To choose your thoughts, don’t let them choose you.
To embrace love and let it bleed into all you touch, hear, see, smell, feel and create.
Control your faith and mind, but lose control of what is planned by the universe for you Kalmpletely.
It is all you will need ……
LOVE.
Karlee-anne Louise Mackie ( K.a.L.M )
I’m a professional free surfer/ artist/ model.
I have been given countless amazing experiences that i am exceptionally grateful for.
i have a thirst for life like a camel in the dessert searching for water.
So far i have learnt by being grateful for what you have been given is a major key to inner happiness and love.
The recent trip to japan only assured me all of this, and with that being further instilled into my heart.
I am grateful.
My journey started when i boarded the plane, dis-organised, but i followed my heart wanting to be apart of this positive movement, one that i was passionate for and one that i felt was going to be soul growing and special.
To save the dolphins and whales that i share the ocean with everyday.
I landed in japan at Osaka airport at 10 pm, no address, no hotel name or number.
My biggest issue was i had no bloody clue how i was going to find where i was supposed to be with out a little patience and some faith something would happen to help me find my way to where i should be.
I was 80% sure i was going to be sleeping at the airport for the night, which i was re assuring myself thta lots of people do it and i could Handle it.
It’s funny when your intuition sometimes kicks in, as i felt something would happen and i would eventually somehow get to where i was supposed to be.
so half hour to 40 mins later, after walking round the airport, numerous failed attempts at the phone dialling any number i thought would help in my aid to contacting by this time anyone!.
It helps if you can understand the japanese speaking operater lady.
I didn’t.
I decided to wing it, and try catch a bus somewhere, none the wiser i was an hour bus ride from where i was supposed to be staying.
I proceeded to head towards the Osaka south buses, but some feeling inside was pulling me the other way
so i went with it and headed towards the Osaka north buses.
Funnily enough i passed Isabel Lucas and two men, as i kept walking this went through my head, as i kept walking about 5 or so meters past them ,…..”oh she’s Tash from home and away, wonder what she is here for ? maybe a movie? i saw her holding a photo in the Surfer’s for Cetaceans and save the whales campaign.”
I spun around and yelled!
“WAIIIT,ARE YOU HERE FOR DAVE AND TO SAVE THE DOLPHINS?!!!
“YES “,Isabel yelled back to me .
so lucky,
I hopped on the right bus with her dad and photographrer Peter Carrett for the hour bus ride to our hotel.
For me, its either dumb luck or meant to be but i find myself in these situations quite often.
Jjust following my heart, trying to understand the world and how it works, myself, and others.This leads to funny adventures around the world fortunately meeting such special, talented, beautiful people with hearts bigger then the oceans …this trip was going to be very special significant one i was certain of this.
My story is of compassion i witnessed there, the understanding of the dedication i saw from others, and love.
To make a positive action, one that everyone has the ability to do.
Individually coming together as a group, we were representing millions of people who feel the same need to save and protect cetaceans .
Everyone there had a love for life and everything that’s real and good from it .
As well as a fortunate life growing up beside the ocean where our smart, beautiful friends of the sea play.
We as individuals became a group really easily, like long lost brothers and sisters.
Our group goal in Taiji was not to create havoc, but to create an awareness of what is really going on.
We were in Japan to represent the millions of people who surf with dolphins and whales and love them.we came to honour those who have been killed and hope those kills do not continue.
As a group we did this with a peace ceremony, a paddle out ceremony that has been done for years among the surfing world, that is still done to this day.
Every year to honour the Eddie Aikau a big wave surfing legend from hawaii, that is now an event.
A prayer is said to protect the present surfers, pay respect to the local surfers and ones that had lost their lives.This is done before heading out in the massive waves held at Waimea Bay on Hawaii’s North shore.
We paddled out in the killing cove at Taiji, being the first to ever do that.
We all slowly moved out staying together paddling towards it.
The cove was so beautiful considering the horrific things that go down in it to emulate and create this same peace circle that is practiced every year at the Eddie.
Its not only the slaughtering of these beautiful creatures that ignited the flame within and the need to stop the killings.
The people of Japan to my knowledge are unaware that there are killings of dolphins and small whales going down in that one particular cove, among many more in Japan and also other parts of the world.
The meat and blubber from the whales and dolphins are drenched in mercury that is also not to any of the general public’s knowledge.
Tests have been carried out by international and local scientist proving that dolphin and whale meat caught, contains higher levels of mercury then the seafood that poisened thousands of people with the minimata flesh eating disease.
Tests in Ibraki prefecture have shown levels of mercury to be 9.55 times over the advised level set by the health ,labor and welfare ministry of japan.
The most recent tests carried out in September 2007 showed levels of mercury exceeding the limit by 87 times!!!
After our successful paddle out and ceremony circle, that we shared with 2 eagles overhead circle us.
The energy in the air was electric.We were all so happy to have done something positive and start the ball rolling for global awareness in the bid to put a stop to the killings everywhere.
The news came as a shock and hit us with a profound impact that we had really not achieved all that much yet, as we heard that there were 35 pilot whales in the cove and ready for slaughtering by sun up.
With quick thinking and group co-operation we all did our bits, either waiting in the hotel for the outcome of the 6 surfers, actors, and journalist (Karina Patroni, Isabel Lucas, Hannah Fraser, Dave Rastovich and Peter.) that had opted to travel the 8 hours back south to paddle out in the blood at sun rise for an amazing chance at really unveiling what happens at the ove in Taiji.The amount of publicity that lead to the world to then view on numerous news stations in the aim to stop the killings and see what really is going on in regards to the supposed “scientific research.”
Its ironic as i sit here on the south coast after getting back from Japan, relaxed and content as my friend fishes in the river.
Im lying under a big beautiful tree wondering how to write a story to unfold and re create the vision and emotions i shared with some of the most beautiful, smart, compassionate people from all over the world…..
All there with the same passion and heart.
I’m thinking is this super hypercritical of me?After that trip and im lying here watching my friend fish.
Personally in my opinion, i think no.
Over 20,000 dolphins and small whales are slaughtered from october to march .
Mass sensless killings that need to stop now!
I feel if we lived a simple life, caught a few fish, grew our own vegetables, used only what we needed.
Worried about what we need individually without being mindlessly greedy in producing masses of amounts of food to make money.
Catching and killing masses of animals for greed and money is crazy!
I love the saying i read from an ancient Indian prophecy.
• Only after the last tree has been cut down, Only after the last river has been poisoned, Only after the last fish has been caught, Only then will you find money cannot be eaten.
~ Cree Prophecy
I could imagine we would all be living in simple harmony.
Interrupted by the thought of ” how would the power trippers and multimillionares feed their selfish need for materialist, high status, power obssessed living?.
Not all multi millionaires are like this, that i do understand.
To me some days it just seems hopeless in the bid for world peace, unity and balance.
I have to honestly share though, what i experienced in Taiji is a massive glimmer of hope!
A lightning bolt of natural boasting shear streak of power and hope!
I believe we can find balance in this world individually and together. if we pull together and be consciously aware that everything we do and don’t do, has an out coe and an effect.
Actions create a difference, i came to realise it’s what we choose to see, what we choose to focus on.
What we subconsciously believe will create our world.
If you choose to see beauty in all you see, you will surely see it.
Believe and manifest love all around you.
I thought about that as i lied under the tree.
Compassion, Love, unity and respect creates magic, and more power then all the governments and religions combined.
The best thing about it too, it’s free for anyone and everyone!
Everybody who came to japan, traveled there knowing the main objective was to educate and stress the toxicity in dolphins and whales.
Might i add is from the pollution in our waters and oceans from humans.
We felt the goal was to gain trust, with this trust our aim was to help make a difference, from educating our knowledge and understanding of the situation.The slaughtering and captivity also a focus and equally serious.
The perfect outcome was to have the fishermans’ respect and understanding of the nonsense of the killings and terrible repercussions in screwing up the delicate balance of mother nature.
Taiji is a fishing village, it’s a beautiful town that has to sustain a living regardless.
Our vision was to introduce a new way.
A number of us in the group all came from Byron Bay, Dave Rastovich (professional free surfer )and wife Hannah Fraser (professional mermaid) got to share with the small town of Taiji where there home was.
Byron Bay now a huge tourist mecca was once an ex whaling town, also once sporting a sheep abotior.
Ironically it’s now leading the way in alternate living, promoting the importancy of living an eco environmentally friendly organic, spiritual, healthy way, boasting 1.2 million people that are attracted and pass through this tiny hippie town on the far north east coast of Australia.
so if a small town like Taiji can come from blood to beauty .
Why cant Taiji or any other town.
Aside from the killings and action that took place there, the Japanese are the most helpful , honourable people i have met .
From my travels around the world, spiritual, honest human beings who also share the love of dolphins and whales.We can’t scold a whole country or town on one small group of fisherman.
It’s the government and the fisherman and the companies who enable their funds that need the pressure, education and knowledge of what their actions are doing to our oceans, cetaceans and peoples lives.
The first paddle out ceremony with everyone was a perfect example of the magic that can happen and how life should always be lived.
Joining together, holding love and respect, showed that when approaching tense situations that need to change, taking action with love, unity and respect have a far greater rewarding positive out come.
Before the paddle out, Dave gave each of us a flower to throw into the centre of the circle.Some of the crew that came to paddle out had never been on a surfboard before, so teamwork was nessacerary for a quick entry and exit out of the bay which was done so smoothly.We all helped each other paddle out quickly moving as one entity.
We were all out in the cove sitting in our circle in the water in the bay where the killings go on and you couldn’t help but feel a heavy feeling.
it was powerful and emotional as a few tears were shed, while Dave shared some beautiful words.
we alll then said a prayer and threw our flowers in to the center of the circle
Hannah mermaid, Daves’ beautiful wife dived underneath us in her handmade mermaid tail.
Such an intense, surreal, moment for all of us .
Meanwhile back on the shore the fisherman looked on respectively and did not interrupt the ceremony, understanding it was a peace ceremony.
Back at the hotel a sense of achievement and excitement hovered in the air.We all met up and were drunk in the immense glory of the prospect of hope to put an end to the killings may be closer then we first thought.
Sadly to be jolted by the bad news that next day they had already rounded up a pod of 35 pilot whales.
We were here in japan to be heard, we were serious in what we were acting on.
As i mention ealrier on in my story a small group stealth missioned it down in the night to be ready for a paddle out at dawn.
I did not get to witness it first hand, the footage is graffic and can be seen on youtube. Taiji killings and dolphin slaughters.
I have never done anything like this in my life.
To be an activists and to be apart of a such a powerful, positive movement with friends to save our beautiful ocean angels has been such a fullfilling time in my life.
To give back with nothing in return is really really rewarding.
I reccommend and want to keep practicing this as the only religious part in my life.
Maybe if we start slowly, by putting back the pieces to puzzle of this broken up world, we will all benefit and become a more peaceful world of humans.
With our one simple need for living to be love, compassion, understanding, laughter, and respect for ourselves and others.
Could naturally keep our hearts happy, and our world clean and balanced.
To learn to think for ourselves, accepting and realizing it that effort together with gentle perseverance.
Having the knowledge and acceptance that things don’t happen over night or get fixed magically with a click of your fingers.
Our world is about quick fixes, restlessness, comparrisons and no gratitude.
Good things do come to those who put it out there and wait and learn to enjoy the journey of life and everything it teaches you.
Great or small.
Learn to be grateful and patient, because we all are dealt a different hand of cards so to speak, it’s really up to how you choose to play them.
If you can come to the knowledge that the power to happiness is in the power to learn to choose to feel.
How you yourself has the power to choose how you veiw the world.
So how will you choose what you can do to help?
I myself chose to travel by myself, not knowing anyone very well, as did everyone else who all individually chose to come to japan with the common denominator of
love, compassion and to help save our smart, beautiful ocean angels.
So lets all join hands and save our ocean friends.
Look up these websites to research and see how amazing these creatures really are.
Choose to help save the dolphins and whales before they are all gone and it’s too late .
www.surfersforcetaceans.com, www.bondi.tv, www.savethewhalesagain.com, www.hannahmermaid.com,
