I was just about to publish a blog post on the bliss of swimming with whales in Silver Bank. And then, then the slaughter story hit--about the Japanese vicious massacre of pilot whales in the infamous Taiji Cove. Memories of bliss went into the background. Usually, when I hear of evil, horrific things being done to whales or other animals, I go immediately and calmly into help mode--sending healing, sending prayers, learning what is being done physically and politically to help, and spreading the word to ask others to do the same. I take Glassy Hyacinth, Green Cross Gentian and Grief Relief flower essences and ask my spiritual guides to help me, to fill me with love and strength. But once in awhile, no matter what I do, the grief is so harsh I am knocked over in pain.
The horror of it is almost inconceivable. But the photos viewed and the conversations I've had with the whales make it exceedingly real. For days I cried for the pilot whales brutally slaughtered, senselessly stabbed to death last week by men in Japan. And I cry, too, for those who were let go, but remain disoriented and traumatized from witnessing the death of family members, from hearing the screams of their loved ones as they were viciously killed.
And I cry for the pilot whales who have beached themselves in Florida. When I first heard of the beaching, I asked to be connected to representative of this group of whales to learn more about why it was happening and how we humans might help. I was told, "We all talk, we whales and dolphins, all over the world. We know what is happening everywhere. We (indicating this group of pilot whales) are tired, we are scared and we are terrified of when we might be next (he showed
an image here of men in boats coming to kill them). We would rather choose how we die than always be scared wondering when the men in boats will come for us. We would rather die on our own terms, and with humans we know will care about us. We do not want to live in fear anymore. So we come to the beaches where we believe there will be love for us, and peace in death."
I had heard a similar message from a pilot whale who was beached in New Zealand last year. The suffering of these whales makes it hard for me not to be ashamed to be part of the human species. Feeling their pain had me almost paralyzed and numb with grief.
And then, I received an email from my friend and client, Rider Siphron Stauffer, about a little injured gopher she found while walking her dog. Though most dogs see gophers as prey, Rider's dog Cowboy loves them. Though most humans who live near gophers despise them because they eat plants in their garden (I often wonder where they think gophers should eat), Rider loves them too. She took this precious little injured mammal to Valley Wildlife Care, a wildlife rehab center in West Hills, CA and offered to pay for any expenses to help him. X-Rays were taken and a full medical work up done by a veterinarian. It turned out that the lower half of his spine was
crushed and it would be impossible for him to live a normal life, even indoors with people. But the kind and competent made sure he had pain meds while they assessed his situation to be sure he was comfortable. And when they knew that the most compassionate decision would be to humanely euthanize him, they gave him a last gourmet meal of thyme, dandelion and carrots. When I read this it did me in--in a good way. My heart was flooded with love and gratitude for such people being on the earth. On one spot on the earth there were humans with no sense of compassion or decency whatsoever in their hearts for gentle dolphins and whales who have never harmed humans, and yet there was at the same time on another spot on the earth a group of humans so full of compassion, empathy and love for all animals that they pulled out all stops to help a small little gopher that mot humans see as a mere "garden pest." It was their love, and their beautiful acts of love, that helped my heart come back to love and hope, and not stay wallowed in my grief. I know that is was incredibly sad for Rider and the wildlife center staff that this gopher did not make it, and my heart goes out to them. And yet, for him to die with such love, with such dignity, and with such respect is how we should all die. It is a far cry from the pilot whales' death of dying at the hands of evil. The evil behavior breaks my heart, but the love wins. It's bigger. It's stronger. And there's far more of it. It sustains me. Thank you dear gopher and all of you who love and cared for him. You reminded me to reach for the love even when in despair.
Some years ago in a consultation with a client who was deeply grieving the death of her dog, the dog said to his person:
"The love is bigger than the pain. I know your heart is breaking terribly. But I promise you that your pain will subside over time, and our love, our love will not only survive, it will be stronger. Someday the horrible pain will be a memory of deep sadness but our love will still be vibrant and alive. Love is always bigger than pain. When you are hurting, reach for the love and I promise you will feel better."
I've learned almost everything of importance that I know from animals. This wise dog's message has helped me many, many times when I have found myself buried in the pain of grief. And the humans who so lovingly helped the precious little gopher helped me remember to reach for the love. And so I reach, broken heart and all.
Those of us who love the whales must keep reaching for the love, however we can find it. And not just for the whales and for ourselves. Angry and heartbroken as we may be, we must extend this love to those who harm the whales, to those whose behavior is evil. Love is not only bigger than pain, it is also bigger than evil, more powerful, more lasting.
Those of us who love the whales and dolphins, who know who they are inside, who know they are soul peers and worthy of being saved--we must stay strong. We must find ways to come back to center in our hearts rather than stay stuck in our pain. We need to grieve, we need to process our pain for whatever hours or days or weeks or years it takes, but to also move beyond our anger or pain so we can help the whales. We need to find ways to take care of of broken hearts and help the whales at the same time. If we love the whales and want to stop the evil, we must be part of sending love to the hearts of those who are still indifferent to suffering. Those who do not yet know love in their hearts for animals, those who do not yet know who animals are, need love from us.
Please join me in sending love to the whales--in our own way, in your own traditions--to the ones who've died and the ones still on the earth in Japan and off Florida. And please join me in sending love to the men who harm the whales, to fill their hearts with love. This is not condoning their behavior, it's not even forgiveness really. It's standing up for love. Let's join together and send love to them all. Let's let love win. Love is more powerful and stronger than the indifference toward whales on the pat of a few whose behavior is evil.
For the pilot whales still on the earth ~
Gently hold your love over and around the whales, infusing them with gentle calmness, with hope and with all the love. Imagine your love and God's love surrounding these whales--above and around them as if this love was in the form of giant angel's wings, holding all of them in calmness, peace and great love. Feel the calmness, feel the peace, feel the love. Ask every being you pray to to stay with the whales, to continue to infuse and surround them with this energy as long as they need it. Whatever your personal form of prayer and healing, send this to the whales.
Repeat this for the whales who have died ~
Then repeat it for the men who have killed the whales ~
If you cannot personally feel love for them, if your anger or heartbreak makes it too hard to do that just now, that's ok. Ask those you pray to to deliver the love on your behalf. But it is important that we feel a genuine desire for them to know and have love in their hearts. With love in their hearts, there is far more probability that their behavior may change. Send prayers and blessings and intentions also, that all men to hunt and kill dolphins and whales be presented with prosperous and fulfilling new work, new ways to make their living, making the killing of animals obsolete, unnecessary in their lives.
And now, repeat the requests for love and healing for yourself, for your own heart ~
May your heart be in gentle stillness, peace and love ~
