// BLOG
Dolphin Initiation
December 13, 2009
Big Island, Hawaii – Kealakekua Bay
Stepping across the volcanic stones that comprise the beach here, I and my sweetheart make our way to the edge of the gentle surf. The morning is young but the air is warming already. We carefully wade into the water and swim out toward the deeper water of the bay. Near the horizon a mother humpback whale and her calf break the surface and blow a spray of water to great cheers from the small crowd at the beach behind us. Earlier from the shore we saw spinner dolphins leap into the air from the bay we are now swimming in. We are here to meet them, to share the same ocean for awhile and to relate with them if we’re invited.
Carolyn swims out ahead, confident in her previous experience here, excited to once again play with these bright and joyful teachers. Taking my time, I slowly swim and observe small crabs and colorful fish below me on the steeply sloping sandy floor. Looking up across the sparkling surface, I see the heads of a half dozen other snorkelers bobbing and looking about as well, all of us searching for dorsal fins, noses, spray – any sign of the dolphins we’ve come to commune with. Carolyn is out there somewhere among the other swimmers but, in masks and snorkels, to my eye she’s become indistinguishable from the rest. I send her a blessing on her journey today.
I enjoy my solitude as an opportunity to be present in my own experience, open to the community of swimmers around me and the dolphins, whales and other creatures that call this place home. Swimming forward toward the mouth of the bay I say, “What I Am in the highest opportunity of relationship with the dolphins, as Why I Am Here.” I relax, open, feeling my senses beginning to tingle and suddenly without warning the water around me is alive with squeaks, squeals and clicks – the language of dolphins!
Looking ahead and to the right and left, I swim forward but can see no sign of these beings, although I hear them clearly. Now I feel their sonar penetrating deeply through my body, scanning me. But where are they?
Wow! They appear as I never imagined. Swimming from behind me, two dolphins materialize on my right, another on my left. I am escorted out toward the ocean as the dolphins match my pace. They swim forward of me for a few meters, turn around and stop. We face each other for the count of a few heartbeats pounding in my ears. Slowly, gently, one of the dolphins moves toward me and stops close enough for me to touch his nose with my hand though I keep me arms at my sides. He turns his head and looks at me deeply, his right eye gazing, curious. He clicks and moves to my right, swimming around and behind me. The two females introduce themselves one at a time, just as the first did.
As they circle clockwise around me, I spin slowly to face them. Around and around we dance. I open my awareness completely, allowing them to feel who I am, my full presence expanded in gratitude. I intuit their invitation to open to them and as I do, I feel a physical pressure in my brain and a sudden release of energy in my upper chakras. My ears, eyes, third eye and crown open. The connection between my third eye and heart is like a superhighway of energy flowing freely. Still underwater, I laugh deeply and loudly, bubbles bursting around me. The three dolphins swim away from me moving toward the shore and leap out of the water about 5 meters from where I’m hovering. I watch them re-enter the water, bubbles trailing behind them as they disappear into the beams of light filtering down through the surface and out beyond my visibility.
Have I just experienced an initiation? Yes, without a doubt. My body has changed, my awareness has opened. The many stories I’ve heard from others about the miracle of swimming with dolphins suddenly become very real for me. I get it. I get what their excitement is about. In that moment my connection with the others who have encountered dolphins in this way becomes more tangible. I recognize that I have just joined a community, consciously, that has been happily ready for me to follow the call and come out to play.
In the next hour or so, I celebrate as other dolphins come by to allow me to share in their morning play. Some stay out at the edges of my field of vision, others again come near enough to share a gaze. I watch as they swim, leap, spin below and above the water, branch off separately for a moment or, more often, swim together in small groups. I notice a quiet, sweet moment when a single dolphin joins a solitary woman, who I imagine must be a familiar friend, as they swim slowly side by side for long sinuous minutes. I get a sense that they are having a conversation, getting current with each other, sharing news of our respective societies and relating as allies on Mother Earth. I watch and learn.
Later, I sit on the shore and warm my body in the sun, now rising a little higher in the sky. I see two more whales blow near the mouth of the bay as Carolyn emerges from the sea, her wet skin shimmering, her eyes sparkling. She joins me on the beach and we laugh and share the stories of our encounters. Quietly we send a blessing out across the water and down into it, expressing gratitude for this day, and for this opportunity. What a gift of a morning! I think we will come back tomorrow…
Compassionate Communication
October 13, 2009
The Words You Say Create Your Reality.
The words you say create your reality. Dr. Marshall Rosenberg has described many examples of this in his many books. In addition to clearing your trauma and programming, I recommend that you learn about Non-Violent Communication (or NVC) and find a group near you where you can practice compassionate communication on a regular basis. If you would like to improve the way you relate through words, may I recommend, “Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life”. To order the book and to learn more about NVC, please visit the Center for Nonviolent Communication: http://www.cnvc.org.
Dr. Rosenberg has identified how compassionate communication can open up new opportunities of relating, even if only one person is willing to take responsibility for how he or she is received. Dr. Rosenberg’s work has had a profound effect on how I relate with myself and others. I am deeply grateful to Dr. Rosenberg for helping me learn new ways of connecting to my feelings, my needs and to deeply care for the feelings and needs of others. Collaboration and creativity result when I apply his wisdom in my life.
Improving my emotional vocabulary has been immensely helpful to me, and I think it will help you too. I encourage you to use this LIST OF FEELINGS and LIST OF NEEDS to improve your own emotional literacy. Blessings on your journey!
“Who I Am” Statements
September 17, 2009
Woven throughout all of my work is a very powerful way to center and align the body/mind/spirit and return quickly to a state of presence. The simple phrase, “Who I Am” can have dramatic, positive affect when spoken from authority while deeply aware of your inner presence. I am deeply grateful to Brooks Greene-Barton and his Art of God program for introducing me to this simple and wonderful way of reconnecting.
So for those of you who have asked for a few examples of “Who I Am” statements to support you in your own work here are a few suggestions that I’ve found helpful.
Wake up and get started…
“Who I Am Only,
In the highest opportunity of today.”
Opening your chakras, aligning completely…
“Who I Am Only,
My energy centers open and aligned,
Synchronous with God,
In God and Beyond God.”
If you are looking for fun, instead of going to the movies or watching television, try this…
“Anywhere I am NOT only Who I Am” (now relax and notice how quickly an opportunity to clear trauma/negative energy will show up!)
To support relationship with your mate, partner, friend, ally, business opportunity, etc…
“Who I Am Only,
In alignment with (name of person to align with),
In the highest opportunity of relationship.
Sleeping can be a way to escape reality.To enjoy the benefits of sleeping while being completely present in a waking state try…
“Who I Am Only,
My body rejuvenating, reorganizing and sleeping,
While I am perfectly alert and aware,
As only Who I Am.”
Where there is pain in the body…
“Who I Am Only,
Where I feel pain or restriction,
I take complete responsibility for any trauma or karma that belongs to me,
Anything that is not mine I release completely.
Now.”
Opening the Current
June 16, 2009
The other morning I opened my daily organizing journal to take stock of all of the items on my old to-do lists that haven’t been completed yet. It was time to get all of those ideas or initiated projects onto one page, prioritized and integrated into my current list.
I began with a clean page and began writing at the top “Catching Up”. Ugh! I felt the energy of that phrase collapse my intention! Ok, I tried “Getting Current”. Improved, but still reflecting grasping, reaching, effort.
Timeless Management is nearly effortless, so what phrase to describe the experience of clearing out the details that are clogging my progress? AHA! Opening the Current!
Wow! Current as in Now. Current as in Flow. Opening the Current! Feel that! Wow!
Now as I review my past notes, bring those pieces that need reintegrated and prioritized into alignment with my life today I am opening the current of flow – of abundance, energy and life-force – that flows through me and into the universe. As I complete these details I Am Current! I Am Flow! I Am Abundant! So, what will you do today to Open the Current for yourself?
Try this…
First, let go of old phrases like “catching up”, “getting there”, “digging out of the pile” and so on. Trust me, these images and intentions will get you nowhere. Instead …
Turn of the phone and the computer and close the schedule book. Sit or lie down in a quiet spot. Say out loud,
“Who I Am only,
In the highest opportunity of relationship,
Taking responsibility for my agreements completely,
In mutuality only.
I choose to Open the Current of Abundance,
Flowing and reorganizing anywhere I may have limitations or restrictions.
Where I have been programmed or in trauma,
Wow! What a Gift!
I am ready to feel what my life can be like now
As the priorities of my choices organize clearly,
As I Am Flow, I Am Abundance, I am Current,
As Who I Am in detail in alignment with God.”
Wait and notice the shift happening in your body and awareness…
When you are ready, gently return to your computer, your phone, your schedule book and notice where you place your attention. Be Who You Are as you prioritize, reorganize and move forward into the next steps with your projects, clients, colleagues, customers, etc. As you clear the programming and trauma, the priorities of your choices take on new energy, the pathways become clearer and more apparent. You move forward with confidence and grace. Enjoy!
Love,
Jack
Do-Do
June 16, 2009
My partner Carolyn Marie is all about Being. Carolyn has an ability to help people shift the way they feel – about themselves, nature, society, anything, simply by Being who she is. I love this about her, and have noticed that the more I am simply Who I Am, the more I get to enjoy positive, progressive change in my life.
Perhaps like you, when Carolyn organizes what she is Doing, she creates To-Do lists. This helps her remember how to organize her priorities. She reflects, “is life about Being or Doing?” Yes, we must accomplish in order to grow, so Doing is essential. And, who we Are is more than what we Do!
Now here’s the part I really love. If Carolyn begins to feel overwhelmed or anxious about her to-do’s and notices that she is Doing without being fully present as Who She Is she stops. She tells me that she notices that she’s probably merging with her poop (trauma)! She calls this being in her do-do instead of her to-do!
Recognizing when she is acting from her trauma or do-do helps her drop in and shift perspective. This really supports Carolyn in prioritizing her choices. It really helps me to.
Here’s to Being You and staying out of the Do-Do!
Love,
Jack
