Dolphins Spoke to Me

My attempt to recount a mystical experience

If you don’t want to read ahead, this was it

They say it’s healing to be in nature. I had heard this before, but I’ve never fully experienced what this meant until recently.

Growing up in the suburbs of New Jersey, I took the gifts of the Garden State for granted. I don’t think I ever truly appreciated the available local parks, trails, and bodies of water. My attention was focused elsewhere — school, violin, SATs, college apps.

Then I decided to go to college in New York City, the concrete jungle. Besides watching squirrels and rats run around in Washington Square Park (or, occasionally at Central Park), I didn’t really spend too much time in nature. I think I knew liked going on hikes, but I just didn’t have many opportunities to do so.

It’s only the last couple of months that I’ve made it a priority to spend more time in nature, particularly by myself. Since early spring, I’ve made it a commitment to make my best effort to drive out of the city and go on a hike once a week.

It’s been a game changer for my well-being.

Walking through a forest of trees, immersing in the sounds of nature, really does something to your spirit. I’m able to reach a state of inner peace, an inner calm that I just don’t experience in any other environment. The experience is even better is when the hike involves climb up elevation.

On these hikes, I’m present. I’m listening to the birds chirping and the swishing of leaves in the wind. I feel the breeze on my face, the muscles in my legs moving me. It’s meditative. The monkeys in the monkey mind seemed to have escaped to roam freely in the trees, outside the confines of my head. I’m able to let go of all the tasks I have to do, the anxiety and thoughts don’t serve me. I’ve observed my general well-being just elevate over the last couple of months as I did this weekend after weekend.

Last weekend I may have just reached a peak experience in nature.

I’ve written about how I am trying to become more intentional in investing in new experiences instead of things. New experiences challenge us, change the way we think and feel.

After staying in the same environment during this pandemic chapter, I strongly desired a change of scenery. I decided came out to Los Angeles for the month of June. This sudden shift in environment has been incredibly refreshing. Also, it has been just so good to catch up with some of my closest friends in person, after all this time.

My close buddy surprised me with a jet ski tour. And it wasn’t just any jet ski tour.

It was an 8 hour jet ski trip from Long Beach to Catalina Island.

With dolphins.

Ignore the expected time Google Maps showed. It took about 2 hours to jetski one way.

Again, with dolphins. I didn’t think this was even possible.

Jet ski we did, departing from Long Beach for a 2-hour ride to Catalina Island. Within thirty minutes, I see dolphin fins emerging in and out of the surface of the water. The skin of their backs shimmering, reflecting the rays of sunshine penetrating through the overcast skies. My heart was pounding.

The sight really took my breath away. I couldn’t move, frozen on the seat of my jet ski. As I crept closer to the school of dolphins, they fearlessly swam next to me. I slowed down to 5 mph. Literally within three feet in front of me, three or four dolphins are just leading me. Shiny gray backs and white under bellies. Fins in and out, in and out, tails in and out, in and out, swimming ahead.

I looked down to the sides of my jet ski, first left, then right. I swiveled my head looking further out into the ocean. More dolphins, possibly close to a hundred of them, accompanying me. No, it felt like they were carrying me. I didn’t know how long this lasted, I had lost track of time. It was meditative. I felt out of my body.

I looked at the horizon. This was a dream. The ocean was vast, endless, majestic and here I was, a small grain of sand in this world. My thoughts, my problems, miniscule relative to the grand universe. I realized my cheeks were getting sore because I just had the biggest smile on my face.

The dolphins spoke to me. Not in sounds, but with emotion. They were playful, happy, social, just being. They reminded me to just experience life as it is. Witness the moment as it is. That’s all there is. That is all that is needed.

I felt such an elevated emotion that I don’t think I can ever forget it. I wish to carry the feeling of that moment forever.

I want to be reminded of that moment always, to know that such beauty and grace exists. My role is simply to be a part of it all.