Friday, May 22, 2015

For the Love of a Dolphin

Ever go to a dolphin show? Think about what it's like from their perspective. The too-small cement enclosures echo their incredible sonar back to them at unbearable levels. and they are unable to swim the hundreds of miles they are by nature meant to swim each day.


Many knock their heads up side the enclosures in response to the trauma they face living in these conditions. And these highly intellegent beings are forced to "perform for food". It is no wonder an occasional whale will kill it's "master". It is only because they are so docile, they only kill for food in the wild, that they do not kill their slave masters more frequently.

I am sure many of these "dolphin and whale circus trainers" feel love for their trainees. But this is not love. Love is granting and supporting their freedom and protection. And I am sure when they realize this they will feel very badly. but this can be prevented with sharing more awareness of their plight. It's a tough situation. But one that may be healed with awareness. They also do some great rehabilitation at these places. So that can be the continued effort and purpose for those who work in this arena. And it is currently an arena for theater of the unconscious. Dolphins and whales deserve to live free.

8.14.2012

For the Love of a Dolphin ...
A Dolphin Connection, by Alexa Major Zipf


I have swum w/wild ocean dolphins four times. The first was in '95 when I had an intimate one-on-one conversation and sonar session with a large atlantic bottlenose. I called to him and he swam from some distance to meet me. I was diving as deeply as I could, and he surprised me by coming and "standing up" full-length in front of me underwater.

We were face to face, heart to heart, feet to fluke. Then I put my hands over my heart and sent love energy to him. "I love you! We love you!" I said (telepathically) as I sent energy from my heart to him with my hands. He smiled and chattered away with me out loud and gently sonared me too. Then he invited me for a dolphin swim! Oh, that I could have kept up with him. It was so natural for me. It felt easier to connect with him than with people at the time. It touched my soul in such a natural and indelible way. I still carry that connection with me now.

Another time I got to do some underwater video with them (just for fun). It was a group of super playful spotted dolphins off of the bahamas. Such hams! They love human gadgets and toys, like cameras and underwater motor-scooters. The general rule is to swim with arms behind your back and not to touch them out of respect. I don't like to see them in captivity.


filming & playing with wild dolphin friends
and the Dream Too team, Atlantic Ocean, '96

I saw my first whale breaching in Coasta Rica in 2001. It was the most peaceful experience I have ever had. A huge pacific grey whale mother and her baby. They moved so slowly, so incredibly peacefully, alongside our boat, and with such grace. She also did a slowwwww and magestic tale flip. I cannot describe the depth of Peace she carried. A true meditation in peace and Presence. In their great presence we truly come into the power of Now. We were also among tons of dolphins on that trip. It was the first time I saw the flamboyant Spinner Dolphins. I don't know if that's the right word, but they are high energy. They are thin and shoot into the air, spinning 'round and 'round and 'round.

The fourth was on my honeymoon in Mexico. There were little canoes on the beach, and my hubby said - C'mon! There was a red tide at the time, and I said I wasn't sure I wanted to go. But my hubby said (not knowing what was coming, but somehow intuitively), "Yes, come. You're gonna like this."

He rowed us away from shore and towards the horizon. And then, unexpectedly, we began to see fins. My husband whispered, "dolphins!" He had rowed us right into a pod of quiet pacific bottlenoses. They were feeding and focused on some fish below. So not paying us any attention. I wanted to share with my beloved the experience of swimming with them. So I gently slipped from the row boat into the ocean. But the pacific ocean is so deep and big. And the water there was rather murky. I didn't feel safe. So I climbed quietly back onto the boat. And as they were feeding too, we didn't want to disrespect them. So we chose to gently float among them in their presence. And watched them grace the surface. It was magic. And a gift my husband brought me as we started our journey together as husband and wife. Thanks, honey.

Oct 28, 2008

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Teach Us and Show Us the Way

TEACH US AND SHOW US THE WAY


We call upon the earth, our planet home, with it's beautiful depths and soaring heights, its vitality and abundance of life, and together we ask that it:

Teach us, and show us the way.


We call upon the mountains, the Cascades and the Olympics, the high green valleys and meadows filled with wild flowers, the snows that never melt, the summits of intense silence, and we ask that they:

Teach us, and show us the way.



We call upon the waters that rim the earth, horizon to horizon, that flow in our rivers and streams, that fall upon our gardens and fields, and we ask that they:

Teach us, and show us the way.

We call upon the land which grows our food, the nurturing soil, the fertile fields, the abundant gardens and orchards, and we ask that they:

Teach us, and show us the way.



We call upon the forests, the great trees reaching strongly to the sky with earth in their roots and the heavens in their branches, the fir and the pine and the cedar, and we ask them to:

Teach us, and show us the way.


We call upon the creatures of the fields and forests and the seas, our brothers and sisters the wolves and the deer, the eagle and dove, the great whales and the dolphin, the beautiful Orca and salmon who share our northwest home, and we ask them to: Teach us, and show us the way.



We call upon all those who have lived on this earth, our ancestors and our friends, who dreamed the best for future generations, and upon whose lives our lives are built, and with thanksgiving, we call upon them to:


Teach us, and show us the way.


And lastly, we call upon all that we hold most sacred, the presence and power of the Great Spirit of love and truth which flows through all the universe . . . to be with us to:

Teach us, and show us the way.



CHINOOK BLESSING LITANY
eagle photo by Erik George Hangrad
wolf/hawk by Chris Witte
other photos per fair use via google
Original Post: www.awakened-journey.com Jan. 28, 2012

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Dreaming the New World


Dreaming the New World
As great as the challenges we are facing are - and there is no denying that we have an overload of work to do with obvious and great challenges, but I feel incredibly and clearly certain that we have none the less also moved into the New World (incubation) phase, and I feel mezmerized (and grateful) to be here. Anyone else?
I'm sure this feeling will wax and wane as we continue to evolve our days and process; but I'd like to honor the awareness that we have successfully tipped the scales and brought it in, this consciousness, and held it so devotedly and fiercely and sometimes tenderly through so much upheaval and healing and challenge and intensity and fierce down-in-the-dirt transformation (talk about a warrior generation), that nothing can stop this evolution now and, dare I say, in essence we have or already are now witnessing the energetic immensity of a new world emerging, and it feels so .. in that center core .. exciting. While honoring that there is still much suffering going on, and still much work to do both personally and globally.
So this does not mean we can sit back or become complacent, or that we don't have immense tasks at hand to do or carry on. on the contrary, our continued actions and newly developing and often softer but direct offerings are needed now as much as ever. But they feel ground-breaking in their simplicity, and innovative, simple and in the moment, direct and indirect at the same time. To let go of any exploration of our deeper callings now would be such a deep loss and mistake. So rest when you need to, but stick to it. And trust.
And as we truly and fully open to our well-earned deeper and matured callings and voices to share what we have worked so hard to earn and learn and cultivate and then let go of, I feel awe~inspired at the significant and often surprising shifts and advancements we are now watching emerge in so many areas of human awareness and life. A new way of being in the world. And so many of us are coming out with their "true" new voice. It is immense and stunning.
We have also moved beyond leaders and teachers and into equal-holding containers and collaborative patterns at long long last. It is like we have finally gotten it. That it (really) doesn't matter who gets credit, just that the work gets done. There is a falling away of the ego. As many of us have long awaited. ~ Sometimes I hold space for you and sometimes I receive from you, and the latter is just as important (if not more so) as the first.
This IS HER time, and if we are truly to maintain balance and wellbeing, not to mention the ultimate success of our hope and intention to heal and restore ourselves & this Earth, or to at least give Her what she needs to accomplish this regeneration, for She is far greater and wiser and even more devoted to rich, abundant beautiful life than we, then we must also and truly honor our own inner rhythms and need for rest and balance and self-care as well. Letting go of the masculine need to "do, do, do" is also in flux as we learn to be guided and moved to softer ways and actions through Her.
And as we look back at our losses too, and there have been many, we must know and understand that truly, there are no failures here, for there is no such thing in the lives of a warrior. Everyone and everything plays their perfect part here as Source designs or designates. And we must fully and honorably embrace and address our deeper understanding that it is all just a part of this physical/biological walk on earth, and a walk well-worn by all who grace it.
So. Heeding too our ongoing need to be able to rest, reflect, let go and allow the new, this new way of being requires radical trust and tender wholehearted surrender, and taking another significant power step towards mastering the wholeness of who and what, as both human and Divine, frail and fierce, Feminine and masculine, active and passive, but as Who we Truly Are, here on Earth.
But what an exciting time/no-time in Herstory, and a gift beyond comprehension to be here as we enter and witness the New Earth. I scarcely have the words to express the momentousness of it all. But I am feeling an excitement inside cellularly even as I reflect and speak.
Dreamers, keep dreaming.
I am rambling on a bus. (could it be the new mercury retrograde??)
Anyone else today?

Sunday, May 10, 2015

"You may not like me but...." an activist's motto

Donald Trump Jr. cuts off animal's tail and poses with it to show off.
http://zimbabwe-today.com/2015/05/life/donald-trump-jr-s-kills-an-african-elephant-and-cuts-off-the-tail-to-show-off/

"You may not like me but...." an activist's motto
by alexa major zipf
Notes on Soul Loss, Activism, Misusing the Law of Attraction, and Speaking Out.

a shamanic heart speaks 
I posted the above story on my personal FB page this week and someone brought up a good question today, and that is: why do we share these types of stories? it was their opinion that "giving attention is giving energy." here is my feeling. deep in my heart and soul.
for me not giving attention to the suffering or destruction of our animals and earth is denial. like with any other atrocity on this earth, war, rape, people going hungry when there is plenty of food, the extinction and use/abuse of the animals here and our earth's resources and environment is something that clearly needs our attention and care, even if it is difficult for us to see. how can we turn a blind eye? we have to be aware. of what is going on. in order to change its course.
suffering is difficult for all of us. so these images strike a cord. but they are not just images. they are real atrocities. happening in our world today. and if we were being killed and cut apart would we want others to look away, should this type of unconsiousness and insanity go unchecked?
there is suffering in the world. and yes, it is painful. but change cannot happen without awareness first. I feel the pain as well. we all do. this man (and much of his family in fact, I've watched documentaries on how his father operates, forcing poor people out of their homes, and desecrating the natural ecosystems to build huge commercial conglomerate ventures, and his sons, at least his one, so clearly has no identity of their own. it is SAD. This is soul loss personified.) this trump kid needs help. he doesn't even know that what he does is insane. and we all feel that pain here. we do.
moreover, these beings are also our deep deep breathen and kin, who otherwise have no voice. I have always had a deep calling to help the animals. as long as I have been alive and aware on this earth, since my childhood. and I will not abandon them now or ever. or turn away from their suffering and senseless destruction of our animals and our world.
I disagree too with the trend going round that we must look away from the suffering in the world, that somehow that is bringing energy to the suffering, and not the resolution, which of course is nonsense. that is denial. we cannot heal what we don't allow ourselves to see and feel. we live in a kind of daze and denial when we try to avoid completely what is happening in our world, and calling for healing, care and change, and to name it. that is abandonment and spiritual bypass. it's all a big misinterpretation of a deeper law and meaning, the real law of attraction. and it is mistaken.  
we **must** be aware of what is happening in the world to change it. but sometimes, when it is too much, we take breaks too. and for some on facebook, or elsewhere, we see so much every day, there are times we do need to take a time out. we rest. self care. and honor that. so for another, it is too much today. I understand that too.
but for me, like many of you, I am an Angel and an activist. the plight of animals is one of my deepest callings. this breaks my heart too. and I need to express it.
expressing this is not only healthy for me, it is a part of my communication and my calling. ~ I saw this post today, and I had to speak out. for myself. as well as to bring awareness for them.

(and shaman know, as in any of the recovery traditions, that Awareness, with a captial "A"  is precursory to any type of change.) 
we must continue to express and act upon our feelings, they tell us what is right and what is wrong. fully. in order to heal ourselves. and help recover our world. 
so we must sign those petitions. and speak out for those who cannot speak for themselves. this is the path... of recovery. it is an action path. peace~ out. 

shamanism too is not a path for the faint of heart. we look. we see. we feel. and we act. we know and love our world deeply. with intent to bring it back to Wholeness. and to Love. 

namaste ~ 

Saturday, May 2, 2015

Reflections of Wolf Medicine in Modern Culture


Reflections on Wolf Medicine in modern culture:
I recently shared a bit about the Tibetan Wolf's tooth that I wear or carry in my medicine bag and wild woman toolkit. I had a glimpse of wild woman/wolf woman yesterday when Marilyn Mosby spoke out in Baltimore regarding the Freddie Gray tragedy and the subsequent indictments of 6 Baltimore police officers. It was a powerful moment and reflection of who Wolf Woman is in today's world. To enhance awareness of these archetypes in yourself, it is pertinent to look for signs of wild woman emerging in our cultures and society today.
The wild wolf in us is also reminiscent of the goddess Kali, fierce mother and protector, who will eat your very tongue out should you harm or threaten her precious young or pack. She is a force to be reckoned with and honored. And her medicine is needed in today's call-for-change-and-healing world.
Here is one of my favorite writings around wolf medicine:
"Healthy wolves and healthy women share certain psychic characteristics: keen sensing, playful spirit, and a heightened capacity for devotion. Wolves and women are relational by nature, inquiring, possessed of great endurance and strength. They are deeply intuitive, intensely concerned with their young, their mate and their pack. They are experienced in adapting to constantly changing circumstances; they are fiercely stalwart and very brave.
Yet both have been hounded, harassed, and falsely imputed to be devouring and devious, overly aggressive, of less value than those who are their detractors. They have been the targets of those who would clean up the wilds as well as the wildish environs of the psyche, extincting the instinctual, and leaving no trace of it behind. The predation of wolves and women by those who misunderstand them is strikingly similar."
Clarissa Pinkola Estes, PhD
Women Who Run with the Wolves


5.2.2015: and Amen, Baltimore, who has sighed a long awaited breath of relief. I watched the announcement re the Freddie Gray case unfold yesterday and think I sobbed through the whole thing. Though the immense sadness of the whole story still reverberates, I must truly say: Job well done and well spoken by state's Attorney Marylin Mosby. Well done Ms. Mosby. I felt reminded that the Dalai Lama once said, 'the world will be healed by the Western woman.' In any case, let peace and justice and a new paradigm of humanity, consciousness and accountability peacefully prevail at long long last. Powerful day.

blessings to the family(ies) of the Freddie Gray and too many other similar cases. Our hearts are with you. Let a new world begin. ~ 

The city is only 30 mins from where I live. I wanted to share some sentiment.