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The relationship between whales and humans is a sacred and powerful one. And we are blessed to live in a time when the senseless suffering of whales from slaughter, fishing gear entanglement, ship strikes, sonar testing, captivity and other egregious harm to them by humans is being questioned and protested by many. Balance is being restored, one step, one law, one prayer, and one compassionate lifestyle choice at a time. The commitment and hard work of scientists, conservationists, activists, artists and whale lovers throughout the world are making this happen. Though there remains a great deal of work to be done to save the whales, it seems important that we also take the time to celebrate their very presence on the earth and how they enrich our lives!
This is the time of year when I am preparing for my annual Sacred Swims pilgrimage to be with the North Atlantic Humpback Whales in Silver Bank. My heart is bursting with love and anticipation to be with them once again. It will be my 16th year to facilitate these trips.That could make me feel old, smile, but it only makes me feel amazingly grateful. Knowing we cannot all be with the whales on such a trip, and even those of us who go still yearn to connect with them when not physically together, I've put together this "love letter of whale celebration" to help keep us all stay connected with the whales.
 | | Copyright Piers van der Walt Silver Bank 2007 Used with permission and gratitude |
Enjoy the energy of the whales, in all of their magnificence,
glory and love! I hope you will find the many resources in this newsletter helpful to learn, be inspired and to help the whales. If you love the whales, I urge you to please keep them in your prayers, meditation and healing practices and consider taking actions to help them. They need us!
Thank you ~
As I say on our Silver Bank trips to every whale we see:
We love you whales! God bless you!
Thank you for being on the earth! We stand behind you!
With love and blessings,
Teresa
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 | Copyright Chris Bangs
Used with permission and gratitude
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Listening to the whales sing ~
Humpbacks are singers, composers and poets whose songs
travel across entire oceans. . . long, hauntingly beautiful, uninterrupted streams of sounds are actually rhythmic,
repeated, patterns of sound.
~ Roger Payne
Listen right now to whale singing *streaming live* in Hawaii
Anyone who has ever heard a humpback singing while in the water with them knows the mystical sensation of the vibration of the whale's song moving right through one's body. It is a reverent and ecstatic experience. I feel God when I am with the whales. And when I am blessed to hear them sing while also in their physical presence it is as if the God within us --the whales and the humans--fills us both and the entire world around us. Read more about an experience of hearing them singingIt was biologist Roger Payne, along with Scott McVay, who discovered in the 1960's that humpback whales sing. Learn more about his pioneering work and humpback whale songs in his book Among Whales. If, like me, you can't get enough humpback whale singing, you will enjoy these three very diverse CDs with humpback whale music:
Songs of the Humpback Whale is pure humpback whale song, their ancient and holy singing--the first published recordings of Roger Payne.
Reiki Whale Song is a meditation music CD with actual whale songs and soft synthesizer. Composer Kamal wrote this after his experiences with singing humpbacks.
Cecilia, Voice of the Feminine The spectacular rendition of the song Amazing Grace on this CD interspersed with actual whale song recordings brings me to tears every single time I listen to it. We play it at sunset every evening on our Sacred Swims™ trips as our prayer of thanksgiving to the whales.
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 | Photo copyright Sierra Goodman divinedolphin.com
Used with permission and gratitude
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Talking with whales to learn more about their life stories
and perspectives ~
Communication with whales, while it can be mystical
and is always deeply rewarding, is neither mysterious
or paranormal. It also not need be rare. When we listen with a genuine depth of empathy, respect and love, regarding ourselves as soul peers with the whales rather than as a superior (or inferior) species to them, we can then begin to hear them with accuracy, grace and ease. We can then telepathically receive their thoughts, feelings and stories of what it is like to be a whale, and their perceptions about the tapestry and purpose of our existence together on earth.
For a *Free* hour long talk about messages from whales, click here
For a longer, 2 1/2 hour webinar (which includes 163 pages of handouts and whale images) about messages from the whales about their views of humans, their thoughts and experiences about love, mothering, singing, mating, migrating, what it's like to interact with humans, to swim with humans, to be hunted, entangled in fishing gear, to be rescued, to be captive, and to serve as spiritual guides to humans, click here This $25 on demand webinar is free with any purchase of $50 or more from the Animals in our Hearts store.
To read more messages from whales and for tips and resources to help you communicate with whales, click here
There are boundaries between us little calf, but our songs meet.
Whenever we listen we will hear each other, the soft harmony of two different singers looking at each other through clear water.~ Spoken by a whale to a young human girl in the novel Whale Singer by Wilton Katz
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Estela and Friends, copyright
Tom Conlin, Aquatic Adventures
Our captain for my trips to Silver Bank
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Swimming with the whales ~
Not an expedition for the ego
but a journey for the soul
I can never quite find the words to describe the life altering experience of being with the whales in the water. For me, it is like being in heaven, being with family, being in total peace. To swim with whales, to be so very close to their magnificent, huge, beautiful bodies in the water is such an undeniable thrill, yet at the same time, it doesn't seem to even matter that we have bodies when we're together. There seem to be no differences--only one spirit, only love. There is no fear, no alarm, no ego, only love. There is simply light and love.
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Amazing Grace, copyright Tom Conlin, Aquatic Adventures
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To read the article To Feel a Whale's Touch, click here
To enjoy more videos and a gallery of photos, click hereIn 2014 we are having a rare, 10 day trip
(vs 7 days) to be with the whales in Silver Bank!
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 | | HUMPBACK WHALE (VALENTIN) Shows amazing appreciation after being freed from entanglement. |
Helping the whales with sacred activism, lifestyle choices and prayer ~
Until one has loved an animal
a part of one's soul remains unawakened. ~ Anatole France
It is true that loving animals, feeling the wonder and magic of their love, awakens a special place in our souls. Yet
an even deeper chamber in our consciousness is awakened and fulfilled when we give back--from the place of deep compassion, the part of us that finds powerful meaning, contentment and joy that comes from service and from consciously choosing to do no harm to our fellow creatures on the earth.
Some people are committed to political activism and believe it is the most powerful and necessary way to create change for the welfare of animals. Others feel that praying for or visualizing the change needed is the only acceptable way to help and refer to activism as a negative activity that is only about anger. Others believe that making daily, compassion based choices that create no harm for animals is the most critical form of help. I believe wholeheartedly that they are all needed. Action in the outer world and sending love, healing energy and prayer from the inner world both create change. These are not mutually exclusive strategies, they merely employ different energies, and can all be done with great love and effectiveness.
I hope you will feel inspired to help the whales in return for their great gifts to us. In honor of the whales who bless us with their presence, their beauty, grace and wisdom, and to help all whales who are still are being harmed and killed by humans, please consider one or more of the following suggestions to help them:
 To learn many, many ways that you can help heal and save the whales in each of these categories click hereFor cutting edge updates on the natural history of whales and threats to whales visit the exciting web site Voices in the Sea
Compassion is not simply a sense of sympathy or caring for those who suffer,
but a sustained and practical determination
to do whatever is possible and necessary to help alleviate their suffering.
~ Sogyal Rinpoche, Glimpses
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Honoring the whales with visual prayer ~
 | Peace in the Water - Visual Prayer
for Whales and Dolphins
This video is calming, centering, very sacred ~
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Prayer comes in many diverse forms in various cultures, religions and spiritual practices. If you love whales, I think you'll enjoy the beautiful visual prayer video Peace in the Water on the right.
Whatever your own personal spiritual practices of prayer and healing may be, I urge you to please consider including the whales.
Many people who love whales tend to place them on a pedestal and see them primarily as a wise resource from whom they receive healing and guidance (I did this myself until the whales read me the riot act--kindly--and reminded how much help they need from humans). While some whales certainly provide spiritual help to us, not every whale in the ocean is a healer--no more than every human on earth in a healer. The whales need our help.
One of my own prayer rituals is to stand in my garden with my hands on my heart and chant for the whales, as I gaze at the whale prayer flags I have hanging high above the plants and flowers. One of the things I love about this practice is that the flags themselves are full of such beauty which serves as a focus and inspiration for my prayers.
A tradition associated with Tibetan prayer flags is to hang prayer flags with conscious intention for blessings and prayers to reach all those in need--in this case for the whales and dolphins. It is believed that as the prayer flags wave in the the wind, they lift up and carry our thoughts for peace, healing, and compassion throughout the universe. Every time we gaze at these flags, it is good practice to send more prayerful intention for the needs of the whales and dolphins--perhaps for protection, safety, freedom, health, joy, peace and love. To view an assortment of prayer flags, click here.
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 | A Whale's Tale
Allied Whale's Adopt a Whale Program |
Adopting whales to help whales~
I *love* this video! I feel just like the girl who becomes a whale. Over the years I have adopted Salt and Sockeye to help Allied Whale's research. This organization, part of College of the Atlantic, has kept the catalog of North Atlantic Humpbacks for many years--way before digital photography, email and facebook--which is painstaking work. Adopting a whale from their program helps them continue their important work to track these whales around the globe to learn about their migration, feeding grounds, population levels and the history of their calves.
 | | SALT AND COLT - CSI Whale Adoption Program |
I also *love* this one! Dan Knaub, of the Whale Video Company has taken over 8,000 hours of video of whales in New England since the 1980's (see his DVDs here). One of his videos (literally a video, before DVDs) was the first footage I ever bought of whales and I treasure it! He has partnered with Cetacean Society International to provide his footage for their adoption program. Adopting a whale from them includes a DVD of a whale of your choice. These DVDs are fabulous--you feel like you are right on the whale watch boat seeing the whales. The proceeds help CSI continue their educational work and to save whales.
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 Honoring the Whales with Art ~
When I first saw Peggi Oki's work exhibited at an American Cetacean Society conference it took my breath away. And in my delight in getting to know her, it quickly became clear that Peggy is deeply connected to the souls of whales. She does not just paint beautiful pictures (though that would certainly be enough). She has devoted her life to changing the world for whales as a dedicated activist, including founding the Origami Whales Project. Her love for whales shines brilliantly through her art. I commissioned Peggy to make the water color on the top right of a deeply beloved whale Uncle.
Click here to view her print of Salt, the grand dame of Stellwagen Bank, Another whale artist whose soul is full of love for  the whales and whose life is dedicated to their welfare is photographer Bryant Austin. I have been to two of his exhibits of life size photos of whales and was utterly mesmerized. Two of his framed images hang proudly in my home.
To learn more about his exquisite work and his new book, Beautiful Whale, visit his web site. The photographs will stir your soul and the stories of how Japanese children responded to his work will warm your heart.
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 Celebrating the whales with jewelry that reflects their exquisite beauty ~
I am in awe of the highly talented artists who create such beautiful whale jewelry, and also grateful because I love to wear whale jewelry! I have carefully chosen a collection of artists and pieces that I think capture the beauty and grace of the magnificent humpback whales. These include:
The exquisite fine gold pendant on the right created by Gina Browning, who was on our trip in 2011. The whale fluke pendant in bronze is gorgeous with the verdigris finish--a unique departure from sterling and gold fluke pieces. This is particularly nice for men and women alike. To view the full jewelry collection, including earrings, click here |
When we can't be with them in the water, we can learn about them & watch them on our screens!
Whales of the Silver Bank
was created by Tom Conlin of Aquatic Adventures, the captain with whom I do my Sacred Swims trips in Silver Bank. Includes breathtaking footage of these gentle, wise beings both on the surface and underwater. Educational and inspirational. See what we see when we swim with the whales in Silver Bank!
Whales in Stellwagen Bank in the Gulf of Maine, and features grand dame
Salt, mother and grandmother of over 20 whales. Includes exciting scenes
of adults and calves right next to whale watch boats. Filmed on one of the
major feeding grounds of this population, these are some of the same whales
we swim with in Silver Bank.
Awesome Whales for Kids
makes viewers feel as if they are right on a whale watch boat enjoying the exciting experience of being very up close and personal with these whales. An ideal gift for children, grandchildren, birthday party gifts and perfect for teachers in the classroom.
"If there is a better way to expose children to real whales without really
being out there on a boat we haven't seen it."
~ Cetacean Society International Newsletter.
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~ STAY CONNECTED WITH US & THE WHALES ~
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Just email us at the time of your purchase and let us know which free gift you prefer and we will send it within 24 hours (M-F).
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