Tag: Nature Photography
Reflecting on Whales–Part I

Reflecting on Whales–Part I

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February 19th

The tip of the orange orb peeked from behind the horizon. Rapidly it climbed in the east, transforming the light blue sky to deep azure striped with brilliant tangerine clouds stretching overhead. I closed my eyes to breathe in the day and when I opened them all color had vanished from the misty, wispy cloud-beings. Their white skeletons hung colorless, no longer blushing with radiance. What an awakening they had as their tails painted the heavens.

Now the whales breathe their white hot breath in the distance. They weave magic in this place that lifts all heaviness. Their freedom gives me freedom and so I awaken to the magnificent life–the magnificent, abundant life.

Earlier, as I watched the sun rise…no, before that…after yoga under the half moon and stars when I sat on the top deck of the steadily rocking boat, I struggled between being in-the-moment–absorbent, sponge-like, of the indigo water, blue sky and orange clouds–and diving into my writer’s mind that wanted to begin weaving words.

With determination I remained open, receptive and gifted myself the present…the Experience–wind on my face, sea spray baptizing me with holy water. “Wait,” I said aloud. “Be here. Feel it. You will remember.”

So I surrendered to the day, to the beauty and longing of my soul to be free of thoughts and words and plans.

Now I glance up from the writing and a whale blows in the distance. I am drawn deeper, deeper into their weaving, their magic as I leave everything else behind.

~~~~~

I leaned my ear against the side of the boat. Arias and riffs of deep, booming base and high whistles vibrated through the hull and created an opening in my heart. Tears trickled down my tilted face. We actually heard the whale song over the purr of the engine. We stopped, turned off the outboard motor and listened. Amazing! Never saw the singer but he serenaded us through the watery depths as we floated motionless in the Atlantic Ocean.

Also had a nice visit with a mother humpback and her baby in the water. It was a delicious day which I consumed with gratitude. 

Juvenile humpback showing off that beautiful fluke!
Love from the Humpbacks

Love from the Humpbacks

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Just arrived back in the Dominican Republic after spending a week anchored 90 miles offshore with humpback whales. The official blogs will start next week with the wonderful stories….but here’s a little preview.

This female played behind our mothership, came up beside the tenders, and found our group generally delightful. So you can imagine what we thought about her and her ‘boyfriend.’
Oneness….

Oneness….

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“Just as the heart is hidden in the human body, so is the body surrounded by the powers of the soul because these reach the ends of the earth.” –Hildegard of Bingen

Hildegard was a Benedictine abbess, writer, composer, philosopher, Christian mystic, visionary and founder of scientific natural history in Germany in the 12th century. She was a bold nun to write of the mystic visions she experienced. And perhaps even bolder to write of humanity’s need to protect Mother Earth.

This Christian mystic from the 1100’s considered the earth and universe as one being coming to life. “The earth is at the same time Mother. She is the Mother of all that is natural, Mother of all that is human. She is the Mother of all, for contained in her are the seeds of all.” 

The following is a poem written by Hildegard:

I am the one whose praise echoes on high. 

I adorn all the earth.

I am the breeze that nurtures all things green.

I encourage blossoms to flourish with ripening fruits.

I am led by the spirit to feed the purest streams.

I am the rain coming from the dew that causes the grasses to laugh with the joy of life.

I call forth tears, the aroma of holy work.

I am the yearning for good.

Should we feel alone or disconnected she reminds us, “God hugs you. You are encircled by the arms of the mystery of God.” 

Contemporary writer and teacher of Celtic shamanism–Tom Cowan–writes, “The soul is not in the body, the body is in the soul. Our bodies, minds, egos and personalities are temporarily living within the soul and this soul exists to fill the entire universe. My body and mind are folded into my soul, which brings to me, through my senses, knowledge of the oneness of all created things.”

I’ve been thinking about the writings of Hildegard and Cowan lately. The idea that our soul contains the body, rather than the body containing the soul, brings such delight to my wanderings in the woods and along the shore. If the expansive, energetic part of me connected to Source contains this physical manifestation that is a body and personality, it’s not the part of me with an expiration date that reaches into the Universe, it’s the timeless part of me.

As I walked contemplating this today, I felt a greater sense of relaxation and well-being. It’s not up to the flawed personality self to get it all right, right now. This soul, this container, connects the little ‘me’ with the Vastness of time and space. It’s not a tiny seed of Light in this body, this body is a physical expression of that which enfolds me…the enormity of Light within which everything is contained.

I am therefore connected to everything and everyone on a soul level with absolutely zero effort. The effort comes in awakening my personality self to the truth and learning to look beyond the finite illusion that I am separate from anything or anyone.

A morning blessing I adapted to speak to Nature…to Life each morning at sunrise:

I arise today with the strength of Heaven–

Light of Sun

Radiance of Moon

Splendor of Stars

Swiftness of Wind

Power of Fire

Depth of Sea

Stability of Earth

I arise today with a mighty strength, witnessing the Oneness of Creation.

The faces of love….

We are One. There is nothing we can do about it…it’s just the way it is. It’s time to stop fighting it and surrender to Oneness.