Tag: BEAUTY

Lightness of Being

Lightness of Being


Usually I share my own photographs and video as part of my work, my gift to the world. Lately I haven’t felt the words form, haven’t felt inspired to create. It’s been very heavy, bottom to top.

So today I found this video of a humpback calf playing with dolphins and it seemed to tell the story that I don’t feel inspired to tell now, but hope to soon.

I hope you enjoy the lightness of being. May the light of this calf and her friends shower all with beauty and peace….and hope.

The Small Shall Be Great

The Small Shall Be Great

If you ever feel down, burdened, afraid of what life might bring, think of creatures whose lives are ‘burdened’ by one drop of rain.

I observed this little insect attempting to crawl up a pansy petal carrying one drop of water. Gravity won. There was a tumble into the dirt and I didn’t discover the fate of this small bug….and interestingly enough, never once did I hear complaining or whining coming from my tiny friend.

Our brief encounter over a week ago has stayed with me. Sometimes the smallest among us are our greatest teachers.

Reflections on Whales–Part IV

Reflections on Whales–Part IV

Buddy & Willie Fay Meet a Baby Whale

February 22

Sunrise was spectacular. There were brilliant, fat, vermillion streaks in the eastern sky then that color transferred to small, thin clouds surrounding the moon’s silver sliver. The crescent was surrounded by an amazing brilliant orange whisper of color. Then the illumination of sunrise lit up a cauldron of puffy clouds in an orange, peach, pink, gray mixture of colors and eventually the western sky was alive with color as the east faded to a pale yellow canopy.

I forgot to write about the three whales playing around the mothership late yesterday afternoon. Two members of the crew were scuba diving to check the mooring line and the captain was using the bow thrusters to keep the ship stable. We think perhaps the whales were drawn to the vibration of the thrusters. The provided quite a show of spy-hopping and playing around the divers. After the mooring was secured again, the captain got his drone out and the female whale was very interested in it. She spy-hopped and then pushed up toward the drone as it hovered over her.

Observing the curiosity and interest in human activities by the whales was quite amazing. Because the female spy-hopped so much within ten feet or less of the bow, I was able to capture very detailed photographs of the head with my telephoto lens. In particular the tubercles stood out.

Humpback whale fact: They have between 30 and 60 tubercles around the jaw and within each tubercle is a hair. Thick nerve cells surround the hair and scientists have puzzled over the function. Possibilities include: measure subtle vibrations, track movement of water and prey, measure electromagnetic fields, measure temperature and salinity and aid in their super-agile leaps and spins. These hairy bumps have even inspired wind turbine, airplane wing and propeller designs.

Being so close to curious, intelligent beings that are 45 feet long still makes me smile as I review my journal from two weeks ago. Oh….and then there was the rest of the day.

~~~

I was waiting for one of these whale days. Perhaps the previous afternoon’s encounter was the prelude.

It began with a group of whales. It wasn’t the full-blown pushing and shoving matches I’ve seen, when the males are intently pursuing a female and putting up a good fight for her affection. This was more like relaxed play. After following the four whales and observing from the small boat we received a radio transmission that whales were back at the mothership.

The crew identified the female as the same one that was so inquisitive with the divers and drone. She was even more curious with very close approaches to the motors (not in gear/props off) of the tenders, the stern of the mothership and even us, as we observed. The male patrolled the perimeter and she swam among our groups, nosed the tenders, spy-hopped and generally provided the most incredible display of beauty and trust.

I cropped this image to show her eye

Eye-to-eye contact with cetaceans is always special but there is a profound depth of presence when a humpback offers a glimpse into her mind via her baseball-sized eye.

Finally the male lured his gal from her inquisitive play to rest. As she settled below us to rest, the male continued to patrol. Sometimes he swam below her as she hovered motionless and other times he swam over her back. There was no mistaking (at least to me) they were lovers. And finally they swam off together and disappeared into the blue.

Joy….Joy….JOY!

There is nothing else to say.

 

Blue Heaven

Blue Heaven

In Three Sisters Spring, a highly-visited spring in central Florida by manatees and people watching manatees, there are areas set aside as sanctuaries for resting manatees. Humans are not allowed to follow them past the barriers and the manatees know this. They head to these quiet places to rest and seek respite from the colder river.

I totally understand their desire to hide from massive amounts of people in this ‘warm’ water haven. In fact, I have often wanted to request a sanctuary for humans that simply want to float in stillness and quiet rather than be among those kicking, splashing, talking, yelling or crowding manatees….where is my sanctuary?

Earlier this week I found it. Two days in a row I had the spring to myself. Well….there were fish and a cormorant and maybe a sleeping manatee but there were no other humans. I floated face down watching the spring bubble up 15 feet below me and dropped into a deep stillness that comes when I’m in water, in my happy place.

There was no splashing, no loud voices…it was an amazing experience of beauty and peace.

Ripples of light reflecting off the sand created a wave of rainbows in constant motion. Bliss…delight…wonder…awe.

Suspended weightlessly, the spring and I were one.  There was nothing except those moments of harmony. What a time of renewal, of restoration.

One afternoon there was a large, sleeping manatee. I swam far away and past it to the big spring for my meditation. The manatee and I held space for each other to rest and relax with no expectations or demands. All encounters are not face-to-face. Perhaps some of the most profound are not even in close physical proximity.

I felt so alive and wonderful after spending so much time floating, drifting in stillness.

If you know me, you know I love manatees and whales and sea lions, whale sharks, dolphins….but what I love almost more than an encounter with them is giving them their space and honoring their need for rest and stillness. Cultivating respect for others…accepting their choices to engage or withdraw…and doing the same for myself leads to increased inner harmony and balance.

Wouldn’t it be great if we all could do that for each other and all species? That would perhaps be heaven. For me, it was Blue Heaven.

 

The Stones Speak

The Stones Speak

_tsl9187Day dawned dark with news from afar;

Earth, water no longer sacred?

Money won—gods of greed and tar.

Now civil rights mired in hatred.

 

To my knees I fell, sobs escaped my lips;

Oh, my God! Has sanity been eclipsed?

 

_tsl9288Darkness gathered and shadows grew.

Hope dimmed, panic began to rise.

My mind raced, whatever can I do?

Darkness comes in golden disguise.

 

A voice then came through, so clear and so loud:

“Go to the stones and walk among the clouds.”

 

_tsl9141My grief and I put on our boots

And went out in the cold and snow.

We stood with stones in armored suits

And listened as the wisdom flowed.

 

“It’s time to wake-up and see the truth here.

None of this matters in five thousand years.”

 

_tsl9304The stones spoke—ages, wars went by:

Ancient wisdom, patience and trust,

I saw time make the darkness fly.

Peace grew strong, swords crumbled in rust.

 

“This is a moment in time, a heart beat.

Cry your tears, but don’t forever you weep.”

 

_tsl9099The peace of snow and ancient times

Enfolded me with grace and calm.

I walked along those Druid lines

And there I found the sweetest balm.

 

“Wake up and shine and know love is the key.

This world can heal and be one, you will see.”

_tsl9320