Exploring the Beauty of the Island
The only other time Beto has visited Hawaii was in 2002, when he helped to finalize the purchase of our house in Holualoa. It was a hectic trip with no time for relaxation or for him to get to know Hawaii. So, basically this (trip) has been his first real opportunity to explore the natural beauty of the island.
On Saturday we drove south in search of a good swim and friendly dolphins. Before going to bed the night before, I extended my consciousness to the southern pod of dolphins and envisioned interacting with them in my favorite bay.
A Sacred Swim
We started the morning with a swim at Honaunau. This sacred site, known as the Place of Refuge, is a power vortex and its small bay is alive with energy. We swam to the tip of the bay observing numerous colorful Hawaiian fishes and 2 ribbon-like moray eels. We leisurely swam to the point, and sprinted back to shore in order to exercise our hearts & lungs.
Dolphins in the Bay!
Feeling refreshed, we drove to towards my favorite bay after stopping at an organic fruit stand for a juicy snack. As we arrived at the beach, I immediately saw the sunlight refracting off of dolphin fins as they sped across the bay.
I joyfully swam out to greet them while chanting my dolphin-spirit mantra, and within moments the pod came into view. There were 30 dolphins, including four mom & baby pairs, as well as a distinctive group of five guardian dolphins. They were in their resting state, so I quietly swam parallel to the pod at a respectful distance.
Now you see ’em, now you don’t…
The dolphins had been playful earlier in the morning, but since we had not been in the water then, they were not yet familiar with us. Therefore I stayed well off to the side, tracking the pod in a wide arc for about 10 minutes. They slowly began to pull away just as Beto came swimming out to join me. We waited & watched for the pod to resurface and were unable to find them again.
We then snorkeled to the farthest point of the bay enjoying the company of turtles and moorish idols. Beto played with the video camera, and after an hour we headed back to shore for a rest and a snack.
On their terms
On the way in, the pod suddenly came back into view! They had been in the vicinity for the entire time… but had silently slipped out of our field of vision. Our hunger and fatigue instantly vanished, and we spent the next 2 hours swimming in tandem with the pod, moving slowly and quietly as they sleepily circled the bay.*
We fully realized that when we rejoined this pod it was on their terms. The dolphins reappeared to us as they accepted our presence in the water. We approached them cautiously, and soon fell into a relaxed pattern of gliding & blending energy with the pod.
Sleepy time
Dolphins sleep by essentially taking half of their brain ‘off line’. Typically they will swim with one eye closed when in their sleeping or resting mode. They communicate through sound and mental telepathic transference, and there is an active ‘pod consciousness’ directing the dolphins when they swim in their pod-choreographed resting pattern.
Some dolphins remain alert while others are able to sleep during this resting phase. They remain in constant motion, and the pace seems to be established by the more alert dolphins. They switch roles over the course of the resting period in order for the entire pod to rejuvenate.
When a person can blend into a quiet, effortless state of flowing movement with the pod, the experience can be deeply meditative. It’s rare for dolphins to allow humans to join the pod during their resting phase because we tend to be loud in the water (kicking & splashing our feet, breathing loudly, etc), and they can sense the energy of ‘effort’ which disrupts their relaxed fluidity.
Dolphin Dreamtime
Over the years, I have had the privilege of blending with sleeping pods who were swimming relatively close to the surface for extended periods of time. I call it ‘dolphin dreamtime’, and it feels like my brain waves slow down and my mind expands to encompass a broader spacial & multi-dimensional orientation.
I no longer individuate dolphins around me, but instead connect with ‘pod consciousness’. The boundary between human & dolphins dissolves, and I become part of their collective presence.
In this state, I move in rhythm with the pod, without having to see where we are going. Instead I sense and feel the direction we are moving, and can close my eyes while staying in perfect synch with the dolphins.
The raw emotional state of the pod is shared within their collective consciousness, indicating the existing well-being of the group… whether its members feel safe, threatened, agitated, etc. When a mood or emotion shifts for any of the dolphins, the pod feels it instantaneously. I suppose this state could be described as an extremely fine-tuned state of collective intuitive empathy.
R&R with our Finned Family
On this particular day, I enjoyed a few moments of dolphin-dreamtime connection, but for most of the swim I was a respectful observer. For awhile, I swam next to a momma & baby as they slept. It was fascinating to observe that their open eyes were facing one another, while their closed eyes were on their periphery.
Beto & I appreciated the prolonged, slow, extended sleepy-dolphin-connection, which contrasted with our previous days of on-the-move dolphin encounters. When we finally swam to shore, our hearts were full and our bodies pleasantly exhausted.
*A footnote about Sleeping Dolphins
Within the human dolphin community there are mixed feelings about swimming with resting dolphins. Some people are adamantly against it, others are more flexible in their opinions. My feeling is that if a swimmer is ‘tuned in’ and can move silently, smoothly, and respectfully in the water while harmonizing with the peaceful resonance of the pod, that swimmer is not disruptive to the dolphins. As a matter of fact, dolphins willingly enable & allow accompaniment of this kind by enveloping the swimmer within the pod. Very few people can actually do this effortlessly however– and therein lies the issue.
I believe that dolphins are masters of their aquatic domain and have the capacity to be where they want to be in the water with a minimum of exertion. They can completely disappear from sight & consciousness when they choose; they can in essence become invisible if desired or necessary. Through their sonar scanning ability and telepathic resonance, they can sense the emotional intention of the living creatures in their surrounding aquatic environment. In these and other ways, dolphins are fully capable of taking care of themselves. At the same time, it is our responsibility to respect and respond to their moods & needs accordingly.