How Diving Deep into Whale Energy Helped Me Heal

“We must assimilate the thought that life between death and a new birth is so constituted that everything we do awakens an echo in the environment.” –Rudolf Steiner

My first whale encounter occurred in Tonga, an island near Fiji. I had never been on a plane for 15 hours, and had never flown over so much ocean. 

I was alone, about to join people I had never met. On top of this, there was a hurricane in Hawaii and the retreat facilitator feared that her flight would be delayed. 

“If I can’t get there, you have to facilitate the group,” she told me. 

I was incredibly anxious. Still, I said yes, choosing to surrender to the flow of events and trust that, somehow, I was on a soul journey.

Before leaving, I had talked to one of my mentors about the trip. She said, “When you jump in the water and are face to face with a 40-ton whale and its immense energy, how will you embrace the part of you that’s revealed?”

I had no idea what she was talking about. 

I only knew that, for as long as I could remember, I had felt the Whale was my totem animal. As a child, I wrote letters to Russia asking them to stop killing whales. I had been keenly aware of Whale energy for a long time, but had never been in the water with them. 

Now, finally, I was ready to take the dive, both physically and energetically; I knew the trip would cause me to bump up against some uncomfortable places within myself. As I sat fighting panic on the plane, I wondered if I was ready. 

Thank God the facilitator arrived. 

Before the first swim, I grabbed a pair of fossilized whale eardrums that I had for good luck. I gathered with the others on the boat as it made its way into the wide open waters of the southwest Pacific. We began our outing with a meditation in which we grounded and called in the whales. 

I looked at those in the circle and said, “We’re surrounded by whales.” About 30 seconds later, whales began breaching all around us. I have no idea how, but I was aware of their presence before they surfaced. 

When the time came to get in the water, I was shaking. Despite my passion for whales, I was scared. The other group members swam toward the whales and seemed to disappear. Because I could not hear them, I struggled to know where they were. There I was, like a speck bobbing in a vast sea, alone and vulnerable. 

Later, back in the boat, I felt like I needed to vent to the organizer. 

“I did not feel safe out there! I felt abandoned. I need more support.” I pointed out that, when I signed up for the trip, I was told that we would be with a guide. Yet I was left on my own. I also felt that the group energy was more focused on chasing the whales, but I believed that if the whales wanted us to see them, they would appear. 

Just then, a huge male whale came along the boat, surfaced, and looked me straight in the eye. I felt his powerful energy in my heart. I realized that he was bringing a message for me to stay in my truth and my heart center. 

As a deaf person from a large family, I used to have a recurring nightmare that I was being left behind. In my dreams, we would be on an outing and my parents would give instructions about where and when to meet, but I would miss it. 

I grew up with a lot of siblings, and my parents were often overwhelmed with our needs. None of us wanted to be a burden, so we kept ourselves quiet. I was afraid to ask for things and felt isolated and alone. I made a decision at a young age to not talk about what I needed as a severely hearing-impaired person. 

It seemed that something similar was happening on the boat. I was expecting people to know what I needed and was afraid to ask. 

When I finally felt that I had a right to speak, a magnificent whale appeared and gave me permission to be seen.

It revealed to me my deep belief that I had no way to navigate through life. Yet I did navigate that encounter and continue to do so. 

The whale told me that I hear the same way they do, through echolocation. That’s why I connect so strongly with Whale energy and why I’m guided by their messages. 

Whale energy has taught me that, even when I’m afraid, my soul is always pulling me toward what I need. I’ve learned to trust that whatever needs to show up will show up.

This lesson serves me today when I feel a similar frustration with politicians, or those “in charge.” That day in Tonga I was angry with the organizers because they had promised to keep me safe and I didn’t feel safe. But I had to face my own part in it. I willingly jumped in the ocean and let my fear convince me that I was alone. 

None of us is alone. We are all powerful, bigger-than-life beings of light. We have to own that power in order to raise our vibration.

We are all in this together. 

If you are ready to take a deep dive and courageously meet a submerged part of yourself, I encourage you to book a WhaleBreathing session with me. Allowing yourself to be supported during these turbulent times is a wonderful gift. 

And if the idea of swimming with the whales speaks to you, please visit my website for details about my whale-watching trip to St. Ignacio in February. There are still spots available.