By Alexandra Seigel

To keep your luxury real estate marketing practice in perspective, take the time to commune with nature. Exploring the wonders of your environment can help you stay happy, creative and stress free.

Our favorite way to commune with nature is walking on the beach in Santa Barbara and Carpinteria at low tide, when the ocean recedes and reveals more land. New sea shells abound, crabs rush to bury themselves so do the clams.

One of the joys of these nature walks is spotting dolphins frolicking near the shore. Like the ancient Greek sailors we welcome them as a good omen for a smooth voyage.

Earlier this year, we took a whale watching trip around the Channel Islands that are just off our coastline. The whales were a “no show”. Instead, we saw a super pod of dolphins which number over a 1000, indicating that there was an abundance of food in the area. A regular pod averages a dozen. Although, the membership in pods is not rigid, they establish strong bonds. Dolphins will stay with injured pod members helping them breathe by nudging them to the surface.

Dolphins are also known to help other species. Moko, a dolphin in New Zealand was observed guiding a whale and her calf out of shallow water after they were stranded several times. They also protect swimmers from sharks by either swimming circles around the swimmers or charging the sharks. My father, while swimming in the Mediterranean Sea, was guided out of the strong downward pull of an eddy by a pod of dolphins. I owe my existence to these creatures.

Dolphins are part of human culture. They are common in Greek, Roman as well as in Hindu mythology. They are considered to be one the most intelligent animals. In 2005, Australian scientists discovered that some dolphins teach their young to use tools, (one of the benchmarks for rating intelligence). While foraging the dolphins protect their snouts with sponges that they break off to cover their snouts. The male river dolphins in Brazil use weeds and sticks as part of a mating display.

Watching these magical creatures always brings a smile to our faces. Time stops when they appear. They seem to be having so much fun. What a great reminder of the magic of life.

This is part of an ongoing series about Luxury Real Estate Marketing. Get Fluent. Get Affluent! Subscribe to The Language of Luxury by Email or RSS Feed. Comments? Please use form in left column