Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Chit-chat Wednesday - The Dolphin's Call




This post is because the beautiful and talented Stephanie from Owl in the Dark requested I write it after I left a comment on a post of hers. Here it is in its entirety because you asked, Little Owl!
Many years ago I was nursing in a very large and gothic hospital. Night shift was always my preferred hours as I enjoyed the night and having just one other person to work with. Every two hours we would do our rounds and the rest of the shift was spent pretty much trying not to fall asleep, huddled up in over-sized armchairs with a stack of magazines. 3.30 am to 4.30 was always the hardest. The patients and the world around us seemed to be in the deepest part of sleep, our blood pressure would drop, our minds seemed to consist of part dream state and partly wide-awake.
That was when I first started to hear the clicks. As in a dream, I knew what they were without knowing. Dolphin clicks. I was hearing dolphin sounds that seemed to talk to me with great enthusiasm.
The RN (registered nurse) with me didn't appear to hear them as she just kept reading her Australian Women's Weekly. I said nothing to her and I listened, night after night for several weeks.
Perhaps it seems far-fetched that I didn't question the clicks or my own sanity. I knew what they were but had no idea of why I was hearing them. I had no experience with dolphins and wasn't particularly into New Age dolphin mystical experiences.
Shortly afterwards I went to a New Age Shop to see if there was anything that could help explain it. The gypsy-looking woman there – all cleavage, flashing eyes and jewellery – showed me a course taking place in Perth (Western Australia) by a metaphysician named Stuart Wilde, a Warriors Wisdom course which involved walking on fire. I immediately signed up.
"You know that the course is held near Bunbury?" the gypsy woman said. "It's a great spot to swim with dolphins in the wild. Not as commercial as Monkey Mia."
I knew then that I was meant to travel to Bunbury and that my dolphins would be there. And so I travelled to Perth to walk on fire and then went to Bunbury.
I reached the shore near where the dolphins came. The only other person there was the woman who supervised the swim. I looked out to sea and noticed a group of fins approaching. I love the sea but I also fear and respect it and the sight of those fins filled me with a tentative fear. Were they sharks or dolphins?
"They're not sharks!" the supervisor called. "Swim out to them but don’t approach them! If they want you, they'll come to you!"
I was in the cold sea and the fins were coming towards me. It was an incredible feeling to see this intelligence approaching me that really did seem to have some knowledge of me being there.
I would love to say I was filled with joy and ecstasy but at this point I was afraid. I'm not the strongest swimmer and these dolphins were large and (gulp) could be sharks.
The largest one came towards me very fast. An electrical charge zapped from him and hit my body. I felt as if he had communicated or passed something onto me. To this day I can't explain it. I felt that this was the pod of dolphins who had called me during my long and lonely night shifts in the hospital. It filled me with a wild joy. I was crying when I left the water.
Since that encounter I have read more information on dolphins and other people have described that same bolt of electricity. Some were later found to have an undiagnosed tumour where the dolphin hit; others had their lives changed around dramatically.
I can't explain why I had that experience but it was a gift, a blessing by the dolphins. I have never heard their clicks since but I know they are out there. To me they are proof that when it comes to communication between the species we are far more linked than we might ever realise.
And that is the tale of the dolphins call






17 comments:

  1. Oh my! What a wonderful story...dolphin clicks late at night in a hospital - I take it this place was nowhere near the sea? How peculiar and mystical. So many things in life we still do not understand. Isn't that the beauty of life sometimes? Not knowing why? It makes the world seem magical still. You could actually write a story about this... well you have...bloody hell you've inspired me a little too. I was trying to think of a new idea for a short story. I don't think 'dolphins' for the gothic tales I am writing but the late night hospital setting is something I find very interesting and atmospheric! Hmmm....I had an idea already about a lost love and this could add a new dimension...hmm!!! Cogs are turning...Thank you! See, I knew blogging would help me write more -especially when you are engaging with interesting people who have great thoughts and stories to share!

    Incidentally - that is not me in the picture - I wish! I loved your sweet comment though! :)

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  2. amazing josephine! though you kind of glossed over the walking on fire thing, which is also amazing!

    when i went on a dolphin trip in nz, i was pregnant with my first child. everyone else donned wetsuits to swim with the dolphins, but as we were advised that only fit, strong swimmers should attempt this, i refrained, not being a good swimmer at the best of times (and the water was cold!). the dolphins swam away from the swimmers so they didn't get much of a look. previously a young german woman on the boat told me that the dolphins would be attracted to me because i was pregnant (and a maori women told me the same thing later on), so i think she was disappointed i didn't go in!

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  3. Holy crap! I've got to say, that's pretty freaky! I don't think I could do nightshift in a gothic hospital, especially if I was hearing clicking noises! But your story has a happy ending, thank goodness. While you're into revealing all your interesting secrets, pop over to my blog where you'll see I've tagged you to answer some questions. Have fun with it! Wendy xxx

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  4. Thank you Curious Cat! I an humbled to have inspired your tale telling with my post. Thanks for sharing your story Pinry. Never fear, the firewalking might appear here one day. Wendy, I will pop over to visit you soon and grab those questions. xx

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  5. hello hello..
    just letting you know that you've been awarded a 'lovely blog award'...
    you can check out all the details here.. http://bellamumma.blogspot.com/2009/10/lovely-blog-award.html
    best wishes
    nikki
    ps. yes, 'not happy jan' about cookie mag folding!!!!

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  6. How amazing Josephine and how lucky you are! What a great story to tell your kids.

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  7. ...high pitched squeal...swinging you around wildly by the arms... LOVE IT!

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  8. Wow what an incredible story! I am such a firm believer that we should follow the "signs" in our life- no matter how ridiculous they seem. Life is full of magic- we are just so normally closed off to it! I loved this tale... thank you for sharing it with us! xo

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  9. What a beautiful story, Josephine! I admit, I haven't studied dolphins yet, but I am so intrigued now, that I will do just that!

    Lovely and inspiring post~
    ~Calli

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  10. What an amazing story! You are an incredible lady and I can imagine the Dolphin's feel equally in awe of meeting you and hearing your voice. Seriously!xoxo

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  11. Belette that is such a sweet comment. thank you! Thanks for popping in Calli, I'll visit you soon. Jennifer, I also believe that the signs are there for us to follow. If we are open to them and yes, magic is all around us if we have the eyes and open heart to see. Thanks Chelle for that enthusiastic response there! Simone, just one kid to tell the story to. She loves my stories for now...
    Nikki, thank you so much for the award! I shall do a post on it. Thanks Kate for visiting me and your comment. xx

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  12. how beautiful such a treat of a story! xxxx
    thanku kindly for ur comments on my blog xxxx

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  13. What a somewhat creepy but COOL story! :) Thanks for sharing it with us. Wishing you well! (hugs)

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  14. Hi Josephine-
    What a moving story. I felt like I could feel the quiet of the hospital ward reading your post.
    I ADORE my animals. I have two dogs, two goats and sadly was the mother to 9 chickens who intimately became all to quickly familiar with the circle of life this past fall when a hungry fox broke into the hen house.
    Communication happens on many different levels!
    Stephanie

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  15. Wow, how strange and wonderful all at once! You've had such a magical experience with the dolphins, can't believe that such a thing could happen in real life:)

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  16. Wow. An experience of a lifetime! Well, done you on facing your fear head on. I think I would have reacted the same, my mind saying, 'these fins look awfully like sharks fins'. Your life was in the hands of the supervisor.

    Amazing.

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Thanks ever so for your comment! I love feedback! xx