The Enchantment of the Pod
When I woke up at dawn I felt drawn to my heart beach, where the same pod of 30 dolphins from the previous day were swimming in the bay. There were four pairs of moms & babies and several juveniles in the group.
As soon as I heard their familiar squeaks & clicks, I experienced an instantaneous feeling of connection and acceptance from the pod. Dolphins use sound (via echolocation) to ‘see’ and sense the presence of life forms in the ocean. They are aware of our physical form, our emotional state, and our vibrational essence long before we can see them.
What made this swim special was that soon after I merged with the pod, my two favorite dolphin friends from the previous day swept in to captivate my time & attention. They saw me kicking alongside a group of six adult dolphins and made a bee-line right over to swim beside me.
The Gift of Recognition
The dolphins’ eyes widened in recognition as our eyes met… then they picked up their pace and corralled me into less crowded water to partake in repeated and extensive rounds of companionable play. We were joined at times by the other dolphins in the group, but my two primary buddies made sure I gave them the majority of my focused attention.
I was tickled and honored to be unmistakably recognized by these bright and gregarious dolphins! There was a sparkle of sheer delight emanating from their eyes (in) the instant we reconnected. This poignant image reached deep into my soul, creating an emotional snap-shot that will live in my heart forever.
Expansion of the Pod
After an hour of moving & playing with the group, the pod-mind shifted as dolphins began sounding more noisily and ‘looking out to sea’. Within moments we were joined by a group of larger adults whom I had seen the day before at the other bay. The pod temporarily grew to 40+ dolphins, and their collective energy became denser and more serious. Their pace remained constant, but their swimming pattern covered a larger portion of the bay.
The highlights of the morning were playing with my two special buddies and swimming as a fully integrated dolphin-spirit within the pod. For three hours, I was physically and energetically enveloped by dolphins, swimming eye-to eye and heart-to-heart with my cetacean family.
Reiki and Gratitude
Towards the end of my swim I directed healing energy towards the pod. By that time, the size was back down to 30 dolphins… and as Reiki radiated from my essence, dolphins slowed their pace to absorb the pure vibration of Universal love.
When it was obvious that they needed to sleep, the pod picked up speed and expanded its swimming pattern farther away form shore. I swam to the beach and concluded the encounter with a standing meditation of thankfulness.
As my feet sank into the soft sand and soothing waves gently licked my ankles, I extended my arms upward in appreciation of the Divine Source that guides my life. With each alternate breath cycle I directed my gratitude deep into the heart of the waters of Hawaii. I sent a silent prayer and a burst of Light to my family & friends… human and dolphin alike.
A Joyous Birthday Celebration!
I was graciously asked to attend the birthday dinner celebration of my beautiful dolphin-sister, Joan Ocean. A small group of friends met at Jackie Rey’s for Hawaiian cocktails & a scrumptious meal. We shared stories, smiles, & laughter, and discussed the open-ended possibilities of exciting events to come.
Joan is one of the most radiant, conscious, and progressive beings on our planet today. She was among first intrepid spirits to solidify the human-dolphin connection by swimming every day with wild spinner dolphins in Kealakekua Bay. For more than two decades she has personally visited dolphins & whales in oceans all over the world to deliver a clear message of unconditional love. Her ongoing and deliberate extension of loving kindness towards cetaceans has formed an inter-species bridge of trust and mutual respect.
Thank you Joan, and Happy Birthday!
The heartfelt acceptance that many of us enjoy today among cetaceans in Hawaii and in every ocean on our planet is the result of Joan’s generous heart & magnificent light. It was a pleasure & an honor to celebrate Joan’s 70th year on Gaia!