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My 1990 Zambia Chimpanzee Chronicles, Part IV

Impressions:

Clumps of chimps falling out of the trees following the crack of overloaded branches. The loud rustle of leaves as the chimps break off fruit. And behind the anthill, Harriet has been grunting, playing patticake, tickling, teasing, playing, and wrestling with Tober for over 30 minutes.

The sun is shifting and it’s time to move my towel another 2 feet around the tree. Uh, Oh, Chimp attack! Sandy comes up and starts playing under my towel. I’ve taken my socks and shoes off and I quickly stuff them under the towel. But Tobra rushes up and pushes Sandy away, grabbing a sock in the melee and off he triumphantly tears.

Sock tag, sock tag, off they run, up and down the trees, slapping the ground, teasing, leaping onto a branch which comes crackling down and whomp!, a chimp thumps onto the ground, leaps up and gallops off.

After ten minutes or so, the sock, stretched, chewed and slightly the worse for wear, drops out of a tree into Harriet’s territory. Got it!

I give up, pen and journal go into my pack, and I deposit it in the safe hands of Patrick. No chimp dares to take it from him. And I join Harriet in chimp wrestling. Tara has taught Harriet how to play. By gently taking Harriet’s hand in her mouth, Harriet has learned to trust her. They somersault roll, patticake, and wrestle. Sandy soon joins her and it’s two to one for the chimps.

I observe for a bit. It looks like too much fun to pass up, so I get into the act. Now it’s two chimps to two humans. Sandy and Tara leap on us, somersault and land upside down in our laps. I swing Sandy around by an arm and a leg and he can’t get enough. Harriet has Torah hanging by the feet and swinging. What a barrel of monkeys!

I spend a good 30 minutes carefully grooming Torah. He flattens out his belly, head resting on his arms, and loves every second of the attention. When he was playing earlier he would close his eyes, race toward me and somersault into my lap.

My 1990 Zambia Chimpanzee Chronicles, Part III

Dec. 22,Chimfunsi: 6:00 a.m. The alarm gently breaks my dream state. One hour until the chimps go into the forest. Sheila suggested we sleep in and follow them later, but we’ve come half way around the world to find this orphanage. “I can sleep when I’m dead,” Moshe used to say. I dress a little reluctantly and wake Harriet 45 minutes later. What about breakfast? “Oh” she says, “The alarm is set on Kenyan time.” I was up at 5:00 a.m.! Back into bed I climb for a short return to dreamtime.

6:45 a.m.,Zambian time, this time! Tracy and I make cheese and toast sandwiches. Add a coveted Swiss chocolate bar, hoarded until this moment.

7:05 a.m. Everyone–Sheila, David, Harriet, Tracy, Mark, Patrick and I, hoist a clinging chimp onto our hip and parade down the road into the woods. Here, all 9 chimps are set down and the adventure begins. Each day they venture into the forest for 7 hours for walks and just to scatter about, sit in the trees, relax, eat fruit and learn. Rita wants to hold my hand and tries to convince me to pick her up. But she needs the exercise. Her 30+ pounds are a lot to pack on my hip.

Chimps gallop along behind Patrick, spread out on both sides of the trail, 14 humans mixed between. They drink out of mushrooms 9 inches across, then knock them over and gallop on. Up a tree goes Coco to bring down a mouthful of orange nuts, fruit inside.

Sandy, Tara, Rita, Cora, Boo Boo, Tobas, Donna, Coco. Donna discovers a piece of burlap sack and a chase ensues. Up and down trees, over stumps, diving between close branches. “Watch out!” Tobas’ trick is to swing a branch on someone’s head.

We stop for a break after 30 minutes of walking. Some youngsters climb up a nearby ant hill and into the branches of the tree on top. Sandy hangs out with Harriet who works on his ears to help his cold. My camera comes out and I start the fun of photographing cavorting chimps.

Donna suddenly swings by and grabs our back pack which is lying against a log upon which Tracy is sitting. Tracy yells at her and makes a lunge for the pack as it is being zipped away. Tobra reacts to protect Donna by biting Tracy on the calf. Patrick leaps up and yells at him. Up the ant hill he tears. Tracy is in considerable pain. Two blue holes appear. The skin is severed over these two tooth marks, but it is not bleeding externally. Her calf is in spasm. I start TTouch, working first about six inches all around. Within 15 minutes the pain is reduced by at least half, and the wound is shrinking before our eyes. Thirty minutes later the tooth marks have disappeared and there is absolutely no discomfort!

We continue on our way through the woods.

From My Email: Helpful Tips For Trailering Problems

I just love getting emails like the one below. It is gratifying in the extreme to know that I have the tools to help someone facing a difficult situation.

Dear Linda,

I know your are very busy but I still will send this. I have started TTouch on my horse about 6 weeks ago. He is a 17 hand Warmblood, turning 7 years in April. He had a bad start in Germany. I have reason to believe he was pushed hard as a 4 year old and tore some muscles in the semimembranosis area..down the back of the hind leg. I doubt if he was given proper care but just turned out..probably lame.

He is hot blooded and reactive and I have had one bad accident with him…rearing and bucking left me with a smashed face and broken wrist. He was coming back from stall rest after an injury to his annular ligament right after I got him home from Germany. He was 5 yrs. old at that time and not well broke. I didn’t know him very well.

After a year of work he is getting better and better in mind and body and your exercises have really helped. The mouth exercises did wonders to his reaction to the bit. It was amazing.

My problem is that he is easy to load in the trailer but once in there he gets very impatient and paws constantly as we go forward. He throws his head around and rocks the trailer back and forth. He will be in a sweat when we arrive at our destination. I have trailered out once a week for several months and tried going on short trips every day but he still continues to get stressed. I do put him on ranitidine (Zantac) to protect his stomach when going to a lesson. The trip to the lesson is only 20 minutes and I do not take the freeway because he really hates the sound of the traffic.

I need to be able to trailer this horse and I am afraid he is going to eventually hurt himself. Any ideas how I can improve this situation?

Thanks,

“bluesky”

My 1990 Zambia Chimpanzee Chronicles, Part II

To refresh your memory of the first installment of my Zambia Chimanzee Chronicles, read this post.

The chimps have met us gently, taking our hands on theirs. Sandy, one of the 14-year-o1ds, has a cold. I work on his ears and he hugs the wire and sticks his ear out to me. Cooo reaches out and grabs the money out of my pocket. Sheila rescues it just in time.

From 5-6 p.m. is the time the chimps try to break out, so David must go carefully around all the cages checking the wire. We make a tour of the 7 acre enclosure. An enormous wall surrounds it, 15 feet tall with electric wire planned for the top. There will be a lower strand of electric wire at 5 feet. The resourceful chimps will most likely break off branches and lean them against the wall to scale it. David feels that they should know the wire is electrified before they get up to 15 feet, touch it and fall back so far.

Only the gate remains to be finished, and the roof of the cement holding areas, and the wire around the top. David figures another 2 months.

The area is heavily wooded and grassed. We sit around the outside table in the twilight discussing TTouch and TTeam.

Sheila treats all the Zambians in the ranch compound (village) and is very interested in TTouch.

8:30 p.m. Darkness descends. The 9/10th full moon lights the African night. We go into the house for dinner of boiled potatoes, stew, squash and mixed veggies. And directly after, fall into bed. The generator is turned off and we wash up by the light of the kerosene lanterns. Our rooms don’t have mosquito nets. I learn the next day that malaria-carrying mozzies don’t buzz and don’t leave an itchy spot. Who knows if we’ve been bitten or not. Within the first week that Tracy arrived with Mark from England, she contracted malaria. Tracy had only been on anti-malaria tablets for a week. Same with me. Tracy’s malaria started with intense fever and dizziness. It lasted about a day, which she spent mostly sleeping and returned lightly a week later with weakness. David and Sheila get malaria frequently in spite of 16 years of anti-malaria tablets.

Upcoming Book, The Chimpanzee Chronicles, Reminds me of My Time With Chimps in Zambia

I have been communicating with Debra Rosenman, a certified Rubenfeld Synergist, and Jessica O’Donoghue, an animal behavior consultant, about my work with chimpanzees in the 1990’s. Debra and Jessica met at Kindred Spirits Animal Sanctuary in New Mexico during one of my trainings there this year, and began a conversation about Debra’s upcoming book, the Chimpanzee Chronicles. I find it so inspiring how wonderful people meet and share ideas at our trainings.

This exchange reminds me of my time in Zambia and New York City TTouching apes and monkeys. I spent only a few brief moments in passing with a beautiful baboon female under the streets of New York City at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, where thousands of animals are kept for research. I can see and feel her beauty and her desperate eyes as though it were yesterday. The consciousness that was present was so clear that I wonder how we humans can be so unaware. I was at Sloan-Kettering research at the time discussing the fate of 6 pig-tailed macaques scheduled to be sold to a biomedical research center by Hunter College. I met with the veterinarians in charge of the Hunter College apes to convince them that we could offer a worthwhile life in retirement instead.

Raffi’s Goodbye: TTouch and Palliative Care

Over the past 28 years since the magical circles we call Tellington TTouch have come into being, we have received countless stories from grateful people who have found that TTouch reduces fear and pain during the final stages of transition from this life to the next – the passage that Hawaiians refer to as “changing address”; and others refer to as “crossing the Rainbow Bridge”. May this poignant story of Raffael aid and support you during the transition of a beloved family member .
Aloha,
Linda (from Rockville, Maryland, June 2nd, 2011)

Using TTouch to Cultivate A Sense of Balance in Racehorses

Jakie Forbes has been teaching Tellington TTouch in the Southeast for many years. She organized a wonderful training for me in Louisiana about 20 years ago. It is inspiring to see how her influence continues to spread. We have had some remarkable changes in race horses over the years, and I hope to post more about them here soon.

Angelita steps out with a leader on each side. Photo courtesy Jorie Hanson, Clayton Patch.com

Take a look at an article about Jakie Forbes’ use of TTouch in training horses for the track here.

I particularly love the following from the article:

First, we want them to be aware of their own bodies. Like humans, young horses are awkward. We want to cultivate their sense of balance as well as an awareness of the power of their hindquarters. Without such training, they naturally place the bulk of their weight on their front feet, leaving them without the controlled sense of thrust and balance that they need in order to carry out any of the performances that we so admire in horses, whether it be dressage, jumping or racing.

Although one person traditionally leads a horse, we often “double lead” when we are doing the training. The horse seems to feel more secure with a person holding a lead attached to each side of the horse’s halter. The leaders are safe and work as a team to help the horse stay in balance when facing the unfamiliar.

So many details and signals make interaction with horses more pleasurable and safe. At the same time, the horse is learning a great deal about its potential for communication and movement in harmony with humans.

Enjoy!

Mindful Handler, Peaceful Dog

I landed in Washington, DC from Germany May 25th and on the evening of the 27th, I taught a very well-attended training, TTouch for You and Your Dog I am bringing in a new aspect that people really seem to resonate with – teaching them the Three Magic TTouches for self-help to enhance personal well-being and reduce stress and acknowledging these touches as gifts from our animals.

I will be doing the same on Tuesday the 21st at the fund-raiser in Santa Fe so if you are in the area call my Santa Fe office at 800 854 8326 for the venue and details.

I thought you might enjoy this blog post, reprinted with permission from the author, Kirsten, on her lovely blog, Peaceful Dog.

Update From the Road!

Roland and I have been on the road since April 1st on a slightly whirl-wind tour. My days have been so full I simply had no time to write about the experiences but have many notes and plan to write more for my blog when I return home.

The 2 months have been action-packed with the following trainings. Our first stop was in Switzerland for a week-long dog training. Then; Germany at Klaus Balkenhols stable where I gave a day-long seminar for dressage horses for 135 members of Xenophon; a 3-day Advanced training for horse and dog practitioners at a German spa; 5 days of private work at a phenomenal dressage stable near Munich; a very exciting 3 day workshop in Italy featuring 5 leading event and endurance riders; a day-long training for care-givers at a senior home in the north of Germany; a week-long TTouch for You training at a German spa, and now this week-long human TTouch training in spectacular mountain country south of Vienna that was formerly the summer vacation spot for royalty. There is a fairy-tale Disney-like castle just up the road that was formerly a Rothchild summer home.

Helping Horses With Herd-Bound Behavior

How do I discourage herd-bound behavior?

Q. I have been training an 8-year-old Quarter Horse/Arabian gelding for a couple of months, but before I began working with him, he had very little human contact although he had been backed and was rideable. He is very reliant on his pasture buddies, which in turn, causes him to always be tense. Whenever I get him out, he is always looking for them; if he sees them he stares at them and pays no attention to me at all. He would even rather stare at them than have treats. How can I get him to be more reliant on me and be less tense?

New YouTube Video from Green Chimneys

I’m in Germany having just the best time working with amazing horses, and thanks to the folks at Eurodressage, I found this wonderful YouTube video demonstration of TTouch at work in the Playground for Higher Learning at Green Chimneys in Brewster, N.Y. I was there in April of 2009 for the Humane Education Conference, which was co-sponsored by Green Chimneys and the ASPCA.

Charlie the Therapy Bassett Hound and PiT Patricia Tirrell Visit the Durham Rehabilitation Center

I just had to share this short and moving story by Patricia Tirrell, a Tellington TTouch Practitioner-in-Training with you. The wonders animals are able to achieve still amaze me, day after day. Enjoy!

Charlie and I were visiting at The Durham Rehabilitation Center with a young woman who had had a stroke. Her left hand was still in the shape of a club and much of her left side was semi-paralyzed. She was the only person in the recreation room with Charlie and me while the recreation therapist, Betsy, went to go get more patients to start the session.

Great News!

I am pleased to announce that Tellington TTouch Training, Inc. is now approved by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTMB) as a continuing education Approved Provider.

A Japanese Monk Sent this Prayer Request On Behalf of the People and Creatures of Japan

I am just heading off to the Aloha Center for Spiritual Living which teaches the philosophy of Science of Mind, founded by Ernest Holmes. The following core concept is from the Ernest Holmes book “How to Change Your Life” with a foreword by Reverend Dr. Michael Beckwith. These teaching were founded in the 1950’s and fit perfectly with the new understanding and merging of science and spirituality inspired by Quantum Physics.

A quote from Ernest Holmes that I believe is so valuable in these challenging times of devastating earthquakes and tsunamis:

“My thoughts are in control of my experience and I can control my thinking”. We can all help to create the world we want to see by holding thoughts of a positive outcome rather than falling into a place of fear. There are many studies that prove the value of how positive thought by groups can help to shape the world we like to see.

Some of my favorite books that are full of informative examples of how our thoughts shape our world are by Lynne McTaggart, Gregg Braden, Bruce Lipton, Larry Dossy and Dr. Emoto.

My sister, Robyn Hood just sent me the following prayer request from a Japanese monk. Join me in doing a few minutes of TTouch Heart Hugs and sending love to all the people and animals who are effected by the earthquake and tsunami and nuclear plant damage, as well as the chaos that is happening on the other side of the world in the Middle East.

Awesome Interspecies Relationships

This story fromWild Rose Rescue Ranch.

Noah the Dove

Noah

A Message From Debby Potts, TTouch Instructor

TTouch Instructors Debby Potts and Lauren McCall have been teaching Tellington TTouch in Japan for Companion Animals, horses and bunnies for many years. Debby was teaching a horse training in Japan when the earthquake struck and Lauren was in the air just 30 minutes from landing in Tokyo. Their on-the-spot stories that were sent out in our ENEWS on Friday, March 25th, give us a sense of being there in those historical first hours.

Animals are very important to Japanese people. I was so touched by these photos of animals living in the shelters with their people. Japan set a new precedent for the rest of the world to follow in times of crisis by allowing animals to accompany their families into the human shelters.

Authorities in charge of rescue housing must grok the need to care for our animal companions in the case of disaster as we would care for humans. Let us hold the intention that Japan will be a new model for the future for the United States and the rest of the world, so that never again will animals have to be left behind as they were during the Katrina disaster.

Please send your prayers and donations if you can. I understand there is a need for food, water and food bowls, pee pads, leashes, blankets and other supplies for all the dogs, cats, birds and other animal companions who are in shelters and may remain there for many months. By helping the animals, I know we are directly reaching out and making a difference in the lives of their guardians who love them so dearly.

My special thanks to Debby and Lauren for the spectacular work they are doing in Japan; to all the Japan TTouch Family who are reaching out to others to help in this time; and to all of you who send your prayers and donations.

Lets join our hearts and minds
with healing intention and support
sending Heart Hugs to the people and animals of Japan
with the feelings of Understanding, Gratitude, Forgiveness, and Compassion
and together, let us
Change the World,
One TTouch at a Time.

Many of you know that I have been teaching in Japan for the past 17 years. I love Japan and look forward to the trips I make there every year. The time is filled with TTouch, great people and animals, and wonderful food.

My most recent trip was also filled with the events I want to share here. I was teaching a basic horse workshop on March 11 and had just started a demonstration when the ground started shaking. That happens in Japan from time to time and we waited for it to stop – except this time it just kept getting bigger!

The Great Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan: How You Can Help the Animals

The Great Earthquake

The Northeastern side of Japan suffered a major earthquake and subsequent tsunami on March 11, 2011. Many areas, especially the coastal towns, have been literally washed away. Though it is true that incredible numbers of people are suffering greatly from the aftermath of this unprecedented disaster, we also need to think of our animal friends. Fortunately many, many people were able to escape with their animals, but just as many were washed ashore either with their people or not . . . There are not as many animals wandering through the disaster area as compared to the Great Hanshin Earthquake. Many of the animals did not survive the tsunami.

Locked-In Syndrome: Graham Miles Demonstrates the Power of Intention and Neural Plasticity

This wonderful story, sent to me by my friend Sherry Scott, who says,

As Bruce Lipton has proven scientifically now, our belief systems even override our DNA so there is nothing that is impossible if the belief is there. This should prove that those in the medical industry should NEVER speak of illness or disability in such a way that it damages the patient’s belief in recovery.

Spotlight on TTouch Practitioner Linda Troup: Profound Gratitude

Linda Troup, a Tellington TTouch Practitioner I from San Diego, California has been a real inspiration for me as I followed her progress throughout the past few years. Finding TTouch while trying to help her dog Sammi recover from back problems led her to become one of our most forward-thinking and creative practitioners. Linda has gotten out into her community, bringing awareness to the plight of rescue dogs, the issues that face shelters and shelter dogs, and French Bulldog rescue. Equally important, Linda has followed her intuition and her heart, bringing her passion and love for animals to the task of saving the lives of dogs while contributing to the knowledge base of Tellington TTouch Training.

As we move forward through the 21st century, I envision passionate, courageous, and determined young minds like Linda joining forces with our instructors and practitioners to further develop the Tellington Method© and increase its impact on the world of animals everywhere. Linda, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your courage, heart, and skill! You are truly changing the world one TTouch at a time.

Kindness: Seeking the Real Cause of “Misbehavior” in Horses

The word “Kindness” has not been commonly associated with the training of horses. Kindness requires a level of understanding that I believe has been missing in the field of equine behavior. In the last decade there is so much more information available to give us a better understanding of horse behavior.

In 1975 I had an epiphany when I discovered the relationship between pain in a horse’s body and undesirable behavior. In the ensuing years it has become ever more apparent just how many different elements affect behavior. Teeth, hoof care, saddle fit, stress, fear, tight nosebands, brow bands or breastplates, nutrition, allergies, hormones, conformation, riding style, rider’s attitude, exercise, stabling, companionship, pain, stiffness and soreness all influence equine behavior. Unfortunately, more often than not, these causes of resistance are unrecognized or ignored. The term “horse whisperer” is so often heard, but I love my sister Robyn’s comment that it is time we learn to listen to the whispers of our horses. Horses whose “whispers” are ignored or misread are commonly labeled as being dominant, stubborn, spooky, nervous, lazy or are thought to have a “bad attitude.”

From My Email: Memories Of Equitana

At last year’s Equitana in Essen, Germany, I had the pleasure of working with Meyke Kalms’ endurance horse Risa. She just wrote to let me know she and Risa would be there again this year. It’s a huge disappointment that I will not be able to be there.

Dear Linda,
Do you remember the Equitana 2009? My name is Meyke Kalms and we did some shows together with my horse Sonrisa del Sol, called Risa. She’s a brown mare, 11 years old and “working” on endurance races.

I’m Sorry to Report I Won’t Be at Equitana This Year

I’m so disappointed to tell you that I will not be able to attend Equitana this year due to a problem with my teeth. ‘ve been a featured presenter since the 1970’s. Bibi Degn will be giving the demos in my place and at my stand in Hall 1. You can get advice from Tellington Teachers and send me greetings from Equitana on Facebook.

My teeth problems began in September in Germany when I bit down on a brochien that had a stone in it and fractured two front teeth. This resulted in an infection in my jaw that won;t be repaired in time for Equitana! Be careful the next time you bite into a hard piece of bread! Ii look forward to meeting you all on facebook!

Josie Overcomes Aggression Toward Other Dogs With the Help of a “Stuffie”

I’m sometimes asked if I ever get tired of hearing the stories about animals whose lives are changed by Tellington TTouch® Training. The answer is a clear, “Definitely not”. The stories and feedback are what keep me inspired and passionate about sharing the work. So I would love to hear any of your stories no matter what the animals.

During the TTouch Advanced training for Companion animals in St. Paul Minnesota last year we invited several interesting dogs with extreme behavior issues to be demos for the class. The 8 year old German Shepherd, Josie came to us with her companion, Bill who just sent me this letter of thanks which i wish to share. Josie is a lovely dog with humans but 3 trainers had been unsuccessful at bringing her to a place where she could be trusted to be near another dog. With the help of  a “stuffy” in the beginning, Josie came to a point in about an hour of calmly accepting two other dogs in the room. An act that Bill had not dared to hope for. He sent a few photos to demonstrate the success. I’m including his website, the Human Chrysalis about his touching and inspiring emergence from care-giver to a new life.

This “Bear Attack” Is the Heart-Warming Gift of Interspecies Connection

A friend forwarded this priceless email to me today. These photos touched my heart with both joy and sadness for the misunderstandings and fear that have existed between man and  so many of the 4-leggeds. This is the second case I have seen of a rescued baby polar bear bonding with a human for company. There is something special happening on this planet in terms of interspecies relationships and the more we recognize them, the more they happen. I am hoping the photographer will see my blog and give us the whole story. If any of you readers have more info as to how to contact the photographer, please let me know. In the meantime, I thank him or her for the heart-warming gift.

Bear Attack in Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

These are pictures of an actual polar bear attack.  The pictures were taken while people watched and could do nothing to stop the attack!

Reports from the local newspaper say that the victim will make a full recovery. 

May your troubles always be smaller than you imagine!

The Intelligence of Dogs

Dogs have been close family members now for 70 years. Hard to believe, but one of my earlier photos that Mother had in our album was me sitting on the porch of our tent/house in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories of Canada when I was 3 years old. She said she had just interrupted a little breakfast  – a piece of bacon I was sharing with our dog.

As I write this, our Westie, Rayne, is lying on the couch sleeping since it well past 11PM and she rarely goes to bed without me. I’m fascinated by the intelligence of dogs, and their amazing ability to communicate with us in so many subtle, and not so subtle ways. I’m delighted that there more articles being written about the intelligence of dogs. I enjoyed this one in the New York Times that was sent to me by TTouch Practitioner Jessica O’Donoghue entitled,

Sit. Stay. Parse. Good Girl!

There is also a video of  Chaser, the “border collie who lives in Spartanburg, S.C., and has the largest vocabulary of any known dog. She knows 1,022 nouns, a record that displays unexpected depths of the canine mind and may help explain how children acquire language.” You can watch it here.

Related Articles

• American Border Collie Has Largest Known Dog Vocabulary (bespacific.com)
• Dog knows names for 1,022 items (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Dogs are smarter than you think (whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com)
• http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/18/science/18dog.html?ref=general&src=me&pagewanted=all (nytimes.com)
• Good Dog! (mindblog.dericbownds.net)

Padme and Leia’s First TTouch Experience: A Tellington TTouch® Certification Case Study

I had lovely feedback about my piece on “Miracles” in my New Years/Christmas letter and I’ve been thinking a lot about the subject ever since. We see so many seeming-miracles in the TTouch with all species. A requirement of the Tellington TTouch® certification training for Companion Animals is to write up case studies on dogs and kitties and sometimes bunnies, depending upon the future focus of the student. Here is a typical case study about two kitties by Corinne Cevaer-Corey after her 2nd week-long training.

Although most of us who work with cats find that they develop a level of trust that just seems impossible in such a short time, nevertheless, it so often seems like a miracle.

Even though I  have been doing this work and teaching it and seeing such changes for more than 25 years, it is just as thrilling and I am just as grateful as I was the first time – perhaps even more so, for the fact that I feel so blessed each time.

Thank you, Corinne, for sharing these stories of the kitty at Best Friends in Utah, and your Padme and Leia.

A Special Invitation to Share Your Stories

Please send your story (100 words or less) of how TTouch helped you personally, or how TTouch has helped another two-legged/human in your life. We will use these stories for the teleclass and in our eNews.
You can email your story to Sage at Sage@DancingPorcupine.com. Please also send a copy to Linda for the TTouch website and her blog.

And don’t forget to sign up for next Wednesday’s (January 19) teleclass. Remember, if you don’t have free long-distance phone service, you can call on Skype.

Tellington TTouch For You
“Talk Story” of TTouch for Humans
A Gift from the Animals with Linda Tellington-Jones and Sage Lewis

January 19, 2011
8:30-10:00pm EST (5:30-7:00pm PST)
Cost is only $19! (credit cards accepted)

Friendship

I get so much joy from some of the interspecies connections that come across my desk I’ve decided to share them on my blog from time to time. I hope you get as much delight as i do when I feel the connection between these two. This was sent to me by my friend, Christine Hillis from Edmonton, Alberta. Christine went to school with my brother, Randy, and became a shopping companion and later a care-giver to our Mother, Marion in the last  of years of her life. Mom and Christine came to visit us in Hawaii once, and so our friendship has deepened over the years.
Although I don’t see her often, we stay in touch through email and the quote she sent me actually describes our friendship and the friendship I feel for so many of you who have connected with me through TTouch courses, from emails you send me, and from the amazing Facebook.

‘No distance of place or lapse of time

can lessen the friendship

of those who are thoroughly

persuaded of each other’s worth.’

Robert Southey (1774 – 1843)

 

A deer visits a cat in a yard every morning… There is nothing more wonderful than animals ! This cat in Harrisburg  has her friend that comes to see her every morning. The owner finally took pics.

2010 in Review: Thanks for Making it Super Fun to Blog!

The stats helper monkeys at WordPress.com mulled over how my blog did in 2010, and here’s a summary of its overall blog health:

The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads Wow.