Dancing Dolphin Journal

June 24, 2006

Ocean & Dolphin Updates

Filed under: Rebirth

On June 16th Bush designated the Northwestern Hawaii Islands the United States 75th National Monument…making this area the world’s biggest ocean preserve and this law the single largest act of ocean conservation in history. emoticon Now if the harmfull-to-marine-life "sonar" could  be locked out, that would be REALLY something! emoticon

On a happier note, I received mail from my colleague Dr. Horace Dobbs who is the longtime Honorary Director of International Dolphin Watch notifying me that all of their future correspondence will be conducted via home based computers as of December 2006. Their new website is already up and running: www.dolphinfriend.com, and donations for their wonderful projects would be greatly appreciated.

International Dolphin Watch is an English nonprofit organization which has been around since 1978 with conservation, research, recreation, education, strandings, and healings projects PLUS dolphin books and goodies in their online Dolphin Shop.  Dr. Dobbs has written four dolphin books for children– the Dilo Collection which are beautifully illustrated, charming and educational.

The project that fascinates me is their Dilo Dome. This is (quoting from their brochure) "a lightweight, igloo shaped  structure of translucent, turquoise plastic with inflatable ribs, approximately 2 metres in diameter. Mobile children can enter via a short tunnel, or a loose flap that also acts as an escape hatch. The dome, which has an open base, can easily be lifted on and off children confined to bed, or placed over children with limited mobility on the ground. Panels in the dome are decorated with colouful images of Dilo the dolphin, and/or pictures on adhesive backings that can be changed at will. These are illuminated from outside by natural or artificial light-like stained glass windows. This gives children inside the Dome the sensation they are with Dilo. The Dilo Dome can be filled with sea and dolphin sounds from external speakers, or from internal battery powered tape/CD players." Doesn’t this sound like a wonderful invention and learning/healing tool for children?emoticonIt’s still in prototype form, and I’m positive they could use donations for this worthy project.emoticon

"The Dilo Dome is a continuation of Operation Sunflower, a long term research project into the healing power of dolphins commenced by IDW in 1986." For more information, contact them at www.idw.org and ask for Jackie Connell, the person heading up the project.

 

 

 

June 8, 2006

World Ocean Day today

Filed under: Rebirth

Today is an important day for this is World Ocean Day. Most of you are aware that our beautiful ocean is in the midst of a huge crisis with multiple issues threatening it and the many species that make the ocean their home. Sonar, fishing methods, whaling and slaughtering of dolphins, contamination from many sources, overfishing and krill disappearing are some of the major threats that are needed to make a quick turn-around if we are to continue to turn to the ocean for quality food and healthy dolphin and whale familes. Today is a day to celebrate the ocean. Take a break from what you’re doing and send the ocean some love and gratitude today through prayer, meditation or whatever means you employ.

If you feel charitable, a wonderful organization to donate to is Oceana at www.oceana.org. Their motto is Protecting The World’s Oceans.

Tribe Wanted & Found

Filed under: Rebirth

I have been intrigued with the news story about the new tribe forming on a Fijian Isle. Since authoring the nonfiction book "Dolphin Tribe" in 1993, I have noticed that the word "tribe" has become increasingly popular as I foresaw it would. Thus, this big news story is fascinating to me as I watch history unfold.

For those that might have missed this current news story, let me give you a head’s up: two twenty-something British entrepreneurs decided to cash in on the Survivor television phenomena. They envisioned a 5,000 member online "global tribe" inhabiting and interacting on an idyllic Fijian island. So what did they do? They advertised, of course! They asked for three different membership levels, priced at $220,$440 and $660 a year for those who would want to take up part time residence on this island. The fee would entitle the members to spend one, two or three weeks annually on the island with 100 others at a time. For those that aren’t physically present and are just playing online, they will participate while away from the island as the "headquarters" with voting rights.

The two visionaries, Ben Keene and Mark James, signed a three year lease on a 200-acre Fijian Island called Vorovoro and launched their website: tribewanted.com They have already covered the lease price with the membership fees, and people are clamoring to get in on the action. The tribe is open to anyone 18 and older, and there will be a range of different ages in the tribal mix. Yes, a documentary is in the works called Tribal TV, natch! Stay tuned to watch the action and read more about this tribal experiment. I know I will be!

 

 

 

June 6, 2006

Dolphinese

Filed under: Rebirth

I am not a huge fan of Carl Sagan, but I think he was onto something when he wrote this: "It is of interest to note that while some dolphins are reported to have learned English–up to fifty words used in correct context–no human being has been reported to have learned dolphinese."

Certainly I have seen many try to channel a dolphin, or so they wanted their audience to believe. One such channel pretended as if his feet were glued together and spoke in an high-pitched voice with lots of pseudo dolphin-like clicks added in for drama. He was quite successful in the Los Angeles area for a period of time, and he merrily confidedemoticon to me that he was faking it. He had his act down pat, and so if you saw him perform at any of the large expos, he would inevitably speak the exact same words with the same pauses for laughs from the audience. He made a good living with his channeling of a master dolphin for a period of time.emoticon

Another female channel would do her best to demonstrate and channel "dolphinese" to her audience, but her high frequency squeaks were quite painful to hear. Those that weren’t rolling their eyes heavenward or covering their ears were usually rolling on the floor in hysterical laughter. emoticon

However, these funny-folk were back in the early days of charlatan channeling. Perhaps by now, someone is actually speaking dolphinese. If so, let me know. I will be most interested.

June 3, 2006

The DDI Backstory

Filed under: Uncategorized

The DDI was birthed with a bright future as its birth time was chosen by a noted Vedic astrologer. The intentions for DDI were good ones, and initially the DDI got off to a good start with lots of joy and energy.

This is what I wrote for an early fundraising brochure: "The Dancing Dolphin Institute is a non profit 501 (c) (3) organization dedicated to interspecies communication research, education and preservation of the ocean environment. By fostering awareness, appreciation and understanding of the cetacean species (dolphins and whales) the Institute will encourage better communication between our mutual species. Your donations help us fund the many projects blossoming through the Institute. Current projects include: Dolphin Discovery Adventures, an Internship Program, a Dolphin Sanctuary & Retreat Center, and an Environmental Awareness and Research Group."

However, like the dolphins and whales which have been harmed (and continue to be harmed!) by sonar experiments in their ocean home environment, the DDI also experienced challenges from intruders, predators and others with agendas to disrupt. So after a number of years dealing with sharks circling our pod, we decided it would be best for a rest and re-evaluation of how to move forward with our intentions. In the meantime, the predators and self-serving  hipsters swam away to trendier waters and live game.

One of the challenges we saw coming was the increasingly "trendy" industry of swimming with dolphins. Booking large groups to be in the ocean with wild  dolphins (and whales in some parts of the world, not in Hawaii) became a huge money-making lure. Many such "dolphin swim" companies opened their doors for business and ventured forth into the ocean without knowledge, awareness or preparation. This provoked a justifiable backlash, especially with authorities in certain areas in Hawaii. We watched the dream of the opportunity for legitimate communication between our mutual species get muddied by quite a number of "prophets" who spouted farcical stories. We heard stories of good people who wanted to be close to the dolphins nearly drown because no one warned them about the ocean currents or other dangers. We heard stories that the dolphins were leaving the planet for good. We heard stories that the dolphins were really extraterrestrial aliens and so on and so forth. Charismatic teachers who talked a good story became  the hot "New Age" leaders. Hey, dolphins were "in", and if you wanted to be khool, you would buy everything these people wrote and believe everything they said. We shook our heads and sighed.

In all fairness to this backstory, the DDI was founded as a "bridging" organization, one that would connect the scientific discipline with the intuitive realm, even as our dream was to research a "breakthrough" for  human-dolphin connection and communication. Thus, we didn’t and still don’t rule out telepathic communication with the cetacean species. Whatever works consistently with clear, provable communications would be ideal in the human-dolphin dialogue, certainly not outrageous theories or speculation that isn’t provable or applicable.

Will the DDI dream be realized? Read the next journal entry. 

 

 






















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