Dog Heart- Chichitonyolotli

    It's been 8 months since our last blog entry and much has happened and much has changed. In March I began learning about medicinal herbs of the Pacific North West through the Arctos School of Herbal and Botanical Studies. I am still in the program until mid October but I have learned a great deal and cannot recommend them enough! Not only have I learned about what a magical place we live in but also how miraculous nature really is. 
   In addition to my herbal teachings I have undertaken my own decolonization and have been on a roots reclamation journey. Some of you may know this about my story. Both of my parents immigrated to the US from Mexico, both at very young ages. And though I have been so privileged to be aware of our origin much of the history of my family's ancestry is still shrouded in mystery and was lost to assimilation. The past few years I have been on this journey of connecting with Indigenous Mexika community circles in the Portland Metro Area. This connection has opened my eyes to a number of issues.

1. Mexican folks are indigenous to this land.
2. we don't own land we belong to land.
3. Because we belong to the land it is our job to protect it, care of it, and all life that is on it.  

What does this have to do with dog training?
Great question!

   I have always been fond of dogs, and i never really understood why I felt this affinity but in the last year it has come to me. After spending time outdoors, learning about how each plant relies on the each other, and how we need the plants to feed our atmosphere and we need the atmosphere to live, all living things. ALL OF OUR RELATIONS. I realized what Kimbo has been trying to get me to understand these 7 plus years we have been together. It only took me 7 yrs to learn. We must do the work to keep the land protected and we must do the work to be in balance and harmony with the earth. 
   In the last 2 years I have been on a quest for my Nahuatl name, Nahuatl, the language of Indigenous Central Americans. I played with Xocoyotl (youngest child) and Yolotli (heart) and finally in a dream, my great aunt, from my mother's side, appeared to me in a dream, touched my chest with her index finger (where i have a dog skull tattooed on me) and said "your heart beats in the same rhythm of the dog. you have a dog heart. Chichitonyolotli- Dog Heart. 
   Dogs in toltec teachings represent Xolotl, the guardian of souls to the underworld, the guardian of the Sun through the night. Xolotl is the Black Dog diety that rules Ollin- movement. 
   In this new found identity that really was more of a validation of my path, I have taken on this name and with it, more that just working with people and counseling their relationships with the dogs in their lives. We are more that just our relationships to our dogs, we are complex and live in complex worlds.
    Moving forward, Fur-Ever Is A Promise will be working to help people achieve balance with themselves, in their lives, and in relation to all they are connected to. We will be offering nutritional consults and herbal support consultations, we will be offering lesson in how to be more connected and have deeper relationships with your pup and yourself. We are committed to living our best lives with you as part of that. 
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Noxtin Nomecoyotzin~ All of our Relations~Solidarity

Letty Chichitonyolotli, Kimbo Puppy, and St. Enke

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