A Deep Dive for Both Your Intelligence and Your Soul

“You have to breathe through the heart. And once you’re in that space – and it’s a very big space – once you’re in there, you’re in a completely different space. You’re in the space that can heal anything.” –Dolores Cannon

I’m going to ask you to take a deep dive into something a bit odd. The first week in March, I was visiting Virginia Beach, and two whales beached and died right down the shoreline from me. 

It was heartbreaking. And not long after, a North Atlantic right whale was found dead off the same coast, leaving behind a seriously injured and dependent calf. This was the 40th mortality in what was declared an ongoing Unusual Mortality Event among whales in 2017.

It was with a heavy heart that I sat to meditate and journal. I was soon inspired to connect energetically with the whales’ essence. 

What’s happening? I asked. 

They began to speak strongly to me and I got an intense download! It was so random and unexpected that I didn’t know what to make of it. This was the message that was conveyed: 

It’s important to understand this fork in the road we face now regarding Artificial Intelligence. 

During Covid, there was, understandably, a great fear of getting sick and being put on a ventilator. I got the sense that this fear came from a deeper level, beyond the physical. What was explained is that AI is like a ventilator, weakening our own breathing. This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t use ventilators—they save lives and I’m grateful for the advancement of science. Yet, on a soul level, a ventilator removes our organic connection to our breath and we have to reconnect to our breath to live. 

What happens when someone is put on a ventilator?

A ventilator is the machine that does the work of breathing. This can be necessary in various medical situations, such as during surgery, if someone is experiencing respiratory failure, or is unable to breathe adequately on their own due to a severe illness or injury. It’s a life-saving technology for those in need. Yet, there is a risk in teaching the body to breathe on its own again after its reliance on a ventilator. 

Stephen Hawking wrote about the danger of over-reliance on AI. Hawking believed that Artificial Intelligence would weaken the Soul/Spirit aspect of humans, which is the bridge between body and spirit. He warned that AI could become another addiction, used to reroute us from our soul nature and weaken us from our true self. 

I recalled a client my mother once had, a man immersed in researching whale songs. He said that whales possess the ability to emit sounds powerful enough to cause harm, yet they emanate such love and exist in such a high vibrational state that they've learned to use their songs to connect with us in a mutually beneficial way, rather than causing harm. 

This man also drew parallels between the harmonious sounds of whales and the creation of destructive tools by humans, like guns. Essentially, he emphasized that when humans haven't evolved to their highest potential for good, and we develop weapons or technology without being conscious of their power, we end up harming each other. Whales seem to instinctively understand this on a soul level, recognizing our need to evolve rather than destroy.

As I continued to reflect on the death of the two whales in Virginia, I became increasingly aware of the message they conveyed: Artificial Intelligence must originate from a similar place of harmony and love. 

However, the humans behind such technology have yet to reach that point. We risk diminishing the impact of inner work and may even become addicted, weakening our relationship with ourselves. Look at the mental health crisis among teens who are addicted to cell phones. We have created a lot of advancement, yet our children are killing themselves.

Our culture tends to judge and divide, and we have yet to cultivate a space of oneness, unconditional love, balanced knowledge, integrity, and harmony. Maybe we are not yet capable of embodying a higher level of love and integrity. 

Whales are sacrificing their lives to wake humans up. When we come upon their energy, as they die on the beach, it opens our hearts. They ask us to please pay attention to waters, not only outside of ourselves, but within, manifesting as our emotions. 

They come to show us that it’s time for us to attune to a deeper truth of who we are. It’s crucial for us to open our hearts and listen to and acknowledge our spirit, honor our emotions, and allow both the good and the bad to teach us. 

We need to be more receptive to the joys, the hope, the love. We need each other, in the form of community and connection. 

Back in Chicago, I was still pondering this strange relationship between Artificial Intelligence and soul work when I was invited to an ecstatic dance event with a friend. I hesitated to go because I had a sore, stiff hip. I had to park far away and walk slowly, taking my time. 

When I stepped inside, I just stood and took in the energy for a moment. It was amazing. Then I began to move. I felt like I was in the water, moving with the whales. I was using my arms, swaying to a light I saw behind my closed eyes that connected me to the healing power and energy of the whales. 

When I looked around at the other dancers, I saw that we were moving together, breathing together, connecting through movement, love, and a raised vibration. 

I lost track of my body and my pain. I surrendered to my true intelligence—the intelligence of my body and soul, breathing into a plane that is beyond the thinking mind, beyond technology, political divisiveness, and “otherness.”

I’m not sure I can articulate a more cogent lesson because what I understand from seeing the two whales die on the beach comes from a place deeper than language. The work of WhaleBreathing takes us to a place of body, soul, and spirit and allows us to connect through breath. So I will leave you with this to take into your own meditation practice: 

What does Artificial Intelligence mean to you, and what stands in contrast to that? Does it originate from your body, your soul, your heart, or all three? If we sever the connection with spirit, how does this benefit humanity and elevate consciousness?

"The inner work of the soul is inviting everything to be seen, felt, and known. It's about embracing our darkness as much as our light, and ultimately, finding the sacred balance within ourselves." - Marion Woodman

Lisa Peterson