“Just A Dog” Richard Biby

Just a Dog

From time to time people tell me, "Lighten up, it's Just a dog" or "That's a lot of money for Just a dog." They don't understand the distance traveled, time spent, or costs involved for "Just a dog." Some of my proudest moments have come about with "Just a dog." Many hours have passed with my only company being "Just a dog" and not once have I felt slighted. Some of my saddest moments were brought about by "Just a dog" and in those days of darkness, the gentle touch of "Just a dog" provided comfort and purpose to overcome the day.

If you, too, think it's "Just a dog," you will probably understand phrases like "Just a friend" "Just a sunrise" or "Just a promise." "Just a dog" brings into my life the very essence of friendship, trust, and pure unbridled joy. "Just a dog" brings out the compassion and patience that makes me a better person. Because of "Just a dog" I will rise earlier, take longer walks and look longingly into the future.

For me and folks like me, it's not "Just a dog." It's an embodiment of all the hopes and dreams of the future, the fond memories of the past, and the pure joy of the moment. "Just a dog" brings out what's good in me and diverts my thoughts away from myself and the worries of the day.

I hope that some people can understand it's not

"Just a dog." It's the thing that gives me humanity and keeps me from being "Just a man or Just a woman." So...the next time you hear the phrase

"Just a dog," smile. Because, they "Just don't understand." Richard Biby 

Special thanks and shout out to my colleague Lorraine Senior*  who shared this poem with me prior to the ICR Conference in Anchorage in 2019 via a reading by Professor Noel Fitzgerald on FB. 

Thank you for reading.

Best,

Birgit Nagele, ARCB, TCTSY-F, she/her; Reflexology & Yoga (Focus: chair), Trauma-Informed Care 

🐾 One Minute Reflexology for Animals/ICRPaws

https://icr-reflexology.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Paws.pdf

*https://www.functionalreflextherapy.co.uk/

Meeting Abby aka Sally

I drafted the below about Abby ten years ago Sep. 1, 2015. I volunteered at a shelter in Brooklyn which my friend Lynn told me about, but did not share details about it then. Abby found a loving forever home, was renamed Sally, had furry and human siblings, and died a few years ago.   In retrospect what I learned is this: Abby’s behavior towards me changed within the very short period of me engaging with her in one afternoon. 

“Abby found a home.  Could not stop thinking of her these last few weeks; our encounter left me with a sore/strained middle finger because she was so anxious outside the kennel and my walk lasted only a minute.  I was hoping I could do some relaxation work on her,  but she immediately pulled me to a building and pooped.  When I tried to pick it up, I struggled to hold on, my glass water bottle fell out of my back pack and rolled across the sidewalk towards the trash can, miraculously it did not shatter; what a sight!  I was so worried that she would take off and run into traffic.  Fortunately, someone helped me and we walked her together.  

She only seemed to feel safe in her kennel.  After I walked three other dogs which I managed to help relax when they got anxious or started pulling, I returned to see Abby.  After the second or third time she was getting a bit closer and I could actually touch her paw through the crate.  I was seriously considering fostering her.   

On Tuesday, I wanted to go back to the shelter with a friend, but found out via Instagram that she found a home!!  But I continue to think of her.  It is not just because of my middle finger, but because she touched me in a huge way.  I heard in the meantime from her owner that she is getting friendly with the cat...-“

Thank you for reading,

Abby 3 

Abby 

Abby 

B.

Birgit Nagele, NBCR, TCTSY-F

https://www.linkedin.com/in/birgitnagele/

Happy Birthday. The Frog is 15.

Happy Birthday 🐸, 

Has it really been fifteen years since I started the frog on the face blog?

Above all the blog has been good company, and it was great to embark on exploring Facial Reflexology: A Self Care Manual with H. Calisher, Rudi, and MG after discussing with MG. 

Sharing the most recent post

One Minute Reflexology for Animals/ICR Paws at the Cinema 🎦.

And here is the the very first one 

Encountering the "frog on the face" - Feeling Smitten and Energized 

Thank you for reading. 

To Peace as one of my friends ends many of her texts and emails with.

So much needed during these very challenging times, to keep it simple... not sure there are words, just sighs, and, and…

Birgit 

Birgit Nagele, ARCB, TCTSY-F, she/her

Reflexology & Yoga (Focus: chair)

Trauma-Informed Care 

🐾 One Minute Reflexology for Animals/ICRPaws

https://icr-reflexology.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Paws.pdf

P.S.: 

Interestingly, while reflecting on what to write, my foot fell asleep and I resorted to Dien Cham and this morning during Ember's walk my right knee felt off and after resorting to "reflexing" the corner of mouth twice, it returned to normal. 

One Minute Reflexology for Animals/ICR Paws at the Cinema 🎦.



Sharing some really exciting and unexpected news!

One Minute Reflexology for Animals/ICR Paws, the “film” version* was part of the 10th NYC Short Film Showcase at New Plaza Cinema Nov. 22, 2024 at 7pm. 

- In gratitude to: Michael Jacobson and congratulations to all the participants.  

What a special way to share about our practice. 

• With gratitude to Marie-France Muller for Dien Cham/Vietnam-based, Raul Peñaranda for the Artwork, and Felip Alcon for the Animation. I-Movie created by: Birgit Nagele (that's me).  

This is a good time to do some shoutouts:

Thanks to all the doggies, kitties, other animal friends, human friends, reflexologists, TCTSY-Fs who have been part of this along the way at one point at home in New York, US, Norway, Canada, Belgium, Spain, South Africa, Portugal, Japan, Scotland, Iceland, Sweden, Israel, Denmark, New Zealand, Finland, France, India, Taiwan, Malta, Greece, Italy, Uruguay, Germany, Poland, and Austria. 

• Thank you, Liz and Sandra for joining me at New Plaza Cinema despite the heavy rain. 
• Special thanks to: Debbie, Max and Princess Heard (Pier 84 Dog Run), Shreya, mom to Gator Pack, ICR board (2017-2021),  Arve Fahlvik and Dorothea Kreidl (ARC and DR) for collaborations.
• Special thanks to Yuko Nonaka, Gina Stewart, and Kathy Demciuch.
• In Gratitude to our canine muses for their guidance and spunk: 🐾 Luigi, 🐾 Mowgli, 🐾 Ember, and their dad for reintroducing me to our best friends and co-parenting.

*Here is the link (please note, the film version also exists in German and French). 

Please, let me know if I have forgotten your country and I will add it. 
Please feel free to share about the practice with animal lovers (layman or reflexologists) who may be interested. 
Here is more information about milestones with more names. 

If you are in New York, check out New Plaza Cinema. 

Wishes for a world where we all can thrive humans and animals, 

Birgit and 🐾Ember

Birgit Nagele, ARCB, TCTSY-F

Reflexology and Yoga (focus:seated on chair) and Trauma-Informed Care

Nothing is more Healing than Peace and Justice

Nothing is more healing than peace 🕊️ and justice?. 

Ember's Upset Belly - Good Enough Mom

Ember and I at Lincoln Center (2019)

This morning I heard Ember coming towards me before throwing up in front of my bed. I remembered she ate something off the street last night and I was glad she got it out of her system. I comforted her and told her I was sorry she was not feeling well.

She received: 

A hug 

One Minute Reflexology for Animals 

Paw Reflexology on all 4 paws

Belly Rubs 

Chest Rubs 

During our walks, she was slower than usual and she was more insistent than usual on where she wanted to go, and I think she was definitely weakened, but we did play a little catch and fetch towards the end of the walk, and she chewed on a stick. 

Reflecting on this morning, I was very moved by the fact that she came to me to throw up (no, I don't want her to be in pain ever, that is a given) and I was wondering whether that means that she trusts me, that she knows I will comfort her. I believe she definitely knows by now how good Reflexology is for her. Yes, always wondering if I am good enough a dog mom, but our reflexology practice definitely supports her. Every once in a while I get flooded with a dose of endorphins caused by my gratitude about the existence of One Minute Reflexology for Animals. I really do, and I am glad I followed my heart. 

If you'd like to try it with your pets, here is a pdf of One Minute Reflexology for Animals found on the ICR website:

And here are videos of a few random morning sessions with Ember, please make sure to read the description https://youtu.be/j3HQ9O-EblU?si=KPEaXo_AX2PUzb7u

Thank you for reading,

Birgit and 🐾 Ember 

Birgit Nagele, ARCB, LVCY, TCTSY-F, she/her

Reflexology & Yoga (chair)

Trauma-Informed Care 

🐾 One Minute Reflexology for Animals/ICRPaws

https://icr-reflexology.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Paws.pdf

Asking for More Food in Three Ways?

 



Yesterday morning, Ember's breakfast portion was a bit smaller than usual. We had run out of raw food. The dry food was the usual amount. I figured it was perhaps ok because a pet parent friend of ours, suggested yesterday that Ember could lose a bit of weight. I pointed at my belly saying that it was in the family:-). 

As I started to get engaged with a work matter, after feeding her, she did something unusual:

1. She dropped one of our many "rescued balls"  (we find balls often in the park) next to me on the couch. Hm, does she want to play? Generally she immediately embarks on her nap after breakfast. I accepted her invitation to play a bit because it is always great fun. In the park when we engage in ball play she gets treats, for catching/fetching dropping. 

- Then it occurred to me that she might still be hungry. She had noticed that there was less raw food.  

2. She had also returned to her bowl but that does happen from time to time. 

3. And she also looked at the coatrack which was very odd since we had a long walk as most of the time and just gotten back. She tends to look at her leash and harness hung up around walk time but obviously my coats are hung up, too.

Was she telling me to get my coat and go buy raw food?  

Wow, just wow, Ember! 

- I conclude she said to go get dog food. 

- And perhaps she figured that if she engaged me in ball play, she would get treats which will make up for the smaller portion. 

What did I do? I listened. I gave her more treats, and I was reminded to make sure to buy her raw food. 

- I personally have made many observations since I embarked on my reflexology for animals path in 2010 surrounding Mowgli and Ember supporting the fact that animals are sentient beings, individuals, the ways they communicate, their intelligence, their spunk, etc. 

As for animal communication: I will never forget the black bear mom signaling with a growl and eye contact with me - my eyes glued at the bear family's every move for an hour or so - that she and her four (!!) adorable cubs were about to leave the pine tree (very close to the deck we were on) and that she needed space to do so, kkrrr, she was giving us a friendly warning, just in case.

I immediately understood and it took her quite a while to manage her four cubs because they were so playful and not in a hurry at all to leave the area. I have since several videos of mom bears dealing with their cubs. Absolutely precious.  

Because of our reflexology practice, my curiosity about Ember and animals in general increased. I find animals endlessly fascinating and they give me strength, hope, and so much joy. Who needs people? Just kidding. I am fascinated by people, too. 

The reflexology practice is trauma-informed*  (see link) and fosters Ember's connection to herself and  also our connection to each other. We have come a long way. She had deeply entrenched trauma caused by early life abandonment, she was taken in as a stray by the Bowling Green Humane Society and came to New York in a van full of dogs with Muddy Paws and before we adopted her on November 26, and she had at least two foster families in about two weeks. 

Thank you for reading, 

Birgit and 🐾 Ember

Birgit Nagele, ARCB, LVCY, TCTSY-F, she/her

Reflexology & Yoga (chair)

Trauma-Informed Care 

🐾 One Minute Reflexology for Animals/ICRPaws

https://icr-reflexology.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Paws.pdf

*One Minute Reflexology for Animals was part of my final paper  (2019) to become a TCTSY (Trauma Center Trauma-Sensitive Yoga Facilitator). The TCTSY methodology I have found can also be applied to reflexology, and has been applied to Weight Lifting (TIWL).  

200.000 Nerve Endings in the Feet and Reflexology

As for a possible number of nerve endings on the feet, the latest I came across was 200,000. I had been looking for a number ever since a clinical psychologist laughed at the number I was told which was 7,200 many years ago. He said it was many many more.  I regret not having insisted on a number:-). This was in 2011. 

How many? Ha! He is right, of course. I had no doubts, he knew what he was talking about - I respected his work. I remember how curious I was.

For those who have been experiencing reflexology these numbers are not necessarily important because of their  experience, the benefits, etc., and not the discussions surrounding it… 

The below paragraph was a possible answer for me. This is probably of interest to fellow reflexologists, reflexology trainers, schools. And yea, it is really helpful to connect to our feet and the ground if possible from time to time. I need to do this much more. I live in NYC. 

"Geary explains that the nerves in our feet are sensitive (the sole of your foot has over 200,000 nerve endings– one of the highest concentrations in the entire body) for this very reason; they make us safer, more careful, and better able to adapt to the ground beneath us. When barefoot, we are better able to climb, cut, pivot, balance, and adjust rapidly when the ground shifts beneath us, as it does when we walk on uneven terrain, or anything besides concrete and pavement."

As for the significance of the feet related to reflexology, I will keep it simple and use what RAA (Reflexology Association of America) has been using since 2019, the result of a discussion between organizations and practitioners. 

Reflexology is a protocol of manual techniques, such as thumb and finger-walking, hook and backup and rotating-on-a-point, applied to specific reflex areas predominantly on the feet and hands. These techniques stimulate the complex neural pathways linking body systems, supporting the body’s efforts to function optimally. The effectiveness of reflexology is recognized worldwide by various national health institutions and the public at large as a distinct complementary practice within the holistic health field.

According to reflexology the feet, hands, ears (face, too, by the way and possibly many other areas) are a microcosm of the entire body and are seen as a gateway to welless. So yes your feet are a representation of your entire body as well as the foundation of your anatomy. 

Thank you for your visit and for reading, 

Birgit 

Birgit Nagele, ARCB, LVCY, TCTSY-F, she/her

Reflexology & Yoga (chair)

Trauma-Informed Care 

🐾 One Minute Reflexology for Animals/ICRPaws

https://icr-reflexology.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Paws.pdf

http://nymag.com/health/features/46213/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/parenting/wp/2016/02/29/why-kids-should-go-barefoot-more-and-probably-adults-too/

I may have shared this in an article I contributed to a reflexology newsletter, possibly International Council of Reflexologists (ICR) since I served on their board from 2017-2021.

I wanted to elaborate on the foot-neural pathways wellness connection. These days I often find myself connecting dots. My previous post about bare foot paths (reflexologists like to call them reflexology paths) inspired me to look for it, so voilà. 

New York has a Bare Foot Water Feature (“reflex your feet”)

NYC has a public reflexology path or barefoot path if you will. 

Last weekend the water was back on and I kept walking the entire length back and forth for a while, dragging my feet for some splashing.

I came across several loose pebbles which I picked up with my toes, and there were some Irises along the path, my grandmother's favorites. 

The cemented pebbles are rather flat (can not be compared to the paths in Taiwan) and do not really hurt. However, after a while I felt my feet getting more sensitive and feeling more alive - ah - and yes it took a while for me to get it, to connect the dots last year that this may be the first of its kind in NYC. Years ago I was engrossed in this idea that NYC needs a barefoot park. To combine it with running water is genius. 

High Line website "The water feature is a favorite of children and barefoot visitors. Wetland species like cattails, rose mallow, and swamp milkweed grow in the raised steel planters along the pathway." 

Thank you for your visit,

Birgit 

Additional reflexology path experiences (Taiwan) 

Taiwan: The first Reflexology Path

Reflexology Path? Taipei City Wall

Stone Foot Path Coach and Regal's Achilles Tendons

 

Kevin Kunz on Reflexology Paths

One Minute Reflexology for Animals ICR Paws Update in ICR March Newsletter

One Minute Reflexology for Animals/ICR Paws is covered in the March 2023 ICR Newsletter.  - Thank you, Liza Thomas and ICR. 

Here is the new link to our initiative on ICR website:

icr-reflexology.org

While the first page is the practice itself and thus for layman and reflexologists, the second page (shared below) contains additional information, such as translations, and milestones (the short version) which might be more interesting to reflexologists (associations) interested in getting involved and includes a mention of DR (distance reflexology as per Dorothea Kreidl). 

The mentioned newsletter contains both pages. 

Thank you for your visit.

Best wishes,

Birgit Nagele, ARCB, LVCY, TCTSY-F, she/her

Reflexology & Yoga (chair)

Trauma-Informed Care 

🐾 One Minute Reflexology for Animals/ICRPaws

https://icr-reflexology.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Paws.pdf

Does Ember “Reflex?”

I noticed her using the leg of our table. Am I joking? Partially yes, because I do not know with certainty. 

However, she receives facial and also some foot reflexology regularly, and I also noticed Mowgli using objects to "reflex" areas I reflexed.

Some previous posts on observations surrounding our canine friends/wolves: 

- And here you can see a wolf sister “reflexing” her late brother? 

https://frogontheface.blogspot.com/2021/07/accidental-endorsement-of-5.html

- Here you can see a dog who had received reflexology talking his friend into reflexology. 

https://frogontheface.blogspot.com/2017/10/fafa-and-joker-papa-and-chocolate.html?m=1

- Here you can see Mowgli using my faux reflexology path. 

https://frogontheface.blogspot.com/2017/04/mowglis-surgery-more-reflexology-sound.html

- Here Mowgli was using a bone to reflex. 

https://frogontheface.blogspot.com/2017/02/mowgli-follows-in-my-footsteps.html

Thank you for your visit.

Best wishes,

Birgit (or Billie)

 

Birgit Nagele, ARCB, LVCY, TCTSY-F

She/Her 

Reflexology & Yoga (focus: chair) 

Trauma-Sensitive Care 

-  You are welcome to use and share our complimentary One Minute Reflexology for Animals.  Perhaps it is as helpful to you as it has been for us. 

https://icr-reflexology.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/PAWS.pdf 

IG: https://www.instagram.com/glimpses/?r=nametag

New York State: time to recognize the profession of reflexology! | MoveOn

Legislative Building/Well/2nd Floor 

I have written about our legislative work before. 

Many  New York based reflexologists have visited legislators in Albany. 

Please sign our petition.  New York needs integrative care and reflexology should be part of it. People should have choices. Meds alone won't do the job. Period. Thank you for this petition, Petra van Noort. Thanks to all who have done this work, some possibly stepping outside their comfort zones. Please sign and try reflexology if you have an opportunity. Thank you for your visit,

Birgit (or Billie) 

https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/new-york-state-time-to

Birgit Nagele, ARCB, LVCY, TCTSY-F

She/Her 

Reflexology & Yoga (focus: chair) 

Trauma-Sensitive Care 

-  You are welcome to use and share our complimentary One Minute Reflexology for Animals.  Perhaps it is as helpful to you as it has been for us. 

https://icr-reflexology.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/PAWS.pdf 

IG: https://www.instagram.com/glimpses/?r=nametag