ENVIRONMENT Archives - Page 10 of 46 -

Eye Contact

By Simone Lipscomb | August 24, 2015

While hovering over a coral reef in the Caribbean, I spot a blenny. The small fish, perhaps an inch long with eyes the size of a pin head, makes eye contact. In the Sea of Cortez, hovering over a rocky outcrop a juvenile puffer fish, also very tiny in size, approaches my mask and makes eye contact. No matter the size of the species, it always feels as if a real connection of some sort is made when eyes of one connects with eyes of another.

One of the most satisfying experiences enjoyed in my life is making eye contact with wild animals. Perhaps not all wild animals would accept it as a peaceful action but those who choose to interact with me like this help me to feel accepted into that other’s life, if only for a moment.

While interacting with a juvenile humpback whale, there was definitely eye contact. Considering the cetacean was over 15 feet in length, she wasn’t the one intimidated. I offered a quiet mind and peaceful heart to this sister and the encounter changed my life. Maybe it changed her for the better in some way, too.

And manatees…they seem to love making goo-goo eyes with me or my camera housing dome port. (Perhaps they are really making goo-goo eyes with the manatee they see reflected in the port). I like to think that when we make eye contact with others…be it wildlife, our domestic non-human friends or even humans…we are making an agreement to connect.

SimoneLipscomb (9) — *Sampson, a bobcat that lives indoors in a wildlife rescue center after being surrendered by a human who declawed him and kept him illegally as a pet.*

It has been said the eyes are the window of the soul. That’s how I gauge if someone is ‘home’ in their body. It’s how I communicate with other species and with other humans. There is much to learn from looking into another’s eyes.

Cath Steel & Will Kimbrough — *Cathe Steel & Will Kimbrough*

What about you? Are you willing to take the risk to make eye contact?

Or will you live with blinders, refusing to connect with others around you?

Happy Birthday!

By Simone Lipscomb | August 8, 2015

Loggerhead sea turtle hatchling from a few years ago.... — *Loggerhead sea turtle hatchling from a few years ago*….

The stars twinkled brightly and the majestic sweep of the Milky Way hung in the heavens over the Gulf of Mexico. I sat away from the crowd gathered and gazed into that un-ending cosmos whose majesty fills me with awe.

The sand at the nest site had been sinking steadily and underground sounds almost constant since our team began arriving at 7pm. Beach visitors were drawn to the imminent event–the hatching of a nest of loggerhead sea turtles.

Our awesome tech genius team member constructed a system of monitoring that allows people with smartphones to watch via infrared video and to listen via an FM radio signal. It helps us monitor the nest without disturbing the hard-working babies and gives everyone who wishes it an intimate and lovely connection to one of nature’s most incredible miracles.

The din of happy and celebratory visitors started to wear on me as I treasure these hatchings for the Great Mystery they convey. Thus, I found myself alone in the midst of many humans, unplugged from gadgets and gazing at stars. Anchored in the beauty of the night and the impending crawl of baby sea turtles to the sea, I touched that place of deep peace within.

Then, after three hours since our arrival at the nest, the first baby began the long walk to the Gulf. I walked alongside and made sure none of the feet trampled her if she strayed. At the end of the light-shielding trench the two-foot drop had been made into a sand slide and I watched as the little loggerhead slid down and took her first swim into the mighty sea.

Phosphorescent bits lit the sand and twinkled, mirroring the stars spread in the vast sky. Children, with noses as close as was allowed, gazed in the darkness at the tiny forms making their way to their Mother…the Great Mother of us all.

One-by-one, 66 of the 115 eggs laid and magically transformed in 54 days to living beings, were embraced by the sea.

After the main boil occurred and I was driving home in the late hour before midnight and reflected on the day. What was this strange timing of events that brought the birth of these sea turtles and the birth of my newest endeavor of planetary love to the same birth date? Shipment of the book came three weeks early. Due the end of August, I received a notice last week they would be shipped on August 7th. Then yesterday morning…the 7th…I got a call from the shipping company saying they were being delivered that day. It seemed determined to arrive on August 7th. Like the baby turtles….some force unknown and little-understood triggered their hatching…and the arrival of the book.

It may not seem like a big deal to anyone but me. But as I sat on the beach last night, gazing into the sky and pondering the timing of events in life, it held meaning for me. The birth of Manatee Mindfulness shares a birthday with 72 loggerhead sea turtle friends (more came after I left). I can’t help but launch this book into the world with tremendous joy and celebration.

Welcome to the world baby turtles! Welcome to the world wildlife book….may you spread joy, love, compassion and wisdom to everyone you meet…just like the sea turtles who share your birthday.

To order your copy of Manatee Mindfulness and Other Wildlife Wisdom use PayPal and send $16 plus $4.95 shipping (US….other countries contact me for shipping) to [email protected] The book arrived so early it’s not on my website yet…but soon I’ll have my website updated so you can order there where shipping and tax will be calculated for you. Thanks!!

Thank You John Muir

By Simone Lipscomb | July 18, 2015

I look outside the window this morning. The craggy mountains, isolated and alone in their watch, stand as sentinels…guardians of the desert. Their weathered and rough faces are stark against the cloudy, soft arid morning.

It’s been many years since visiting this place and so much has happened between then and now. But the constant remains–my dream of exploring Arizona and other places of the west. There is so much beauty to experience and it feels as if I have barely scratched the surface of amazing places of raw, elemental beauty–not just here but in many places.

Allowing my mind to wander I took pen in hand and allowed the words to flow. “Given the resources I would, at this point, begin an exploration of each of the places I have dreamed of experiencing….Yellowstone, Glacier, Hoh, Sonoran, Antelope, Chelly, Yosemite, Sequoia, Redwood, Badlands, Painted…Hawaii, Galapagos…not to acquire stamps on my passport or to fulfill a mental checklist but to really connect with these places and learn from them and the spirits that reside there.

I remember hiking into Canyon de Chelly, in northeast Arizona, during an autumn snowfall and tapping into the strong magic of that place of Anasazi, the ancient Pueblo people. Reflecting back over 25 years ago, I can still hear the tinkling of Navaho sheep bells echoing off the canyon walls and hear the large snowflakes hissing as they touched the red rock walls. I was transported to another dimension where nature and ancient spirits touched me deeply. I still feel its breath upon my soul.

John Muir’s life led him on many explorations and his love of nature and Spirit motivates me to explore, to love deeply these sacred lands, and to step forward when opportunities arise. His pioneering work and determination helped many places of natural beauty and significance find protection against the ever-encroaching human greed. Yosemite, Sequoia and many other places owe a debt of gratitude to his efforts…as do all of us who care about sacred places.

After visiting Yosemite for the first time John Muir had this to say, “I was overwhelmed by the landscape, scrambling down steep cliff faces to get closer to waterfalls, whooping and howling at the vistas, jumping tirelessly from flower to flower.” “A few minutes ago every tree was excited, bowing to the roaring storm, waving, swirling, tossing their branches in glorious enthusiasm like worship. But though to the outer ear these trees are now silent, their songs never cease.”

And other quotes….”The mountains are calling and I must go.” “God has cared for these trees, saved them from drought, disease, avalanches, and a thousand tempests and floods. But he cannot save them from fools.”

“Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul alike.”

Oh, yes John. I get it.

John Muir, if you are listening from the Place Beyond, thank you for being true to your path and for helping those of us who follow you learn what it means to care and love the natural world. Your work lives on.

This place of desert inspires solitude, a deepening of the inner experience of quiet and contemplation. The elemental energies and spirits of nature call me to learn from them and celebrate this amazing planet on which we live, move and have our being.

—-

If you haven’t read John Muir’s extensive writings and are interested in explorations of our beautiful country and nature, I would highly encourage it. His writing is deeply moving, not just a dry account of his experiences. There are many books but a couple stand out for me…A Thousand Mile Walk to the Gulf (1916), My First Summer in the Sierra (1911).

Professor Octopus

By Simone Lipscomb | July 1, 2015

Vase sponge. — **Vase sponge and coral.**

Third day of Advanced Mermaid Training. The Beast (new housing and strobes) and I are getting along very well and even though its strobe arms appear to be a wild octopus out of the water, under water they behave quite well.

SimoneLipscomb (3) — ***Trumpet fish is master of disguise.***

Today’s lessons were all about adjusting the octopus-like arms of the strobes, adjusting the direction of light, adjusting aperture to create the desired effects and learning ways to hold the heavy housing and strobes and more efficiently and safely enter and exit the water on shore dives. And enjoying being underwater…of course.

SimoneLipscomb — ***Relaxing at the entry.***

The sandy beaches with no loose coral to slip on and a gentle-sloping bottom sure made it easier to get myself in and out of the water independently. That felt like a major accomplishment.

On the second dive I felt such bliss…slowly drifting along, communing with the Ocean and all life on the reef. I was completely relaxed and in harmony with the underwater world, my gear and myself. I think this is a key to every mermaid’s happiness and success.

SimoneLipscomb (17) — ***Professor Octopus demonstrating a perfect sea dance move.***

Later, on the third dive of the day, I was completing a solo portion of the dive and spied a large octopus hunting. I got a couple of good shots and am very happy with them; however, a fish photo-bombed the best shot. But no worries. Mermaid Happiness Rulebook, Chapter One, Paragraph one states: “Sea creatures will be drawn to you so never, ever scold one for coming to say hello. Be gracious with every interaction of all sea creatures.”

***This fish did a perfect photo-bomb when I was taking the octopus photograph.***

I feel very joyful to have this week to reconnect with my most favorite island and all the friends who live under the sea here.

SimoneLipscomb (23) — ***Blissed out in mermaid mode.***

Mermaid School

By Simone Lipscomb | June 30, 2015

Today’s class began once again before sunrise. Small green and black crabs clung to rocks covered with sea vegetation as waves washed over them. They taught me to hunker down, hang on and allow life’s challenges to proceed without getting caught in the chaos.

Next came a quick rain shower as I stood in the salt water picking up pieces of sea glass. It felt like a salt-water baptism and a good old-fashioned christening. A cleansing, a rite of purification.

First dive of the day was at Salt Pier. The Beast went with me and while I have simply fallen in love with the ability to produce images that do justice to the underwater world, it makes shore entries with surge and waves and loose coral and holes very challenging with such a heavy and awkward set up. Thankful for helpful friends.

Many huge schools of fish welcomed me into their midst as I floated weightless among them. Being a mermaid requires joining large groups of underwater creatures in certain rites and celebrations. Today we collectively moved our gills back and forth and learned to change direction by moving only our tails.

The second dive was at a site near downtown called Something Special. There are many small fish at this location and lots of trash as well. But it’s mostly old trash that ocean life has utilized for homes, as anchors and it has become part of the ecosystem. The teaching here? All of our lives are valuable, even the past…even situations we thought were over and done can be used to build something new and wonderful.

Rest time in mermaid school is very important. Today’s recess involved fixing and eating a healthy lunch, uploading photographs from the morning’s two dives and uploading video footage of two iguanas having breakfast. After a few hours of shade and relaxation, it was time for one more session of class.

SimoneLipscomb (6) — *Sponge at Something Special dive site.*

The Ocean was the instructor on this final class of the day. The water clarity was as bad as I’ve ever seen it in Bonaire. Brown clouds of particulate matter created a strange color underwater and turned the usual bright blue a strange icky green-brown. But part of being a mermaid is embracing the Ocean no matter what.

SimoneLipscomb (11) — *Damsel fish requested her photograph be taken.*

After about 30 minutes my dive buddy turned back and I wanted to check on a coral farm further north so I kept going. Not long after we parted, a beautiful hawksbill sea turtle, foraging on sponges, allowed me to approach and respectfully observe. I suppose this was my reward for persevering in less-than-ideal conditions.

After saying goodbye to the turtle I swam to the elk horn coral ‘trees’ and greeted the corals growing and the fish utilizing these unique, man-made trees where coral is grown and then transplanted to areas where coral has died.

I set a strong pace returning back to the exit point to feel the strength of my body and to test my swimming legs a bit. It was great fun and a wonderful way to end the day.

As my head broke the surface of the water, the sun was close to setting and almost ready to slip beneath the watery horizon. I paused before exiting the water to send gratitude to the Ocean for Her most magnificent day of teaching. Thus ended the second day of Mermaid training, Level 10.