Your telling of the time you spent with these beings, causes me to reflect on ways I can connect with the shelter dogs I work with. Knowing I need not even be in their physical presence to have them experience this peace, gives me more joy. Namaste
What an incredibly powerful experience, David! Animals ARE truely sentient. They can sense one's intention.
Whereas I have not been privileged to sit with such a majestic creature as an elephant, in my small life I have noticed that animals respond to me differently than with others. I can only assume it is my intention to comfort and to not want to hurt them in any way that has them accept me.....from bees to dogs. Thank you for sharing this wonderful insight. 🙏
David we deeply felt the power of your experience with the elephants. You are a remarkable man as you dipped into the vast sea of intelligence that connects all of us. Below I've sent an essay from Lew Richmond who is a Zen teacher and writes a monthly essay. We thought this particular essay would be of interest to you and a complement to your experience. Also, it speaks to your strong feelings for the Queen.
OCTOBER 8, 2022
BY LEW RICHMOND
The Custom of Telling the Bees
I read that the Royal Beekeeper at Buckingham Palace told the bees in the beehives there that the Queen had died but that they had a new master who would take good care of them. The beekeeper apparently received some teasing in the Press, but it turns out that the practice of “telling the bees” about momentous occasions such as weddings, births, and deaths is an old custom, especially in England, but also throughout Europe. No one knows where or when the practice began; there is some speculation that it goes back to ancient Greece and the belief that bees were a bridge between the living world and the afterlife.
I was struck by the poignancy and graciousness of this custom. It seems to me like a throwback to a time when a largely rural and farm-based populace was more sensitive to the rhythms and manifestations of the non-human world of nature. It also indicates that people have long been impressed with the sense that bees have an unusual, even magical, kind of intelligence. How they know to build their hives using a three-dimensional hexagonal structure—which just happens to be the strongest design—and how they are able to find their way home carrying minute amounts of pollen and nectar to contribute to the communal store of honey is indeed magical. How do their tiny insect brains accomplish all this?
As it happens, I have recently been reading The Mind of a Bee by Lars Chittka, a eminent insect scientist who unpacks for the general reader the near-incredible research on bee brains and how bees do what they do. Bees have been an object of fascination by naturalists for centuries. How do bees unerringly find their way home from flower patches miles away? How do they then communicate to other bees in the hive the exact location of this flower patch? How do they learn and remember which flowers have the best pollen and nectar? And after a bee-swarm—a magical event in itself—how do they collectively decide, from among many new hive sites, the best one to relocate to? And how do they do this with brains containing only a million neurons, compared to humans’ 100 billion?
Answers to these questions are not just relevant to insect specialists like Chittka. Bees and their ability to pollinate food crops are an essential aspect to food security for humanity generally. When a bee virus killed off a substantial percentage of bees world wide a few years back, there was grave concern that there would not be enough bees to pollinate key food crops that feed humanity planet wide. Should all the bees in the world suddenly vanish—and given the unforeseen effects of rapid climate change, that could conceivably happen—we would suddenly realize how critical the relationship between bees and humanity really is. The custom of “telling the bees,” from that perspective, is not just a kindly rural custom; it reflects an intuition that we need bees, we want them near, we don’t want them to go. “Please don’t go” is a part of the litany traditionally recited to the bees when they are told of deaths in the family. Sometimes black cloth is draped over the hives to let them know what has happened, and to convey that we care what happens to them.
One time, a few years back, a hive of bees actually swarmed in our backyard. To step outside in that moment was to be immersed in a mesmerizing swirl of buzzing, hypnotized bees all flying in a widening circle around a nearby tree. Even though to stand in the midst of the swarming was to be surrounded on all sides by buzzing bees, we did not feel concerned about being stung. Swarming bees are in, as we would say, an altered state of consciousness. They are all single-mindedly engaged in finding a new home.
According to Chittka, the next step after a swarm is for bee scouts to go forth in all directions, looking for a suitable hollow in a tree or similar sheltered place to start a new hive. The scouts spread out for miles, and then return to the hive, somehow reporting what they have found to their fellow bees. In a process that is to this day still mysterious, at some point the assembled bees reach consensus as to the best new location, and launch themselves as one, led by the bee scouts, to their new hive site. How do they decide? How does each bee, with its tiny, microscopic brain, understand and process the information from the bee scouts? How do they come to an agreement?
This is a palpable and readily observable mystery of nature. Bee intelligence is like the intelligence of life itself—the same intelligence that has produced all the myriad life forms we know and see, including ourselves. The custom of “telling the bees” in that sense is a way of acknowledging, even worshipping, the consciousness that inhabits all things.
This is really beautiful, David. Thank you so much for sharing it with us all. I have always been fascinated by the mystery of bees, migratory birds and other beings whose behaviour exhibits such remarkable intelligence.
Thank you David. That was a touching story and one that not many people would believe.
I am positive that it is possible to communicate with animals and plants and especially using meditation and mantras. Green Tara of course being the most revered mantra in Buddhist traditions. Thank you for sharing that special experience.
Thank you David for sharing this wonderful mindful attunement with the elies. It brings back heartfelt memories of using Metta or loving-kindness to connect with wild animals during your Mindful Safaris in the past.
That is so incredibly beautiful. Drinking in those wonderful blessings, or maybe he is a Green Tara emanation. I also recite mantras to my rescue pets. In a world where reading Dharma is not an option, it is a precious way to bless their continuums. May all beings in the animal realm receive love and peace.
Your telling of the time you spent with these beings, causes me to reflect on ways I can connect with the shelter dogs I work with. Knowing I need not even be in their physical presence to have them experience this peace, gives me more joy. Namaste
Thank you, Leila. Dogs are particularly sensitive to our state of being - you are absolutely right .
What an incredibly powerful experience, David! Animals ARE truely sentient. They can sense one's intention.
Whereas I have not been privileged to sit with such a majestic creature as an elephant, in my small life I have noticed that animals respond to me differently than with others. I can only assume it is my intention to comfort and to not want to hurt them in any way that has them accept me.....from bees to dogs. Thank you for sharing this wonderful insight. 🙏
Thank you Marianne for that insight - we are connected in mysterious but powerful ways to many more sentient beings than we generally suppose.
Lovely experience David. Thank you for sharing that.
❤️
My pleasure, Rosemary!
And no words to convey the gift of connection with animal beings. Thank you so much for sharing.
Thank you, Margaret. I feel we can all access this special connection.
So beautiful and so peaceful, thank you
Many thanks indeed, Maureen.
David we deeply felt the power of your experience with the elephants. You are a remarkable man as you dipped into the vast sea of intelligence that connects all of us. Below I've sent an essay from Lew Richmond who is a Zen teacher and writes a monthly essay. We thought this particular essay would be of interest to you and a complement to your experience. Also, it speaks to your strong feelings for the Queen.
OCTOBER 8, 2022
BY LEW RICHMOND
The Custom of Telling the Bees
I read that the Royal Beekeeper at Buckingham Palace told the bees in the beehives there that the Queen had died but that they had a new master who would take good care of them. The beekeeper apparently received some teasing in the Press, but it turns out that the practice of “telling the bees” about momentous occasions such as weddings, births, and deaths is an old custom, especially in England, but also throughout Europe. No one knows where or when the practice began; there is some speculation that it goes back to ancient Greece and the belief that bees were a bridge between the living world and the afterlife.
I was struck by the poignancy and graciousness of this custom. It seems to me like a throwback to a time when a largely rural and farm-based populace was more sensitive to the rhythms and manifestations of the non-human world of nature. It also indicates that people have long been impressed with the sense that bees have an unusual, even magical, kind of intelligence. How they know to build their hives using a three-dimensional hexagonal structure—which just happens to be the strongest design—and how they are able to find their way home carrying minute amounts of pollen and nectar to contribute to the communal store of honey is indeed magical. How do their tiny insect brains accomplish all this?
As it happens, I have recently been reading The Mind of a Bee by Lars Chittka, a eminent insect scientist who unpacks for the general reader the near-incredible research on bee brains and how bees do what they do. Bees have been an object of fascination by naturalists for centuries. How do bees unerringly find their way home from flower patches miles away? How do they then communicate to other bees in the hive the exact location of this flower patch? How do they learn and remember which flowers have the best pollen and nectar? And after a bee-swarm—a magical event in itself—how do they collectively decide, from among many new hive sites, the best one to relocate to? And how do they do this with brains containing only a million neurons, compared to humans’ 100 billion?
Answers to these questions are not just relevant to insect specialists like Chittka. Bees and their ability to pollinate food crops are an essential aspect to food security for humanity generally. When a bee virus killed off a substantial percentage of bees world wide a few years back, there was grave concern that there would not be enough bees to pollinate key food crops that feed humanity planet wide. Should all the bees in the world suddenly vanish—and given the unforeseen effects of rapid climate change, that could conceivably happen—we would suddenly realize how critical the relationship between bees and humanity really is. The custom of “telling the bees,” from that perspective, is not just a kindly rural custom; it reflects an intuition that we need bees, we want them near, we don’t want them to go. “Please don’t go” is a part of the litany traditionally recited to the bees when they are told of deaths in the family. Sometimes black cloth is draped over the hives to let them know what has happened, and to convey that we care what happens to them.
One time, a few years back, a hive of bees actually swarmed in our backyard. To step outside in that moment was to be immersed in a mesmerizing swirl of buzzing, hypnotized bees all flying in a widening circle around a nearby tree. Even though to stand in the midst of the swarming was to be surrounded on all sides by buzzing bees, we did not feel concerned about being stung. Swarming bees are in, as we would say, an altered state of consciousness. They are all single-mindedly engaged in finding a new home.
According to Chittka, the next step after a swarm is for bee scouts to go forth in all directions, looking for a suitable hollow in a tree or similar sheltered place to start a new hive. The scouts spread out for miles, and then return to the hive, somehow reporting what they have found to their fellow bees. In a process that is to this day still mysterious, at some point the assembled bees reach consensus as to the best new location, and launch themselves as one, led by the bee scouts, to their new hive site. How do they decide? How does each bee, with its tiny, microscopic brain, understand and process the information from the bee scouts? How do they come to an agreement?
This is a palpable and readily observable mystery of nature. Bee intelligence is like the intelligence of life itself—the same intelligence that has produced all the myriad life forms we know and see, including ourselves. The custom of “telling the bees” in that sense is a way of acknowledging, even worshipping, the consciousness that inhabits all things.
This is really beautiful, David. Thank you so much for sharing it with us all. I have always been fascinated by the mystery of bees, migratory birds and other beings whose behaviour exhibits such remarkable intelligence.
This is precious beyond words! Thank you for sharing
Green Tara and the flow of compassion and love expressed in this sacred connection. Truly inspiring 🙏
Thank you so much Catherine - it is a connection we can all experience, as you well know!
Yes, truly. Your post was a reminder in such a lovely way. The elephants are such grand beings, we can learn much from them.
A most precious moment of connection. We all are one. The elephant was heard and acknowledged. Thank you for sharing this. May all beings benefit.
Indeed, Gaye! Thank you for your beautiful message.
Thank you for sharing your video. I'm just about to watch it but my cat is right by my computer purring very loudly.
What a happy coincidence, Wendy! :)
Thank you. The story and video put me in the same state of oceanic compassion. Kathy
Delighted to hear it, Kathy! May you carry it out into the world!
The most moving and beautiful picture drawn by the wizard of words . xxxxx Eebs
You are too kind, thank you Eebs!
Thank you David. That was a touching story and one that not many people would believe.
I am positive that it is possible to communicate with animals and plants and especially using meditation and mantras. Green Tara of course being the most revered mantra in Buddhist traditions. Thank you for sharing that special experience.
My pleasure, Peter. I feel that our energetic connection, for want of a better phrase, is more powerful than any words.
Thank you David for sharing this wonderful mindful attunement with the elies. It brings back heartfelt memories of using Metta or loving-kindness to connect with wild animals during your Mindful Safaris in the past.
Many thanks indeed, Bruce! I look forward to sharing more Mindful Safaris with Rae and you!
Magical. Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful elephant experience and for the teaching about the compassion of Green Tara. Beautiful
Delighted to do so, thanks Margaret!
That is so incredibly beautiful. Drinking in those wonderful blessings, or maybe he is a Green Tara emanation. I also recite mantras to my rescue pets. In a world where reading Dharma is not an option, it is a precious way to bless their continuums. May all beings in the animal realm receive love and peace.
I am so glad to hear that you recite mantras to your rescue pets, Edwina. They are most fortunate!
I am astounded and not astounded at the same time. Elephants and you are both intelligent and compassionate beings.
You are too kind, thank you Lyn! I feel we could all put ourselves on the same page as other creatures if we just stopped thinking so much!