Founding Atlantis with Jenny

Leave it to the mother of the ocean to find the missing lands of idyllic Atlantis. Jenny Yemaya Cook tells of the extraordinary journey that led her to the founding of The Atlantis Rejuvenation Center (The ARC).

What has the civilization of Atlantis taught you about the world we live in today?

14 years ago, when I first arrived in Bimini, I had an experience at The Atlantis vortex, an area 45 miles east of the island where it is said that the giant crystal that powered Atlantis sank beneath the ocean bed. On approaching the area by boat, you can feel a distinct change in the energy, like moving though a dense wall of energy. My experience then, and other groups that I have facilitated there since, all experience a similar recollection and range of emotions. All the navigation equipment breaks down and the compass just spins randomly with no direction. Time loss or gain is normal, losing or gaining an hour in time while there. On my first journey there i remembered my time during Atlantis and my role then, in a parallel to the life i am leading now. I learned that we are living in a parallel reality, that just as during Atlantis things got out of control with a divided population, some following the law of the One and some just concerned with material and financial gain for selfish purposes. This life time, we come with the experience and knowledge of the devastation this caused

during Atlantis, so we were given a "choice point", or timeframe, within which to make a difference this time around. Those who heard the call have been moving into personal positions of "being the change" and bringing about a different outcome from the one we lived through (or died during) in Atlantean times.

The rewards of running The ARC must be profound. Are there any experiences guests have shared with you that have been unexpected or stand out most?

Being of service is the greatest calling that we can attune to. The rewards are many and every day I give thanks for the opportunity to be fulfilling my vocation. I have seen a child with autism speak for the first time after swimming with the dolphins. Another child with cerebral palsy start to swallow food again and get up out of their wheelchair and take steps again. These kind of experiences stay with you forever. More recently I had the honor to host a lady recovering from breast cancer, who with her husband found the peace, quiet and simple style of living here at ARC just the tonic they needed to reset their lives in a new direction. A number of women have joined us who are at a crossroads in their lives and relationships, so we are able to provide a safe space to just "be" in order to find the next step. Many people come to us new to raw foods or veganism, and go home inspired and ready to begin a healthier way of living. Transformations happen at every retreat, it is a blessing to witness and I will be eternally grateful for the ability to provide a safe space for this to happen.

You started out your career in Bimini with a fear of water and now practically live in it. How did you overcome your fear? Is there any advice you can offer to those facing that phobia?

A fear of water is actually very common and we often have people come who arrive terrified of swimming in the open ocean. My own fear was extreme and if someone had told me the rest of my life would mainly be spent underwater I would never have believed them! I was offered a job with the dolphins when I fist came to the island and the owners wife upon hearing of my fears took me each day to the beach to practice swimming in shallow waters and getting used to the snorkel and fins. As I gained confidence in water I could stand up in, I then advanced into deeper waters with her showing me how to dive. The irony is that instead of sinking without trace as I had imagined, I actually was too buoyant and kept bobbing back up to the surface! Its almost impossible to sink with fins and snorkel on, so once you learn how to relax and float the rest comes just naturally. Soon I became half mermaid! And as soon as the dolphins show up you forget all about your fears and just "be in the moment". What was once your greatest fear becomes a real breakthrough, as you realize that life begins at the end of your comfort zone ;-)

How has going raw changed your relationships with both food and your body?

Raw veganism is nature's diet, as you align with natural foods your body naturally aligns with its optimum state and weight. The great thing is you can have your cake and eat it! When I first went 100% raw I did so in combination with a severe detox whilst doing my training at HHI (Hippocrates Health Institute). Once the detox training was over it was a case of finding a simple diet/lifestyle that worked for me. You tend to start of craving slightly heavier transition type foods, such as dehydrated foods that take the place of cooked foods. Once on that journey you naturally start to eat more simple foods and these days when left to my own devices my diet consists mainly of smoothies, fruit, salads, nuts and seeds. I do eat a little cooked vegan food too at times when I feel like something warm. My weight is the same as it was when I was 18, I have a lot of energy and seem to not need so much sleep as I used to. I walk on the beach and swim every day and never seem to get sick. I'm 45 now and notice people younger than me struggling with dis-eases that I now know can be eliminated with diet. I only use natural body products and cosmetics, The ARC is cleaned with green products, and we are blessed with fresh air and good water to drink here as well as plenty of coconuts, natures miracle food :-) Purifying your world and inner temple makes for a beautiful lens through which to see the world :-)

Being originally from the UK and traveling to Central America to study Mayan culture, then off to the US and Bahamas, what sorts of commonalities have you noticed that tie mankind together and cross the barriers of years and miles?

Living here on a 7 mile island inhabited by 3000 people brings a real sense of community spirit. At The ARC we live communally, sharing meals and experiences, just like I did while I was backpacking and staying in hostels. I've had the good fortune to also stay in 5-star resorts, but give me a real life experience any day above that! There is something sacred in shared experiences, bringing people together, living in situations that are outside our normal comfort zones, where maybe the water pressure goes off and you learn what it is like to be without water, or the electric goes off in a thunder storm, all these things bring a sense of survival and community getting together to make it work. This is real life and in these experiences comes Love for one another and our similarities across multi cultural experiences. We are often a real mix of cultures here at ARC, we all come from very different backgrounds and social groups, yet Love for one another and a desire to create peace and a place to rejuvenate the spirit brings us all together in one universal family that feels very special.

Bimini is so absolutely rife with magical and spiritual locations. Can you tell us a little about them and your experiences at any of them?

I mentioned the Atlantis Vortex earlier, it really is a sacred place where many planes and boats have disappeared and recollections are common. Bimini also has an underwater "roadway" known as The stones of Atlantis, about half a mile off shore where we snorkel. It was prophesied by Edgar Cayce that it would be discovered in 1968 and that is when a pilot flying over the island spotted it. Over in the mangroves on the east of the island is the Healing Hole, an area in the mangrove that is a pure spring of mineral water full of lithium. We take guests there to do sound healings in the water. There are many stories of miraculous healings here on the island from people who go there to soak in the waters. On the south island is the Fountain of Youth, a well of spring water from a deep underground source. But for me the most special experience here is the wild dolphin interactions, it takes you purely into the moment when you come eye to eye with such sentient beings showing pure unconditional love and play to another species. dreams, no matter how big they may seem. I feel like a "gatekeeper", here to facilitate extraordinary trips for people's personal transformations and The ARC is a very special place where that can happen. Everyone comments on the "energy" of this place. It's other worldly.

What does The ARC mean to you?

The ARC is a culmination of a 13-year vision that was given to me at The Atlantis Vortex. I was told the name and given an insight into what was to be created and restored back here on the island, the likes of which has not been seen since the fall of Atlantis. On a personal level, it is the living proof of believing in my dreams and my dedication to my spiritual purpose here this lifetime. For others I believe it has become an inspiration for just what can be achieved when you stay focused on your

Based on your ever growing success, have you any words of encouragement for someone who, like you, cherishes a dream of benefitting others and healing the world?

Hold tight to your dreams, there is truth in the "fake it till you make it" term :-) Start imagining what it will feel like, see the people who will come to you, feel the feeling of what it is you wish to create and don't get disheartened if it doesn't happen in the timeframe you want it to. I can assure you, it will happen in the perfect timing even if it doesn't seem like it to you. Keep working towards it. Being proactive is key. Others may try to put you down, but use it as a way to strengthen yourself. For me I knew I wasn't prepared to forsake my dreams and live a life wondering "what if", so trying was my only option. To try and fail is better than to not try at all....and in that trying is the magic, you just never know where it might take you :-)

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