experience of Linda Hoover, Tellington TTouch PIT (Practitioner-in-Training) could inspire one of you to help yourself with TTouch the next time you have hip pain or any other pain. It’s really helpful to learn how much you can help yourself by applying the work we do for animals. We now have more than 2000 cases of the various ways TTouch can help people. It’s what everyone discovers when they attend a weekend or weeklong TTouch for You training. For more than 15 years we have been using body wraps for dogs, cats, horses and humans. We have had remarkable and unexplainable shifts in body awareness and relief from pain or lameness over the years. Here is one more example of the changes that can result from a TTouch body wrap.

My Hip Story

by

Linda Hoover TTouch PiT

As a (newly minted) TTouch Practitioner in Training for companion animals, I have witnessed first hand some of the wonderful things TTouch equipment and touches can do for animals. I’ve seen posture and gait change, I’ve seen shy, nervous, or reactive animals become calmer and more balanced. But last week at a class in Utah I experienced myself what TTouch can do. It was so profound that I really want to share it.

I’ve had trouble with my right hip all my life. I have a slight case of scoliosis, and my right leg is about a half inch longer than my left; my right hip is higher than my left. Most people wouldn’t notice it when I walk, but I am aware of it, and it periodically causes problems. At the extreme, upon occasion, my hip will go slightly out of joint with an audible POP. I must then pop it back in immediately, which I can do. Yoga has helped me with that. More commonly, as happened last week, something like sitting on a hard floor for too long can cause a real ache. I don’t know whether it gets out of place by a millimeter or two, or whether the arthritis that I have there flares up. But the result, over the past two and a half decades, is that when it happens I am in for not less than a week of unpleasantness. In the hip itself, it isn’t so much a sharp pain, as a relentless, ever-present grinding ache. It doesn’t matter whether I sit, stand, or lie down, nothing helps; it’s just that some things make it worse.

I had spent nearly an hour sitting cross-legged on the floor, as Debby Potts was showing us some things about working with various cats. When I started to stand up, I groaned inwardly, because I realized I had really blown it. It was only the second day of class, and I had just done something boneheaded that was going to interfere with my ability to work the rest of the week. Not to mention, I was going to be hurting, with no relief, for probably a week; and the two days driving home over the mountains were going to be miserable.

Over the course of the day it worsened, and I got little sleep that night. Even when I could doze off, if I moved at all, the ache woke me up. I got up the next morning limping, and really ticked off at myself. When I went to class, I asked Debby if she could wrap me. Having been wrapped in classes before, I knew it could be soothing, and in my mind that was what I was hoping for. Perhaps just some slight pressure against my hip might lessen the ache, it seemed.

It was a hectic day, with other groups sharing our space, so the morning passed before the opportunity arose. By then, my leg was going slightly numb, as usual. I hadn’t been able to sit much, and mostly kept moving around. If I did sit, I had to stretch the right leg out, and try to take pressure off the hip joint.

Debby started the wrap at my shoulders, checking to see which position I preferred and went around my torso and hips, then down the right leg. She asked if I wanted to stop below the knee, or go to the ankle. It seemed like a good idea to go all the way down, so that’s what she did. Then she asked if I wanted to do the left side also. Because of my yoga experience, I prefer to be balanced; what is done on one side is also done on the other. She concurred, based on her experience. So, with me wrapped me my feet, checking to be sure the wrap was comfortable. She asked me to walk around, or do whatever I needed to do, and she resumed class.

I walked up a couple steps, and down a hallway. Within seconds, I was stunned by the information that came flooding in. I immediately realized that I was barely bending that knee. The next thing that registered was that I was also not flexing my ankle and foot. I assume that I was instinctively trying to protect my hip from jolting with each step. But what was happening was that instead of the problem being JUST in my hip, it was now involving my whole leg. I went back and reported that. Even with fairly good body awareness from yoga, I had never picked up on that before. Debby was pleased, and told me to keep moving. I could then because of that increased awareness bring intentional movement to the knee, ankle, and foot, and, in so doing, the discomfort began to diminish, that rapidly. As it began to diminish, my walk became more normal.

I took the wrap off when we needed to go to another location to work with cats. When I walked into the building, I could feel my stride lengthening and becoming more normal, and the discomfort continued to lessen. I forgot something in the car and went back out to get it. Returning, there was about a 2′ drop from where we parked to the sidewalk, and without even thinking, just from the joy of less painful movement, I hopped down, instead of going around, as before, and trotted into the building. When I got inside, Debby was looking at me with a grin, and gently reminded me not to overdo it! I really didn’t even realize what I had done—I was just moving normally! I found myself moving more freely and energetically, as more time passed. We did take a picture of me in the wrap; my regret is that none of us thought to take a “before” picture, because I know my stance and posture had to have visibly changed. I never dreamed there would be a need for a “before” picture, because I didn’t expect a significant “after!”

Over the next few hours, I continued to wear the wrap off and on and she showed me how to do it for myself. That evening, we went out to eat, and sat on metal patio furniture. It wasn’t till the end of the evening that it even registered on my brain that I had, indeed, been sitting comfortably on a metal chair. Normally, on the day after a hip problem started, I’d have been hard-pressed to sit even on an upholstered chair for any length of time. That night, I slept soundly, and woke up feeling quite good. To my amazement, the ONLY indication of what had happened was a very small, specific, familiar tenderness on the side of the hip itself, and that was so minimal, I only mention it in contrast to what would normally have been a second miserable morning in a row. I kept moving all day, with only a minimal awareness of my hip.

Toward the end of the day, we were sitting outside on some flagstones, and after a while, I did have to stand up and flex my leg and shift my weight back and forth slightly. These are things I ‘m used to doing for relief, so it’s kind of automatic, but usually I’m trying to make an extreme ache go away (unsuccessfully), and in this case, I was just maintaining flexibility.

I had another great night’s sleep, and the next morning, to my utter astonishment, there was NO ache in my hip WHATSOEVER! This has NEVER happened in all my years of dealing with this. And, since I am now older than I have ever been, it would not naturally get better on its own; it should be taking longer to get over it. I have never gotten over an episode like this (from inital hurt, to all the aches ebbing away) in less than a week. It has taken longer, even. I just kept beaming from ear to ear every time I reported on my progress to Debby and the class. To quote some folks, “This stuff really works!”

Has this fixed what’s wrong with my hip? No, the structural issues are still there. However, when it happens in the future, I will be able to remedy it myself with wraps, and having it happen will no longer be a week-long sentence. And having experienced it myself really brings another dimension to my understanding of just what it is I can bring to the animals I work with. To know that I can genuinely make a difference, and know how it feels (not just head knowledge), has taken my concept of what it means for me to be a TTouch practitioner to a whole new level, and I am a better person (and practitioner) for it.

–Linda Hoover,

Colorado

P.S.  You can see why I was so stunned by what happened with my hip when Debby wrapped me.  It was life-changing on several levels.  I been noting with interest that my hip has not gone out since, though there have been several situations where it normally would have (long trips in our truck, and other things).  The change has been more long lasting than I even anticipated. I will have to share that with Debby!

Also know that you can very often help yourself by applying Raccoon TTouches on the hip area as you walk, or as you are lying on your side in bed with your leg raised to parallel to the bed with a pillow. I have the same problem as you with a hip, and if I walk too fast my hip aches. I can TTouch the pain away in a couple of minutes with Raccoon TTouches. Try it any time you get a twinge and let me know how it is for you.

If any of you readers have self-help stories, I love to hear them. It’s how we know over the past 20 years just how much TTouch can help the two-leggeds.

photo courtesy Pat Sullivan | AP

Sam Connelly tells of the time that she and her cat Storm observed a Canine Good Citizen test while they were waiting for their feline agility class to start.

“I’m watching the dogs and I commented to the evaluator, ‘My cat can do all that,”‘ said Connelly. “At the end she said, ‘Want to take a shot?’ like it was a big joke.”

To the evaluator’s surprise, Storm passed the test, successfully performing commands like sit, stay, come, down, and walking on a leash.

Storm is a cat who does some of these things for a living. He helps Connelly train lost pet search dogs in Maryland by hiding and waiting to be found.

But training cats isn’t just for professionals – human or feline. The Michigan Humane Society has a Pawsitive Start program that uses volunteers to train cats in their shelter in useful and fun behaviors like the high-five and walking into a carrier.

“A lot of people look kind of funny at us when we say we train the shelter cats,” says CJ Bentley of the humane society. Cats need more than just playtime outside the cage to be well-adjusted in the shelter environment, she says.

Problem-solving power
“It’s not just all about the physical, it’s the mental as well,” says Bentley. “To teach them to be able to solve problems on their own can reduce the stress. It gives them control over a situation.”

It’s not just shelter cats that need more, though. People expect pet cats to “just hang out, which isn’t realistic,” says Melissa Chan, behavior specialist at the Houston SPCA. Cats are naturally active animals, she says, and “one thing I wish I could tell every cat owner: Cats want to work for their food.”

Having your cat touch your hand with its nose on command is one of the easiest behaviors to train, Chan says. If you hold out your hand, most cats will naturally sniff it. Reward with a treat until the cat is doing it every time you present your hand. Then, start repeating a word like “touch” every time.

This trick can then be used to get the cat to move where you want it by placing your hand in the desired spot. “You can use it to ask them to get off the couch, or teach them to jump through a hoop by putting the hand on the other side of the hoop,” Chan says.

Another useful behavior is entering the cat carrier on their own. Sandy Lagreca, a volunteer at the Michigan Humane Society, says that this is great for both cats and people: “They go in without having to be picked up and shoved into the crate, which can be traumatic for the owner.”

Patience, repetition and a treat
All this requires is patience, repetition and a highly desired treat. Throw the treat into the crate (and if your cat is already suspicious of the carrier, step away). Let the cat go in, eat the treat, and leave, repeating until it’s completely comfortable going into the carrier. Then, start to close the door and leave the cat inside for increasingly longer intervals. Again, repeat till the cat is comfortable before you try to pick up the carrier.

Chan says that people often don’t think cats are trainable because they lack a dog’s desire to please, “but we have things that cats want. That’s all that matters.” Figure out what your cat will work for – it may be a little tuna, a bit of canned food on the end of a chopstick, or maybe a toss of a toy mouse.

Connelly says to keep training sessions short – she recommends no more than five minutes – and varied. “Teach something else when they get one thing right,” she says. “Cats get bored easily.”

In addition to the specific useful behaviors, Bentley says, training can help prevent problems by changing the terms of your relationship with your pet. “The animal learns, when I do this, you’re happy and I get a piece of food, I guess I should focus on making you happy,” she says. “Teaching our cats to successfully do what we like and get rewarded makes them more inclined to do what we like.”

And it’s also rewarding to see that your cat is capable of so much more than lying on the couch. Says Lagreca, “It’s fun to watch the progression and see the lights go on – when they make that connection it’s a magical moment.”

Heart Coherence is a term describing a state of being when all bodily systems are synchronized at a high performance state. When a group comes together sharing a common intention, each individual is like a tuning fork resonating to the vibration of others nearby. At the 2009 CELLebration conference in Santa Fe, NM, 77 TTouch inspired human beings experienced profound heart coherence from the moment we gathered together.  Linda Tellington-Jones, the founder of the Tellington TTouch Method and TEAM, led us to a place of higher awareness and connection through her presence, her compassion and her infinite wisdom.

Rachel Allen P1, CA and me

The church bells of the neighbouring Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi serenaded our conference with regular chimes, a melody that has been heard in downtown Santa Fe continuously since 1887. From the deck outside our conference room a statue of the Saint could be seen gracing the church entrance. In the type of synchronicity that seems commonplace with TTouch, St Francis of Assisi is historically known as the patron saint of animals. I believe we all felt his presence as our conference delved deeply into the realm of compassion for and communication with animals.

Presenters from Canada, the US and Germany delivered enticing seminars on topics ranging from the practical and scientific to the spiritual and divine. A few of the topics that were visited included techniques for managing fearful, reactive and aggressive behaviour in dogs. A veterinarian from Germany gave a detailed presentation on hormones and disease in dogs and horses, focussing on explaining hyper and hypothyroidism. We entered into an Animal Assisted Interventions Program that has helped inner-city children and teens gain self-confidence and communication skills through respectful contact with animals. We were taken through 27 years of TTouch programs that have helped children learn about themselves and gain compassion for animals all over the world. A touching presentation brought awareness to the concept of hospice for our animal friends who are in their end-stages of life. Through meditation we were taken on a journey into the world of animal communication. A heart-warming slideshow demonstrated the existence of interspecies communication the world over.

The most important gifts of learning that I have brought home with me are not of the kind that can be taken down as notes in my book. While I did learn valuable techniques and information that will help me with my clients, the most significant learning I received was the integration of some key concepts into my own being. We must acknowledge that we are all connected, quite literally, through our electromagnetic fields. Linda speaks of the Divine Matrix, a web throughout the universe on which we all exist. Each thought we have, each emotion we allow ourselves to experience impacts that web in either a positive or negative way. What are we choosing to put out to the universe?

Becoming mentally and energetically ‘ready’ before we begin the work is an essential component of TTouch. This involves clearing our minds of all thought and connecting ourselves to the grounding energies of the Earth. We must be 100% present for TTouch to have a maximum effect. The idea of intention is one that I always discuss in my workshops, however, I did not fully appreciate its significance until I witnessed what it can do. Linda uses the phrase, “Remember your perfection,” with each circle she performs. She literally speaks to the cells of the body through her intention. It is crucial to be able to see each being at their highest potential. This means clearly visualizing the desired behaviour or level of health that we are looking for. We must be able to feel it and experience it as if it has already happened. When performing the work, we need to consider our own reactions to what we see. The most successful practitioners have trained themselves to not react at all. After the moment of witnessing an unwanted behaviour or a decreased level of health, most of us react (outwardly or inwardly) with emotions such as fear, pity, sadness or anger. These reactions cannot be disguised. But what if we choose to meet fear with self-confidence or reactivity with stillness? When we demonstrate appropriate emotions or behaviours it is easier for the animals to make the desired change.

What inspired me the most at CELLebration to take my journey with TTouch to the next level was the people. Everyone was at a different place with TTouch in their lives, but there were similarities of character that were impossible to overlook. A selfless devotion to the work and to the animals (and people) whom they help was a common thread connecting everyone. Some practitioners have dedicated decades of their lives to increasing the awareness of the need for the world to see animals as equals, treating them with respect and dignity. Others have dramatically improved the wellbeing and standard of living of animals and people by performing the work with passion and dedication. Each day was filled with touching and almost unbelievable stories and of how TTouch has changed lives and improved situations.

By the time that Linda led the closing ceremonies on the final day, each one of the participants had experienced an incredible journey. We were touched, moved, inspired and motivated. And as for the heart coherence we created over those magical four days? It didn’t diminish after we all went our separate ways. When we are united with a common vision of raising vibrations through gentleness and kindness, we truly do have the power to change the world.

❤

Rachel is a P1 for Companion Animals living on beautiful Vancouver Island in BC, Canada. TTouch has been in her life for about 4 years. She left a career in health care two years ago to begin a home business teaching workshops, holding presentations and working with clients. Rachel travels the mid and southern communities on Vancouver Island spreading the TTouch work and promoting compassion for animals wherever she goes. “TTouch has changed my life and the lives of all the animals I know. What a blessing to have this gift at my fingertips.” Rachel is also a freelance writer contributing TTouch and animal related articles to a local community focussed magazine, The Beacon. She lives in Victoria with her wonderful husband, Chris, their soon-to-be first child, and her beloved canine companion Maximus.

Rachel Allen and her canine companion, Maximus

Whew! It was a hustle and bustle week here in Santa Fe and we are still working on my vision of TTouch! Each of you was here in spirit with us as we celebrated the animals in our lives and remembered the animals who are in need.

While I gather my thoughts about how to share with you the magic of all the week’s presentations and social activities, I thought I’d post a few photos. Enjoy!

Krystyna Jurzykowski and me as she prepares to give the opening blessing and invocation of the Five Spirits

These are our fabulous crystals, arranged around a heart-shaped rock

Karin Freiling gives a presentation on some of the dogs who are SO LUCKY to come into her life and TTOUCH care

TTOUCH Practitioner Daniela Zurr, DVM of Germany gives a fascinating presentation on common hidden veterinary issues faced by dogs. More on this later!

In the beautiful Teraza Room of La Fonda on the Plaza, the group sends out Heart Hugs around the world

Zia Telfair, a HeartMath Trainer,demonstrates how the emWave™ can help us learn to achieve greater Heart Coherence. Later we spoke by Skype with Anna Wise!

At our delicious buffet luncheon, from left: Verena Kreupe, Angela Neumann, Karin Freiling, a very happy me, Sandra Burnett, Tanya Welsch, and a friend enjoying the sunshine and good company

That’s it for now…stay tuned for more photos and more details of the CELLebration!