Finding Peace

Jesse Norman’s beautiful voice blended with the strings as she sang Vier latest Lieder: IV. Im Abendrot. During breakfast I had been reading Thousand Mile Song about…well, what else…whales. Lately I have immersed myself in all things whale, from scientific to spiritual in an effort to gain understanding of their wisdom.

Since spending a week with humpback whales in March my life hasn’t been the same. As I sat on the top deck of the large boat making its way back to land after being moored 80 miles offshore, I watched humpbacks. Already filled with emotion and listening to Whales Alive, I spotted a large pectoral fin rise up out of the water and slap over and over again. With each slap I cried harder. My entire life had been leading me to humpbacks and now I was leaving them. Yet the large whale lazily slapping her 15 foot pectoral fin created a communion between us that I will always remember.

Integrating the many powerful moments with humpbacks into my daily has been difficult. After such a life-changing experience how can I return to land, to life without their magnificent presence?

Recently I have made progress by spending time in meditation… listening… connecting. Reading more about quantum physics and understanding that we really are One with all life has helped me bring a deeper awareness of humpback whales and all of nature into my mind. The deep, profound peace I experienced with a mother humpback and her calf is returning as I spend time in stillness and silence….listening.

This morning, the sweet music called me to embody the mother humpback in movement. My excessively long arms became pectoral fins and I made peace with my body and the fact that sleeves are rarely long enough. As a humpback whale my graceful, long ‘arms’ would give me the ability to breach and turn and call to lovers with powerful slaps on the water’s surface.

As I moved gently and slowly with the music, allowing the essence of the whale to fill me, tears flowed and profound peace enveloped me. My relationship with humpbacks continues to unfold and their beauty and wisdom guides me as I surrender…opening deeper, deeper into the stillness of my own being.