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An Excerpt from Sit Down to Rise Up by Shelly Tygielski

My friend Soren Gordhamer, the founder of Wisdom 2.0, an annual conference that explores the intersection of modern life and technology, once told me a story about how he used to take his young son to the local water park every summer. Each time, his son glanced up at the tallest waterslide, with its spiraling staircase, and remarked enthusiastically: “Next year, I’ll be tall enough to go up there!” Finally, after several summers, his son reached the height requirement to climb those stairs and fulfill his dream of sliding down the “big boy” slide. As Soren watched his son’s bobbing head, barely visible over the banister, make the ascent to the top landing, Soren rushed over to the pool where the slide spit out riders. As he waited earnestly for his son, he watched one exhilarated rider after another appear. After fifteen minutes, he felt a tap on the back of his arm. He spun around to find his son standing there looking distraught.

“What’s up buddy? What happened? Is everything okay?”

“I was too scared to go down,” his son explained. His son said he had stood watching person after person grab the overhang bar, sit down, and scoot forward, and he had attempted many times to do the same, but each time he hopped out of the wading pool and back onto the concrete. Finally, he resolved to walk down the stairs, head hanging low in disappointment. Soren said something to the effect of “We’ll get ’em next time.” The summer was long, and there would be plenty of opportunities to conquer the slide on their next visit to the park, but to his surprise, his son insisted on trying again right away. Soren chuckled and found inspiration in his son’s resolve to tackle his fears head on and with such determination. He watched his son turn toward the stairs again and make his way back up. When he could no longer see him, he turned his attention to the pool, and again, person after person plunged off the slide’s end, but not his son. After about ten minutes, Soren instinctively looked toward the stairs, and sure enough, a familiar blond-haired head was bobbing down and making its way toward him.

This routine happened several times in succession. Up and down, up and down … until finally, Soren saw his son’s blond head coming down the slide, slowly winding its way around and back, until he eventually emerged in the pool. With incredible excitement, Soren entered the pool as his son swam over to him. His son had the widest smile, grinning from ear to ear and beaming with pride! Soren felt sympathetic joy and pride in his son. What a huge moment! As they exited the pool, Soren turned to his son and said, “Hey buddy, that was amazing! I am so impressed with your tenacity and resolve. I’m curious to know … what changed for you this last time? How did you finally get the courage to just go for it?”

His son stopped short, looked up at him with his big eyes, and said, “Well, Dad, I stood there holding the bar, and I got scared again, and I was about to come back down, and then … I just slipped!”

I love this story so much. It reminds me that we don’t always have to be deliberately courageous in order to take the leap. We can accidentally slip into things that can be important, exhilarating, paradigm-shifting, and impactful. The most important thing we can do is just show up, intentionally and consistently. If we show up again and again, the chances of us taking the plunge in life’s biggest moments — even if we are not entirely prepared — is almost guaranteed.

Shelly Tygielski is the author of Sit Down to Rise Up and founder of the global grassroots mutual aid organization Pandemic of Love.  Her work has been featured by over 100 media outlets, including CNN Heroes, The Kelly Clarkson Show, CBS This Morning, the New York Times, and the Washington Post. Visit her online at shellytygielski.com.

Excerpted from the book from Sit Down to Rise Up. Copyright ©2021 by Shelly Tygielski. Printed with permission from New World Library.

We had to put our rescued dog Trixie down two months ago. She was only six years old, and such a beautiful dog. Ever since we put her down, I've had a deep desire to have my own Rescue Center for dogs. This is the first time in my life that I have this unexplainable drive to do something like this. Nothing would give me more pleasure than doing it, but it would be a total change in direction for me, for at present I work in a junior school. I have spent the past three weeks on the internet, and I must know just about all the rescue centers here in the U.K. as well as some overseas. Do you think I'm being guided to do this because I'm supposed to do it, or am I perhaps being influenced by my departed dog?

Tricia

Astrea:

I'm sorry for your loss, but you know you did just right for Trixie. There's nothing harder than choosing your animal companion's Time. Hopefully, knowing that you will see her again is bringing you some comfort.

There is a wonderful book with the horrible title Pet Loss by Edain McCoy. Have lots of tissues handy while you're reading, and remember: Tears are water and water is cleansing. Let your grief flow through and right on out of you.

Whether you're being guided by Trixie or by your own Soul makes no difference: Your path is clear. Be grateful that you found it.

Even if Trixie is behind some of this, it would have been pointless to try to reveal it to you at the time she transitioned, for your grief would have been too strong to let those impressions in. Most likely this dream belongs to you, and this recent loss simply brought it to the surface of your awareness.

My husband and I have spayed, neutered, and placed over fifty kittens since the first of the year. We don't go out to eat, we drive ten-year-old cars and we don't buy new clothes, but like you, we just can't help but befriend the helpless critters that come our way.

I want to share with you what a wise woman who rescues animals at her own expense recently told me when I was complaining about the cats making my house a sty and stinking up the joint. She said she believes that if everyone was on an Enlightened Path and heading in the same direction we are, everyone would do what you want to do: rescue animals who don't have any other chance but you.
Once everyone catches up to us, we won't be so in demand, but it's going to take a little longer for that to happen.

Are you able to volunteer at your own vet's or for one of the animal organizations you've been studying? That's certainly a good place to start. If your ideology differs from theirs, just move on to one of the others until you find the right group.

I'm feeling that doing something like this doesn't have to be as complicated as you might think. You could try something on a smaller level than the big rescues. You just need at least one other person to help you, and I think you've got fine pickings for those helpers right in front of you: What a gift it would be to your junior school to take young people and show them how to treat animals with compassion!

*****

Susyn:

When we find ourselves driven to pursue something unusual, and it tends to grow stronger instead of fading away, we can trust that we're being led by our hearts and souls to discover a greater destiny.

When we suffer a great loss in our lives (such as the death of a loved one), it can often provide a catalyst to start something brand new. It sounds like, with the loss of Trixie, you've discovered your purpose and are ready to make a giant leap of faith into something completely different.

This was my experience as well. I found myself wanting to get out of the career I had been in for 15 years in order to find something new, for I was longing for a greater sense of purpose and joy. Upon suffering a great personal loss, I was provided with the means to explore something radically different. I wasn't sure where I was being led, but simply embraced whatever I felt drawn to. Through a series of events, I found my passion and destiny in the world of metaphysics.

It may seem strange at this point in your life to realize that your greater destiny lies elsewhere, but as a Gemini, you've probably already discovered that you are happiest in a career that will both challenge and fulfill you at the same time. Once you make this dream a reality, you'll find yourself doing work that you love and enjoying the fact that there is never a dull moment.

I have no doubt that Trixie came into your life for just this purpose and left it just as suddenly for the same reason. Your time with her, though brief, was a catalyst to awaken you to a higher path.

One of the greatest blessings she brought to you was the realization that you have a passion for helping other dogs. I am also certain that Trixie is encouraging you to research rescue centers so that you can create an ideal shelter and care for stranded dogs like you cared for her.

As you continue to research and pursue this dream, more information and greater opportunities will start to come you way as if by magic, because the Universe will open the doors to your dream: All you have to do is continue to honor the longings deep in your heart.

Good luck to you in your new career. I know there will be many new dogs to rescue, and that Trixie will be at your side as you continue to pursue your dream to create a better life for lost and abandoned animals.

Astrea:

Many times in life we hear, "You will always have what you NEED, but not necessarily what you WANT." Your spirit must have needed to experience the feeling of leaving your human body, and the suggestion in the next chapter of Sylvia Brown's book was all it took to get you there.

Even though you hadn't read it yet, your SOUL recognized the title of that chapter as something it had been seeking, and your soul, knowing that you had that reference to read after your experience, got with it and out you went!

While I don't usually recommend her books, Sylvia Brown has a wide reaching and powerful effect on lots of people. A Gemini like you would be able to relate easily to her writing and put it to good use. Synchronicity - you gotta love it!

I like your description of "getting caught." That's exactly what it feels like, isn't it? One minute you're free and hovering above the room, and the next minute, ZAP! back down into your corporeal form you go!

As a little kid, I loved that "feeling of return." With practice, most of the time we can control that event, but sometimes, when our physical ears hear a distracting noise or something else occurs to knock us back into reality, back we go. With practice you will be able to control your return better.

I find it interesting that you were visiting your mother-in-law and not someone in your own genetic family. Evidently, you and your husband got married for reasons that are even deeper than love. His family's interest in "psychic stuff" will nurture your children in such matters and help them to grow into their own abilities.

You'll never have to be concerned that when your daughter visits them, she'll be discouraged from exploring her own psychic life and power. My parents encouraged me to develop my psychic senses in a time when it wasn't nice to even discuss such things in public. Heck, it's STILL not considered a great topic at the dinner table in some families!

Your kids will get to talk about it ALL and ask questions and read and study. This is going to give them such an edge in life! Talk with your husband about how you want to present this to your kiddos, so that you are united in your approach and ready to tell them their experiences are all natural and okay.

A word or two of warning: Geminis often have difficulty staying grounded in REAL LIFE. Don't get so strung out on your ASTRAL life that you neglect what you're doing here on Earth.

You are at the beginning of a long journey to learn where your power really lies. Try to be patient with this process and take your time.