Focus on the Good and Reap the Benefits of Positive Thinking

My friend, Elaine Garley, sent me this DailyOM article after she’d had to deal with my venting frustrations about some people in my life. Whether you accept the “vibration” concept or not, the final paragraph is worth trying out. I did, and it really did help. If you’re butting heads with a person or situation over whom/which you have no control, also throw in a Serenity Prayer while you’re at it. It’s not just for AA anymore. 

God (Goddess/Higher Power, etc.) grant me the serenity

to accept the things I cannot change,

the courage to change the things I can,

and the wisdom to know the difference.

It’s good advice.—Sid

 

August 25, 2011 Focus on the Good Raise Your Vibration

There are many ways to raise your vibration including thinking positive and uplifting thoughts. Everything in the universe is made of energy. What differentiates one form of energy from another is the speed at which it vibrates. For example, light vibrates at a very high frequency, and something like a rock vibrates at a lower frequency but a frequency nonetheless. Human beings also vibrate at different frequencies. Our thoughts and feelings can determine the frequency at which we vibrate, and our vibration goes out into the world and attracts to us energy moving at a similar frequency. This is one of the ways that we create our own reality, which is why we can cause a positive shift in our lives by raising our vibration. We all know someone we think of as vibrant. Vibrant literally means “vibrating very rapidly.” The people who strike us as vibrant are vibrating at a high frequency, and they can inspire us as we work to raise our vibration. On the other hand, we all know people that are very negative or cynical. These people are vibrating at a lower frequency. They can also be an inspiration because they can show us where we don’t want to be vibrating and why. To discover where you are in terms of vibrancy, consider where you fall on a scale between the most pessimistic person you know and the most vibrant. This is not in order to pass judgment, but rather it is important to know where you are as you begin working to raise your frequency so that you can notice and appreciate your progress. There are many ways to raise your vibration, from working with affirmations to visualizing enlightened entities during meditation. One of the most practical ways to raise your vibration is to consciously choose where you focus your attention. To understand how powerful this is, take five minutes to describe something you love unreservedly-a person, a movie, an experience. When your five minutes are up, you will noticeably feel more positive and even lighter. If you want to keep raising your vibration, you might want to commit to spending five minutes every day focusing on the good in your life. As you do this, you will train yourself to be more awake and alive. Over time, you will experience a permanent shift in your vibrancy.

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Petlitzer Prize Round 4 Winners Announced

Congratulations to our talented writers who can proudly claim the following Petlitzer Prizes for their submissions to our Dark and Stormy Night short story prompt:

First Place: Elaine Garley, of Minneapolis, MN

Second Place: Liz Hartman, of Merritt Island, FL

Third Place: Kathi DuTilly, of Jeffersonton, VA

And here are those entries in their entirety:

First Place Winner by Elaine Garley 

It was a dark and stormy night, and my puppy was on his first camping trip in northern Minnesota. Just hours ago my husband, Teddy Bare the 10-week old Wheaten Terrier puppy, and I settled in our tent to enjoy the great sleeping weather. After a day of officiating at a white water kayak race, we were ready for some great outdoor sleeping. A slight breeze caused the tent to make flapping noises. Since it was the 1980’s, we didn’t have access to Doppler radar and had no idea what was headed our way!

Around midnight the tent started rocking from the winds and whipping the flaps. A loud clash of close thunder woke me.  The dark and stormy night was at our camp site! The sky lit up with lightening dancing across the sky. Well, I hoped it was dancing across the sky and not touching the ground near us. Since we camped in rain before, I knew we could handle it. Both John and Teddy Bare didn’t react and kept sleeping.  Crack! Flashing lightening and the rain came down in sheets. Oh no — reality started to settle in. Hmmm, a huge tent with a metal dog crate in a lightning storm. How wise was that?  Yikes, it was time to move!

I grabbed the metal crate with Teddy who was still sound asleep, my pillow and a blanket. I unzipped the huge door and stepped out under the awning. Then zipped the door shut. Was the van unlocked?  Crash, bang, clash, lighting flashing! The lightening provided wonderful lighting so I could see the fire pit. The rain came down in sheets and we got soaked in the 15 feet to the van. Fortunately the doors were unlocked and we settled in for the stormy night. Teddy Bare was calm and cuddly as he slept with his puppy breathe in my face. For a 10-week old puppy, he took everything in stride. This was normal to him.  I fell asleep on the hard rubber mat curled under the blanket.

Several hours later, I woke up to quiet. The rain stopped. It was a beautiful night with stars shining. I decided to go back to the comfort of a sleeping bag and the tent. I took Teddy Bare out for a quick visit to the woods and went to the tent. I quietly unzipped the door and stepped in. John said quietly, “What are you doing here?” I said I wanted to sleep in the sleeping bag. John laughed! “I’m on the only dry spot in the tent. Go back to the van!” So Teddy Bare and I went back to the van and slept until the sun rose. What a great way to spend a “dark and stormy night!”

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Second Place Winner by Liz Hartman

The Thug and the Cat Carrier

It was a dark and stormy night, and my cat was hunkered down in the windowsill watching the thunder and lightening through eyes as big as the tops of tuna cans. How, I wondered, would my pampered house cat react to his first airplane ride and being ushered into the body of a large winged thing.

My cat is not your ordinary cat. His name is Thug. Why? He has been pushy and arrogant since he was a kitten, and he has not mellowed with the passage of time. However, he does have his moments of love and affection for me when he hears the can opener. I have learned to live with Thug’s likes and dislikes, because he has learned to live with mine. We live harmoniously in a home with various hiding places to accommodate Thug’s disappearing act when he hears the words vet and annual visit.

Close friends invited both of us to visit their new home in the country. To ensure an easy transition from house cat to airline passenger, I first spoke with Thug’s veterinarian and contacted the airlines.

My veterinarian laughed as we discussed Thug encountering an airplane. He was aware of Thug’s examining room antics, which consisted of puffed up fur, flattened ears, low guttural growls, and an overall bad-cat behavior. He said I could ease the transition by using perseverance and patience, and Thug must have time to adapt to the carrier. Under no circumstances should any pushing, shoving or screaming be allowed by either of us.

The airline representative explained a valid shot record, boarding fee, and airline approved cat carrier would be required. I purchased an approved carrier that could be hand-carried into the airplane and fit comfortably under my seat.

I arrived home with the carrier, and Thug greeted me at the door. I patted his head, scratched his ears, and placed the carrier in the living room. Thug began to check out this new addition to his domain. He carefully walked around the carrier stopping and sniffing every inch of it. He saw me watching and immediately walked away from the carrier, flopped down in his favorite chair (formerly mine), curled up, and went to sleep.

Thug totally ignored the cat carrier for the next several days, and I was becoming nervous and apprehensive about the upcoming trip. After day five, Thug and the cat carrier were resting in their respective places—Thug in his chair, the cat carrier still on the floor. I envisioned my well-planned trip disappearing like Thug’s favorite cat food.

I waited patiently for Thug’s curiosity to override his independent attitude. My patience was rewarded as I watched him place one paw into the carrier and slowly inch his body inside. He sniffed and shuffled around, walked out, ignored me, plopped in his chair and went to sleep.

The following day, Thug was noticeably absent. I checked most of his favorite hiding places, but I could not find him. I gave up looking for him, knowing he would grace my presence when he heard the can opener. As a last resort, I looked into the carrier. Thug was sleeping peacefully inside. I reached down and gently scratched his ears and spoke softly to him.

My patience and perseverance paid off, and Thug spent the next few days either sleeping in his favorite chair or inside the carrier. Trip preparations began. I finished packing, including Thug’s favorite cat toys and food, and went to collect my wonderful cat. I walked to the carrier. It was empty. I called for him, but there was no response. I looked for him, but he was gone, and I knew I would not find him in time to make our flight.

I stayed home with Thug who showed up after I had put the cat carrier away. My friends were disappointed Thug and I would not be visiting; however, I insisted they come and visit with me. I can hardly wait to tell Thug we are having visitors and they are bringing their cat, Spike. Thug may want to look for some new hiding places.

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Third Place Winner by Kathi DuTilly

It was a dark and stormy night, and my humans looked just a bit silly crouched down on their knees peering under the bed trying to comfort me, obviously thinking that I was afraid and hiding out because of the storm.

I think sometimes they forget that I am feral born and quite accustomed to the elements.  I know that not only will the rain nourish the earth but it also provides quite nice puddles of water for ferals less fortunate than I have been.  It is nights such as these that take me back to the old building I lived in with my mom and siblings; we would huddle together for warmth and my mom would wash the dirt of the day off of us one by one.  She taught us how to find the best spots to stay warm and dry; and when the rain would stop and the sun would shine we would tumble outside for a little roughhousing in the tall grass.  Life seemed good and I am forever grateful to have had the experiences that I did because now I know how much better it can be with humans who have made me a part of their family and have washed the dirt of the day off of me for good.  I only wish that we could have all gotten out, but only the young are taken and brought to loving homes like this one.  For the older cats, like my mom, it is too late in their development to be socialized to people.  But thanks to humans like mine, I know that my mom and others like her in my colony are well cared for and that there will be no more babies born into the feral existence.  Now she and the colony are free to enjoy their lives knowing there will be a meal at the end of the day from people who will not hurt them, hay is provided in the winter time to ensure their warmth and if anyone needs special care, there will be help for them as well.

Sometimes, after they have gone to visit and feed my mom and the colony, they will come home and tell me how she is, they have even brought me a picture of her from time to time.  Sounds silly to you I am sure, but my humans are more evolved than most and believe that I understand what they are telling me….which of course I do.  I understand so much more than they could ever guess – we all do you know.  I am forever grateful to them for loving me enough to love my colony family, for making me feel as important to them as I was to my own mom and most of all for understanding that it is people who have caused the sad existence of feral colonies and it is people who must be responsible for stopping the birth of hundreds and thousands more.

Ahhh, such digression from the point of my story.  For some reason these dark and stormy nights do cause me to become quite maudlin.  Perhaps it is because my humans love me so much they are willing to risk looking quite silly just to make me feel better.  Hmmm, they now seem to be performing some type of stupid human tricks thinking it will entice me to leave my very warm nest.  But I think we all know how absolutely cozy the slippers of someone we love can be on such a night; it is one of my most favorite things ever to snuggle in with something that smells like the humans I love best.  Snuggling deeper….zzzzz….hmmm??  A different scent has just wafted past my keen feline sniffer.  Waaaait a minute…. is it….can it be??  Yep, TREATS!!!   Oh….fine….languidly I open my eyes, I stretch, I yawn….and ….out I go so they can “comfort” me.   Did I mention that life really IS good?

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Hear the stories by the winners of the Petlitzer Prize writing contest read live on Dog Works radio Friday, June 17 at 3 p.m. Central time.

Helping Paws Wag Walk and Run Event Soggy but Successful

Me (Sid Korpi—L) with Elaine Garley of Animal Connections

Elaine Garley of Animal Bridges and I shared my new canopy as we set up today in a heavy downpour for this fund-raising event for Helping Paws. Luckily, the rain let up for the various races, but then it came back as we packed up. I was impressed by the number of people: volunteers, vendors, and participants and their dogs, who showed up given the inclement weather. If you had wanted to be there but couldn’t stand the rain, you can still donate to the cause by visiting the Helping Paws website.

Sibling Cats Find Home!

Great news! These kitties found their new forever home!—Sid

Original letter:

Dear Pet PAC,
I usually do not send out group emails. I need your help.

 

My friend’s brother died suddenly and tragically, and she is trying to find a home for his cats.

They are both males (siblings) named Maximus and Marcus, they are 4 years old. Short-hair breeds, very handsome and sweet and very loving. I attached their picture.

Please feel free to pass on this information. Interested parties can contact me at 612-237-9580.

Thanks for your help!

Elaine Garley
Animal Bridges
Animal Communicator
Healing Touch for Animals® Practitioner

Latest news from the cats’ caregiver:

I have good news… the boys, Maximus and Marcus, are in a new home.  A nice man named Paul came to meet them tonight with his daughter and his grandson and decided to become their new daddy. 🙂

He lost his wife only 6 weeks ago and his cat died shortly thereafter– he needs the boys and they need him so I think it was meant to be.

I want to thank you for your efforts in trying to help me find them a home… I am so grateful.

 

TTouch and Bach Flowers Diminish Dog’s Aggression

I was recently moved to write the following recommendation on LinkedIn for Elaine Garley, of Animal Bridges. She does animal communication, animal healing touch, TTouch therapy and works with Bach Flower Remedies. The following chronicles the progress she’s helped us make with our newest adoptee, Oliver I wanted those of you who aren’t on LinkedIn to hear of her services, too.—Sid
Details of the Recommendation: “Elaine Garley, a colleague of mine in the Pet PAC—a local group of pet-related-business owners—kindly came to help our newly adopted West Highland white terrier, Oliver, age 6, overcome his fear/aggression toward our two cats and become comfortably assimilated into a household with three other Westies. He suffered from tremendous insecurity from being shuffled from home to home, which would result in his frantically barking and lunging at our two cats and in response to almost any new noise. She treated him with Tellington TTouch, a body wrap, and Bach Flower Essence Remedy specially blended to address his pertinent issues and anxieties.

(I was familiar with these therapies, but I really appreciated that Elaine patiently demonstrated and taught me to do the techniques myself as a means to be sure Oliver could receive immediate therapy whenever he needed it. Other practitioners might have preferred no one but they be able to perform the techniques.)

As her treatment of him progressed, Oliver went from having his ears straight up and squeezed tight atop his head (i.e. on full alert), nervously growling, avoiding us with his tail tucked between his legs, and with his eyes looking a bit wild to having a much more relaxed posture, allowing her to perform all manner of manipulations on him (including massaging his back gums inside his mouth and rotating his tail, where dogs are known to carry fear!), and being ready to drop off to sleep.

I was able to email Elaine the next day that a minor miracle had occurred. Instead of incessantly attacking, barking at and/or chasing our cats, Oliver was now calming lying two feet away from them on our bed! He even left the room and returned on his own to the bed where one of the cats was napping. He is now mostly curious toward and/or neutral toward them without the sudden rages. His aggression toward them has dropped by at least 90%! If he is startled by one of them running in the dark of night, he still may bark and run at them briefly out of fear, but on the whole, he’s made amazing progress and is much, much calmer and happier already. It’s only been a few days, and we’re amazed by the changes in him. Our cats are mighty appreciative, too!

Thank you, Elaine, for helping us make our precious Oliver feel fully at home and happy!”
Service Category: TTouch provider/Animal healing touch
Year first hired: 2010

Clockwise from front left: Oliver, Blanche, Keely and Ambrose.

Alternate Methods of Healing: Bach Flower Remedies For Recovering From Pet Loss

As I went through my darkest, most painful passage in my life to date (see the article just after this for details on my “tsunami of loss”), I tried almost everything I could to relieve my pain. (And no, I don’t drink or do drugs, so there was nothing that could slide into negative escapism.) From exercise to talk therapy via a support group to Western medicine to acupuncture to hypnosis to reading books on spirituality to…well, you get the idea. And each was helpful in its own way. Put plainly, I was searching.

Among the things I tried was Bach Flower remedies. I am not a homeopath and have no official stance on their effectiveness, but I can speak here as a person who felt better after using them. (If you read my book, I advocate a healthy skepticism about all things, so I’m not “selling snake oil” here. Everyone is to decide for him-/herself as to what to believe.)

What I said about these flower essences at the time—and among other things, I took Willow to “help [me ]to forgive past injustices and move on when [I] feel resentful and bitter,” often necessary after a breakup—is that regardless of whether there is empirical evidence that the FDA will accept about such remedies, if you are taking the time to slow down and be mindful of what your aim is (in my case, seeking to forgive and move on) and envision something unseen moving through you to help you bring this about, it is highly unlikely to do you any harm and quite likely to do some good. I believe that the very act of taking small sips of water with these flower essences as you meditate on making your spirit lighter/freed of hurtful baggage and your life/psyche healthier in general is a good practice.

When I came across this article as it related specifically to pet loss, I knew I should share it with you. For further information, please visit the website of Elaine Garley at Animal Bridges. She incorporates Bach Flowers in her practice and knows a heck of a lot more about them than I. —Sid

From Bach Flower Rescue Remedy Review By Amit Karkare | May 27, 2010

Losing a pet is not only the loss of a dear friend, but also often the loss of a major source of unconditional love and affection. We get so attached to our pets that when they are no longer with us, the impact of their love and friendship still remain in our hearts. When we are unable to let go of the intense emotions around the loss of our pets and get stuck in thoughts of the past, unable to accept the present, then it is a good time for us to try flower remedies.

Bach Flower Remedies are 38 plant and flower based remedies developed by British physician Dr. Edward Bach in the 1930s that can help you to manage the emotional demands of life. Losing a loved one often begins a prolonged state of grief and despondency. There are specific Bach Flower remedies that can help with the emotions associated with grief and loss. Each remedy represents a particular emotional archetype, like fear, sadness, guilt, despondency, etc.

Recognizing exactly how you feel is the key to choosing the most appropriate Bach Flower Remedy. Sometimes this can be tricky, as our mental and emotional states can be a mixture of many emotions which might require a combination of corresponding flower remedies. The emotional states described below are ones common in pet owners after the loss of pet.

There are some remedies that are also safe to give to any co-pets, since they too are probably experiencing grief – Rescue Remedy, which is a blend of essences and Walnut. If you’re having a hard time pinpointing which of your emotions should be addressed first, ask a friend to help you sort through them.

Here are few commonly prescribed remedies for healing and loss, and their key-indicators:

STAR OF BETHLEHEM: For recovering from SHOCK, if the loss was sudden and unexpected. Also helps animals who have suffered traumas or abuse.

WALNUT: If you’re having a hard time ADAPTING to the loss, walnut works as a “LINK-BREAKER” to help you to let go and release your pet. Walnut is also safe for your other pets who may be grieving.

PINE: For getting over the ‘GUILTY FEELING’, if you are struggling with euthanasia, or having had to make a very difficult decision to let your pet go.

GORSE: For the feeling of HOPELESSNESS especially when you feel discouragement, darkness and resignation. Gorse brings deep and abiding faith and hope; equanimity and light-filled optimism.

SWEET CHESTNUT: In extreme cases of LOSS OF HOPE where nothing rejuvenates the mind and darkness overshadows ones life. Brings deep courage and faith in life.

HONEY SUCKLE: When our mind escapes the present, CLINGS TO THE PAST, and longs for what was. Helps one to learn from the past while releasing it.

WHITE CHESTNUT: If particular THOUGHTS / DREAMS of your lost pet repeat frequently, almost making you feel imprisoned. This will bring inner calm and a quiet, clear mind.

ASPEN: For any unexpected surges of ANXIETY that you may be feeling about the health of your other pets, in spite of their good health. Brings trust and confidence to deal with unknowns.

How to take them:

You can add 3-4 drops of the corresponding remedy to a glass of water. Sip frequently until the emotional state resolves to a more manageable intensity. In the case of a combination of dominant emotions, add 2 drops of each applicable essence.

Dr. Amit Karkare practices as a Homoeopath and Veterinary Bach Flower Therapist – also serving as a Grief Counselor. Know more about his services at: http://www.dramitkarkare.com/pet_care.html.

Author: Amit Karkare
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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