Dear Friends,
This past weekend I attended a lighthouse festival with my brother. We were having a nice time interacting with the vendors, enjoying the people, and partaking in our favorite foods. One of the highlights of the festival was to enjoy the salmon bake, and accompaniments. We also had fun exploring the lighthouse there for the first time.
After dinner, I suggested we walk down to the beach and out onto the pier. I remember a strong desire to go there to enjoy the early evening air and serene water. My brother and I have an easy connection when we are together, and he agreed readily. Just as we walked onto the beach, I looked up and off to my side, just a little bit, were Orca Whales, about 6 of them swimming very close to shore. The timing could not have been more perfect. They were so near that I could see their colors and I could even hear them as they moved through the water and the water spouted into the air as they surfaced and exhaled.
I could feel the sense of joy from everyone on the beach, both children and adults. Luckily, I was able to obtain a fairly good video of them but was conscious to make sure I was observing them without the camera in front of my face as well. Since this magical event, I have watched this video many times. Each time, I feel my breathing slow down and I am struck by the majestic beauty, gracefulness and power of these amazing creatures.
These whales have become a meditation for me all week. I am so grateful and humbled that I was able to witness them in such an intimate way. I have lived in the Seattle area for 38 years and this was the first time the viewing of these beings occurred in this way. I have witnessed whales but often at a distance and was not able to have the sensory impact I had with them on this occasion.
I am struck by their rhythmic movements and how their motion through the water is very much like our movement through life. The whales dive deep into the water’s depths and then they come up for air and take a breath, then dive deep again, over and over. This is very much like humans who dive deep into their inner self/subconscious/emotions (water often symbolizes emotions), sometimes freely and often because of trauma or something difficult occurring in their lives.
When we experience challenges, this can impel us to go deeper into ourselves to look for sustenance, relief, just as a whale dives deep looking for food to sustain them. And then, after we have had enough reflection and perhaps experiencing discomfort with what we are learning we look for relief, for a breath of fresh air, for the sun on our face just like the whale coming up from the water needing a breath to continue its journey. But unlike the whale, humans resist the natural flow of life’s ups and downs. We often try very hard to stay up or to deny our deeper needs for quiet reflective time.
I remember working with a Buddhist teacher and monks years ago. They often spoke about not allowing ourselves to get too high in life as there would always be something to bring us down. They spoke of not allowing ourselves to get too attached to feeling down as life will always bring us something to feel good about. These ups and downs are like the whale diving and surfacing, diving and surfacing. These ups and downs are like our breathing in and out and in and out. The more we can reflect on the whale and its graceful movement through life, the easier we can traverse the highs and lows of life. If we are feeling excited, stay connected to the breath, the ebb and flow and the pause between the breath. If we are feeling down, contemplate the whale’s journey through the water, and feel its ease of movement, its power and its grace.
I discovered that Orca whales are conscious breathers in that they must remember to take a breath. A part of them, one side of their brain, must stay conscious even when they are sleeping. If they allow themselves to go too unconscious, they can die as they forget to breathe. Humans often forget to breathe when they are stressed and worried, or they breathe very shallowly which creates more anxiety and a feeling of dis-ease. Another lesson from the whale is to always stay conscious of your breath as you move through life.
When I was at the festival, I made a conscious effort to stay connected to my breathing and slow it down. In the past, when I was around crowds, I noticed I would often hold my breath and there would be a feeling of tension in me. This did not occur on the day of the festival. The whole day, I felt connected and was conscious of my breathing. I believe this is why I was able to feel my soul’s urge to go down to the water. My brother, was also in the flow at that moment.
The whale showed itself to all of us on the beach. Some people may say that they were only after food, and that is probably partially true. However, staying connected to my breath, I can feel the whale’s strength and message to all of us. I was waiting for inspiration for my next blog sharing and the whales provided this inspiration. Through me, they are also connecting with all of you as well.
A good friend of mine shared that our Orca whales are on the endangered list. In my research I discovered that only 73 of the southern resident whales are left that hunt for food up and down the coast from British Columbia through northern California. Apparently, there are Orca Whales in all the oceans of the world but the ones we have here are in danger of going extinct.
The reasons for this jeopardy of these special mammals could be due to diminishing salmon population, water and noise pollution. I find it interesting that we had just enjoyed a salmon dinner. The whales don’t begrudge our good fortune for our food but the message I am receiving is to be aware of their predicament. What a tragedy it would be to lose these amazing beings in our waterways around here.
I urge all who feel drawn to send them love and picture these incredible beings finding the sustenance they need to thrive. Be conscious when out on motorboats and know that boating may seem like harmless fun, but some sea creatures are affected by unnatural noise and vibration. Be careful of what chemicals we use in our gardens and yards as these chemicals can find their way into our bodies of water. If we stay connected to the breath and the energy of the whales as they dive through the waterways, we will automatically be in harmony with nature and life. We will know the next steps to take, just as my brother and I had the inclination to go down to the beach at that exact moment the whales were swimming by. We will also know on an intuitive level what actions are beneficial for ourselves and all beings.
Wishing that all of you are able to experience the beauty, harmony, gracefulness and strength of the whales as you swim through life. Keep breathing, and don’t get too attached to the highs or the lows. Stay as much as possible in the rhythm of life’s ebbs and flows, ups and downs, and you will breathe much easier and enjoy more peace in this graceful movement. You will know when to dive deep into self-reflection and then you will know when to surface and take a breath and feel the sun on your face and the joy of being alive. .
Namaste,
Rosemary Veilleux