The DDI Backstory
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.
