Horse trainer Naomi McDonald impulsively buys a "shy" Border collie pup named Luke, and she believes it's fate. However, puppy Luke shows no signs of herding instinct, and a trainer tells her to put him down. At every juncture, Naomi must decide whether or not to abandon her dream of entering herding competitions with her beloved dog. Despite her earnest desire to enter this new, exciting world with respect and belonging, she inadvertently makes an enemy who can change everything for her and for her beloved Luke. When Naomi has a vision of a past life, she realizes her journey with Luke involves more than meets the eye, more than she ever imagined. With the help of a medicine woman, Naomi learns that Luke is her teacher, not only for herding competitions but also for a spiritual journey that would take her into the world of shamanic healing, animal communication, and spiritual beings most people cannot see. Author Naomi McDonald tells her true story with love and joy, disappointment and sorrow to show that ordinary people who have past-life pain and childhood trauma can find guidance and peace in unexpected places. Now a certified shamanic practitioner, Naomi has studied with spiritual-wisdom teachers around the world. She is a spiritual guide, teacher, and author. It all started with a dog named Luke.
About the Author: Long before kindergarten, Naomi knew she wanted to work with animals. She owned a horse training facility, in Owasso, Oklahoma, for twenty years where she taught equine care and riding skills. Her students qualified for riding scholarships, college equine teams, as well as state and world championships. She never thought her life would take another direction, but in 1997 Luke became her canine teacher and Naomi learned to be a world-class shepherdess and herding competitor. The result: Naomi awakened ability to sense an animal's thoughts. She studied with top communicators in the U.S, Leta Worthington and Penelope Smith. Since then, Naomi has a practice as an animal communicator and teaches animal communication. She attended the Four Winds Society, Healing the Light Body School and is a certified shamanic practitioner. After studying with Betsy Bergstrom and spiritual wisdom teachers around the world, Naomi is a spiritual guide, teacher and author. Away to Me, My Love - A Sheepdog's Tale of Two Lives was written for two purposes: to take a reader into the fascinating world of shepherding and sheepdog training, and to show that ordinary people with past-life and childhood traumas can find guidance and peace in unexpected places. In honor of Luke's wishes, Naomi uses her communication and shamanic skills to write the epilogue of his story. In sharing her wise dog's thoughts and feelings, Naomi wishes for others to find comfort in the experience of his passing. He didn't really die, you see. His spirit is eternal and very much alive.