by Linda Tellington-Jones
We've known for years that applying TTouch on the mouth of a horse or dog or human can affect emotional balance. Anxiety and fear can often be reduced with surprisingly few sessions. However, in the past month I have found new evidence for "why" working the mouth is so effective.
Acu-point GV (Governing Vessel) 28
The first discovery had to do with the gums directly under the nose of a dog or under the upper lip of a horse. I cannot remember when I first discovered this specific spot on a dog, but I think it was working with a dog with a habit of whining non-stop. The whining was markedly reduced and stopped after a few minutes. I've been working that area with dampened fingers ever since and it often has the effect of calming and focusing.
But I often wondered why I was intuitively drawn to slip around on the upper lip onto the gums directly under that nose.In the Rockville, Maryland training this April, I finally found an explanation for the surprising effect. When I demonstrated this touch and said I wish I could understand what specific effect this area was having, Deb Bauer checked the point on her iPhone and discovered the following: Right under that midpoint of the nose just above the teeth is Governing Vessel 26, a useful point for shock. However, above that point, directly under the nose on the gum line is GV 28 (Governing Vessel) that connects the heart and the brain. This has a major effect on entire balance. Check it out.
GV 28, an acu-point
between the upper lip and gums
On a horse, the "Governing Vessel meridian helps to strengthen the back and spine of the horse. It also controls the midline of the back running over the top of the head and face and ends at GV 28, a point between the upper lip and gums." I have experienced some remarkable changes in the release of stiffness of the legs and back of a horse just from a minute or two of circling on the gums under the upper lip and lifting and circling the upper lip of the horse with the back of my hand.
Homunculus
A homunculus is a sensory map of your body, so it looks like an oddly proportioned human. The reason it's oddly proportioned is that a homunculus represents each part of the body in proportion to its number of sensory neural connections and not its actual size. The layout of the sensory neural connections throughout your body determines the level of sensitivity each area of your body has, so the hands on a sensory homunculus are its largest body parts, exaggerated to an almost comical degree, while the arms are quite skinny.
I am constantly on the search for explanations of why my hands choose to go to some parts of the body. In Minneapolis I had the privilege to work with a 16 year old young man with cerebral palsy and my attention was particularly drawn to his thumbs, chin, teeth and tongue. An image of the "Homunculus man" that I had seen some years ago kept springing into my mind. I Googled it and now I understand why TTouches around the Mouth of a person can have such a profound effect.
I will write no more at this point because I hope to intrigue you and get you thinking, feeling, exploring on your own. I will be posting more on my blog as I find the time and would love to hear from any of you who are moved to explore the understanding of the science behind the intuitive TTouch of Trust!
From Robyn's Desk
by Robyn Hood, Senior Instructor and Editor of TTEAM Connections Newsletter
As happens with many newsletters, they inadvertently end up with a theme and our latest one is no exception. Listening to animals and seeing things from their point of view is a keystone to the TTouch philosophy. Shelly Moore sent me an article "Say What?" about listening to horses and the difference between listening and hearing.
On my recent trip to South Africa I started the horse workshop with the horses loose in the stalls and asked pairs of participants to do a variation of Noah's March where they slowly went over the horse’s body with a flat hand, or back of hand, and paid close attention to the response of the horse, however small. It was an eye-opener to many, and one very experienced horse person said: "I thought my horse was just doing what horses do and that it didn't mean anything. I was hearing, but I was not listening to the meaning."
In the story on the next page, "Loading Without Pain & Fear, something Every Horse Deserves ... A Lesson in Empathy" the focus was first on paying attention to the horse and reducing his anxiety about the trailer, rather than just thinking that the horse is stubborn and must "comply." Linda did get him quietly into the trailer, only to find that it was far too small for him. She took him out, a larger trailer was found, and low and behold, he walked in.
Lauren McCall wrote a great article, "Curiosity Cured the Cat," about curiosity versus judgment which helps people not worry so much about which is the "right" place or tool to start with but rather feel free to explore possibilities.
We continue to get great feedback about the Wrap books and from people sharing stories about their experiences with two and four legged animals. It is rewarding to Mandy and me that so many people have found them helpful. So far the 'Pet' wrap book has been translated into Spanish and the horse and pet books into German.
I had more chance to use the Beeline with horses while in England and Johannesburg. WOW, the results continue to amaze me. Like with the dogs it seems as though it is the space between being off leash and on. Some horses are much better at liberty and others on a lead. The Beeline finds this balance in the middle and helps horses and humans gain more trust, self-confidence and self-control. I will try and get some video up on YouTube for both horses and dogs.
I have been home more this spring than in many years and am truly enjoying working with the horses and enjoying being a grandma to Sam. Our summer will be a busy one and we are looking forward to it.
Stay in touch, Robyn
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New in France!
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And learn about Practitioner Julie Dreyfus and Practitioners Level 1 Celine Devitry and Dominique Robart. "They are very happy and look forward to representing TTouch gloriously."
Photo, from left to right: Instructor Lisa Leicht, Julie Dreyfus (P), Celine Devitry (P1), Dominique Robart (P1), instructor Karin Freiling.
Welcome to the Tellington TTouch teaching community!
Congratulations to Lynn Pfundtner in Belgium, WI who is now a Practitioner for Horses.
Congratulations to the following who became TTouch Practitioners - Level 1 and now work with people and their animals and give one-day hands-on workshops:
Vicki McDaniel in Gold Bar, WA
Jamie Guffey in Manheim, PA
Anita Kirk in Newport, OR
Marnie Montgomery in Leesburg, VA
A practitioner might be near you and can help you learn Tellington TTouch, or you could consult with them by phone or e-mail!
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Milly wrote how Tellington TTouch helped her
My nickname is Milly. I have a husband and two very young children. I have a farm with horses, donkeys and many little animals and a training centre.
On the 8th of January my husband had an epileptic crisis. The day after he went to the first aid of the hospital and after 10 days of exams (without coming home) the doctors told me he had a very bad brain cancer (glioblastoma 3 levels). I was desolated.
Luckily, last September, 2013, I attended my fifth training with Linda. She told us many stories about the angels, the energy of the world and that we can change things with positive thinking. So I prayed all night to the angels of Linda.
I had a dream about my father sending from his hands very strong thunders into my husband brain. I tried to be always positive. My husband had a long surgery (5 hours) in his neuronavigation system.
After 24 days the results of the tissue arrived: it is an ependimoma cancer (2 levels) a good one absolutely not dangerous, a miracle happened. I have a ring now with many brillant stones, each stone is an angel. They are always with me.
Please excuse me for my english.
Milly (Eugenia Boccardo of Italy)
Animal Hospice and Conscious Euthanasia
Dear Linda,
I was so touched by your story of Rayne's passing. I'm so, so sorry for your loss. You asked for stories about people and their animals at the time of death. I have two stories. A little over a year ago, I was faced with the decision to put down my most beloved pet of all time, Neeka my lapdog of a Rottweiler. I knew the day she stopped eating it was time, and I listened to her. I was so sad after her passing I cried every day for three months, even though I knew it was the best and right decision. But I was calm and held my tears and conveyed my love to her as she died in my arms.
It was a good death, surrounded by my family and the vet staff who loved her almost as much as we did. Loving words of farewell were spoken to her by all these people, and she was gently stroked (I did ear slides, her absolute favorite) as she crossed over. It was the kind of death that I hope I will be lucky enough to experience when it is my time: surrounded by loved ones with the taste of something delicious lingering in the mouth, lying on a beautiful quilt and held in the arms of someone well loved.
The staff had cared for her numerous times for boarding and when she was ill, and they treated her like family as their favorite boarder. After she had passed over, we all shared funny stories about her that even through our tears made us smile while she was still present with us in the room, her still warm body on mine.
On our way home from the vet's office, we passed a cow that was giving birth. We paused to watch. Maybe the calf would be named Neeka. Birth and death are such a wonder.
I hope that this attached story will be of benefit to you. I also attached a photo of Neeka in her regal pose.
Thank you for your wonderful energy and teachings. You are certainly uniquely wonderful and all the animals (and their people) are grateful to you! I loved your teachings when we met in Maryland last May and we did a horse workshop together with my horse pal, Toby. He loved it, too!
Hugs, Patty Iammatteo
