Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Dolphins

For as long as I can remember, I have been crazy in love with Dolphins. Every breed, from the unusual pink Amazon River Dolphin to the majestic Orca (wrongly referred to as Killer Whales, though actually not of the whale family) have captured both my imagination and my heart. Each time I've seen a show at Marine World, or been fortunate to experience dolphins at aquariums, I find myself moved to tears. Their interaction, their level of trust, their utter joy at simply being alive and well cuts to the heart of what being on this Earth means to me. I have held fast to a long standing dream to swim with dolphins one day....and it's a dream that I hope comes true eventually.


I am not alone in my passionate attachment to these extraordinary marine mammals. When asked what a person's favorite animal is, dolphin always ranks among the Top Ten, regardless of most cultures. Dolphins cut across country lines, they unite disagreeing factions and they remain a symbol of intelligence throughout different groups of people. Dolphins have been studied extensively, and are among the most highly rated by academics, zoologists and marine biologists for their creative and lateral thinking skills. The only animals that come close to dolphins' problem solving nature are chimpanzees and great apes, but there is much debate as to whether or not dolphins rank higher on the intellectual scale. In my own mind, there is room enough for all wonderful creatures.....and to learn the lessons meant to enlighten us from each of them.



Many Ancient cultures revered dolphins, but none valued them as much as the Ancient Minaoans, followed by the Greeks and then Ancient Romans. While the Romans, when borrowing much of their own culture from the Greeks, appropriated dolphins as "respected beings", they added their own spin on the many mythic tales regarding dolphins. The stories are legendary; many involve dolphins as humans, turned into sea creatures by the gods. Others see dolphins as the special, helpful ambassadors from Poseidon (or Neptune, in Roman lore). It's easy to make this connection as countless tales, in recorded history, have given us examples of dolphins aiding swimmers who were drowning, or sailors who have fallen overboard. It's a simple enough step to imagine the sea god, aiding humans by sending his favored servants to assist. Dolphins appear in the myths of Dionysis and the poet Arion, and were considered sacred to the Goddess Aphrodite. Like a dolphin, Aphrodite herself was born of the sea. So popular were they, that many coins and official seals held the image of a dolphin. But, the Mediterranean was not the only example of dolphin worship and appreciation: in the Ganges River, the Hindu believe the dolphin to be the river deity who will announce the arrival of the Goddess, and who will also act as her mount. In the Amazon River, the dolphins are called "Enchandados"...shape shifters who can alter their form between human and river dweller. They are respected, admired and revered. Sadly, despite all this appreciation, the only real threat to dolphins are humans.




As dolphins figure prominently in so many cultures, it isn't surprising that Dolphin Pose exists in Yoga, which began in India, but has taken influence from many other locations. Dolphin pose resembles downward facing dog, the 'workhorse' of all yoga asanas. However, Dolphin requires even more flexibility and upper body strength, just as a real dolphin would. While reaching one's head to the floor, and supporting one's upper body weight on the forearms, the yogini is also reaching her tailbone for the ceiling and her heels for the floor. It's a pose that takes a great deal of practice and concentration. Yet, when done correctly, this asana is a great deal of fun. It's an inversion, allowing the body to reverse blood flow. Dolphin pose is also a tremendous opener, of both body and mind. I have discovered that terrific ideas come to my mind when I'm in Dolphin pose. I've also found that problems I've set aside during my yoga practice find answers just 'come to me' while in this pose. Much like the creative thinking dolphin, the pose itself requires an open mind, and a playful spirit, and the benefits are exceptional.




There are many lessons we can take away from the dolphins: we can learn that intelligence takes time out to play. We can learn that motherhood involves a great deal of affectionate touching. We can learn that we can come up with answers to an immediate problem can come to us 'on the fly'. We can learn that singing (or vocalizing) can be done just for the joy of it, as well as for communication. Finally, we can learn that, no matter how advanced we may be, we will always be at the mercy of someone stronger. It's my hope that we can learn the proper lessons from these extraordinary creatures...but not at their expense.

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