Gaia: Great News Show - Refreshing Media - Whale of a story

Re: Whale of a story

http://ambersbug.gaia.com — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 21:45:48 GMT

This makes me want to add 'the aquarium' to my list of things I want to do this year! I wonder if they have a class like that at our aquarium? I'm off to Google and see what I can learn about it!

Smiles!
amber

Re: Whale of a story

http://Meenakshi.gaia.com — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 21:45:34 GMT

Yes, that was really good to read. So many people are against "big bad business" but at the same time, when they do something like this; it makes such good sense.

Re: Whale of a story

http://ADLIAC.gaia.com — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 08:25:50 GMT

Oooh, definitely good news. Thank you so much for sharing, Meenakshi !!

And ya know, even the best news was a throw-away line: That Home Depot profits have gone to create this aquarium and maintain it. Wow. That is definitely my idea of a good new business model !!!!

Blessings, OM Bastet

Re: Whale of a story

http://Meenakshi.gaia.com — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 06:06:41 GMT

Another whale, another story!

Whales serve as backdrop for aquarium yoga classes

Story Highlights
Georgia Aquarium offers yoga classes in front of beluga whale tank
Instructor: "Energy of the belugas corresponds with the practice that we do"
Aquarium founder: "We are trying to do something new all the time"

From Doug Gross
CNN

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- There's the cobra, the cat and the downward-facing dog.

Now,
the world's largest aquarium is introducing a new animal to complement
those centuries-old yoga stances -- the beluga whale.

The Georgia
Aquarium -- which with 80,000 animals and 8 million gallons of water is
considered the biggest facility of its kind -- has begun offering yoga
classes in front of the tank that holds its belugas, whose playful
nature and graceful movements have made them a favorite of visitors
since the aquarium opened in late 2005.

"The beluga whales are so
slow and so smooth in their movements, which is indeed what this is
about -- slow movements of the body," said Todd DeLaune, one of the
instructors of the weekly sessions, which start Sunday. "And I think
the energy of the belugas corresponds with the practice that we do."

The
classes -- billed as the first of their kind -- are part of an ongoing
effort the aquarium has made since its inception to keep things fresh
and keep visitors coming back, even in tough economic times.

Home Depot co-founder Bernie Marcus, who bankrolled the aquarium
almost entirely out of his own pocket, said in 2005 that attractions
such as aquariums have a habit of starting strong but fading after a
few years, something he was determined to avoid.

"We are trying
to do something new all the time, so every time you come to the
aquarium there's something new -- a new program, a new animal, a new
exhibit," said spokesman Dave Santucci.

Santucci said the
aquarium largely has weathered the dismal economy well, with a decrease
in out-of-state and international visitors being offset by an increase
in visitors who live within 100 miles and are forgoing long-distance
trips themselves.

Children's classes will be offered at the same
time as the adult ones. The cost is $20 for aquarium members and $35
for nonmembers, who also get a day pass to visit the rest of the
aquarium.

At a recent preview class, student Stephanie Jolluck said the atmosphere at the aquarium enhanced her practice of yoga, the physical and mental discipline believed to have originated in India as early as 3000 B.C.

"For
me, it's a dream to be here in this calm space, to watch the whales,"
she said. "The music ... the lights -- everything is a dream."

It's
no surprise that the swirling, languid movements of the aquarium's
three belugas -- Nico, Maris and Natasha -- enhance the experience,
said instructor Kimberly Hard.

"The first time
I came to the aquarium, I was impressed by the animals and the
landscape," she said. "One has always known that the ocean generates
peace and calm."

CNN's Felipe Barral contributed to this report.

Re: Whale of a story

http://haledavid1.gaia.com — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 01:13:19 GMT

Thank you for sharing the inspiration - just the perspective and nudge I needed today.
Blessings, David

Re: Whale of a story

http://amazume.gaia.com — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 06:16:32 GMT

How very beautiful - and how very true.

Thank you OM!

In Loving Light,
Nell ;-)

Whale of a story

http://ADLIAC.gaia.com — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 08:11:57 GMT

This came to me via email. Sorry for not reformatting it, but you get the idea:

Subject: FW: Whale: A nice story to start the new year

Wow, who says animals do not have intelligence. This is a wonderful, and
touching example on why whale hunting needs to stop NOW!

________________________________

The Whale

If you read the front page story of the SF Chronicle, you would have read
about a female humpback whale who had become entangled in a spider web of
crab traps and lines. She was weighted down by hundreds of pounds of traps
that caused her to struggle to stay afloat. She also had hundreds of yards o=
f
line rope wrapped around her body, her tail, her torso, a line tugging in he=
r
mouth. A fisherman spotted her just east of the Farralone Islands (outside
the Golden Gate ) and radioed an environmental group for help. Within a few
hours, the rescue team arrived and determined that she was so bad off, the
only way to save her was to dive in and untangle her...

=20

A very dangerous proposition.
One slap of the tail could kill a rescuer.

=20

They worked for hours with curved knives and eventually freed her. When she
was free, the divers say she swam in what seemed like joyous circles. She
then came back to each and every diver, one at a time, and nudged them,
pushed gently around-she thanked them. Some said it was the most incredibly
beautiful experience of their lives.

=20

The man who cut the rope out of her mouth says her eye was following him the
whole time, and he will never be the same. May you, and all those you love,
be so blessed and fortunate to be surrounded by people who will swim with yo=
u
in the deep waters that may engulf you, and who will help you become
untangled from the things that bind you. And, may you always know the joy of
giving and receiving gratitude.

People will forget what you said...
People will forget what you did...
But people will never forget how you made them feel.

marlene