Lomi Pa'akai

After reading and perceiving "Aloha spirit" from a fabulous book Hawaiian Massage Lomilomi: Sacred Touch of Aloha, I have been thinking about including Lomi Pa'akai into my Lomi practice. I was not sure, how far this "technique" belongs to Hawaiian Lomi treatment history, so I asked about it maybe the most competent lady in that subject, Makana Risser Chai, author of that book, and recipient of the Hawai'i Tourism Authority "Keep It Hawai'i" 2008 Award for authentic portrayal of Hawaiian cultural traditions.

I have received her fabulous comment:
"... I don't think that pa'akai was used much. Maybe only for ali'i but maybe not even for them. The reason is that salt is so valuable for preserving food, and it is so hard to make. They don't make it by just letting water evaporate in the sun. It is a long, hard job. So I would be surprised if they wasted it in that way. When I was at Auntie Margaret's, we used sand to exfoliate our skin. We didn't use it as part of the lomi, but after the lomi we would sit on the beach and take wet sand and rub it all over, then swim in the ocean, then get in the steam room. That was wonderful!
I never found anything about salt scrubs in all my research in the Bishop Museum. That's why I think it is new. ....
The way in which salt was used, as you can see in the Na Mo'olelo book, is as a poultice. Salt water is used to soak in, and for gargle, and drunk in order to cleanse the bowels. Salt is also used for blessings. That is all I know. ..."

Thank you Makana once again.

Anyway :) I have used a mixture from sea salt and red clay for several clients and their feedback was very positive. I applied it just locally, on belly and legs. Using salt during Lomi Lomi session was also a sort of cleansing for me, so most probably I will integrate it into the Lomi session just as a local cleansing support.

Great managers affect others by Ho'ohana

Ho'ohana is one of 19 Hawaiian values described by Rosa Say, founder and head coach of Say Leadership Coaching, in her book Managing with Aloha. The meaning of Ho'ohana is to work with intent, purpose, passion and fulfillment.

Another expression for a miner, who digs or pans for gold in a gold field, is golden fielder. And, golden fielder, as far as I learned, is the one, who's talent is to dig out gold in others. His heart is vast, spread into the golden fields. His working performance shows the intent, focus, resolve, maybe personal mission, and passionate inner power in his determination and perseverance. He is a great motivator, he has the gift to awaken people. Such beings are much needed. His personal excellence is affecting others and creates a desire to associate oneself with the best there is. What a natural strenght, talent and gift of a great manager.

Manager with Ho'ohana quality:

• Naturally attracts self-motivated people to work with him. And they want to add their own signature to the job they do.
• Causes, that work becomes personal, as it stands on personal values.
• Sees, that emerging outcome much influences the whole company, as it is about a mutual success, a win-win partnership.
• Employees, or rather team-players, enjoy and love their job, they have a passion for what they do and naturally support the success of the whole business.
• Job becomes a team work, the more - people learn how to help each other and support each other. Even a great manager doesn't need to be alone in all that great business.

Hope he will manage, well :)
 

No Freedom, No Love ...

Sometimes I happen to love someone, who is not free :)

Last days these two words - freedom & love - are mixing together in my reality. Whenever I feel inner freedom, the more I feel love. Whenever I feel love, the more I feel being free. Anything seems to be possible.

I heard, that "loving is approaching God, longing to become One. That part we are searching for can be found within ourselves". Aren't we lucky beings?

When loving, my heart is in a constant flow. Or when my heart is in a constant flow, then love comes. When the flow stops, then comes that real "falling in love" - falling down, love decrease & freedom deficit. Btw. how can someone "fall" in love? When loving, then growing, waking up, spreading, embracing. Falling comes when love is missing, so far my experience - or maybe another Love theory :)

To love is to be happy with ...

... yourself, first :)

Hawaiian proverb and 5th Huna principle says so and I like it. He 'olina leo ka ke aloha - Joy is in the voice of love. Loving yourself in any situation - whenever shining and in happiness, so in sadness or aloness, whenever in joy and laughter, so in tears or pain, whenever devoted, whenever egocentric, whenever..... what a job!

To love (anybody & yourself) is also an art of forgiving and letting go. Letting go all unnecessary burdens, that prevents that Good Feeling of experiencing love. Releasing anything that prevents the flow. Flow of the river of life. Remaining pure and empty, to see yourself and others, to hear yourself and others, to be yourself and accept the other beings.

Loving yourself creates a space for inviting and loving the others. Giving to yourself enables to share with others. Nourishing yourself enables to support the others. What a Good Feeling.

One infinite second; concerns Good Feeling

One second, half a year of happiness. What a deal!

Dear sender, from that May day you have fabulously turned out my daily routines into daily sunshines. How did you manage?

Look inside, find who you are, go deeper, keep watching your thoughts, feelings, breath ... these I heard hundreds of times. One May-day I looked into my email. No deeply, normally. There was a regular working stuff, nothing really special. But behind all of those formal information, there was a sender, picture of whom I still cannot describe. At the same time I could see him, myself and (probably all) people who were existing in that present moment around the globe. More than Good Feeling, just a bit overwhelming. More than anything else experienced before. More than any beauty I could ever imagine.

I wish to find words to describe that amazing loving essence, for which there are no words just tears. No way to tell. Wishing to express inexpressible, to witness untouchable, yet touched deeply. To know the unknown, to see the hidden, yet staying without interference. Beautiful state of being, full of respect, full of love. No space for anything else.

Dear sender, from that May day you have fabulously turned out my daily routines into daily sunshines. How did you manage? I don't know you! What are your wishes, needs, priorities? I am greatful to be honored to have "seen" your being, your inner quality of who you are. Know, you ARE really GREAT.

What have you done?

• You touched my heart. Your uniqueness opened my eyes for seeing and recognizing uniqueness in everybody around. We are all like that, "like you", connected by the most important and nourishing essence, still everybody is so individual and recognizable in one's own way.
• You learned me a lot. Your heart has shown you are carring, and thereby I learned how to be more caring towards myself.
• Your heart has shown you are respectful, and thereby I was invited to give more respect to myself and others too.
• Your heart has shown, you are attentive, and thereby I let go my ignorance.
• Your heart has shown, you are responsible, and thereby I left aside my carelessness.
• Your heart has shown, you are straightforward, and thereby I was mirrored my own effectiveness.
• In one second you showed me all that and much more - that, which I am not able to express.

"Seeing" your heart, your essence, doesn't allow anything else but love you.

Heart-based weekend with Madame Butterfly , part 2

Among first words said by Raylene Ha'alelea Kawaiae'a on our Hula training was, that Hula is also about discovering relationships within yourself and between you and others. It shows you, who you are, and what point you are at in the present moment.

Song, which we were introduced to be understood, experienced and expressed, was Lei Ho'oheno, My cherished friend. This song was written by Kainani Kahaunaele for her loving husband, who was for her at the same time best and cherished friend. This was her way, how she expressed love to him. And I was so greateful for that song, chosen for us to learn.

"Lei Ho'oheno" was a good example of Raylene's words above. It became sort of "ka wai a ka pililiko", a rock basin filled with water used by ancient Hawaiians as a mirror. It mirrored all what has been going on inside of me for last beautiful months. Love, cherish, reverence, admiration, respect and love again. For one beautiful man. A man, who made me happy just by his simple, yet unique presence. And (most probably) even without knowing it.

Then the real training started. Legs, steps, arm positions, all mixed up, words, meanings, melody, remembering, forgetting, no feelings at all, high concentration, tension .... where all the love disappeared? .... got it, again following .... just three verses, again forgetting, again repeating, hips, shoulders ... totally lost, panic, shyness, loosing ground, shaking, chaos. Is that the way, how I am ready to express my love to HIM???

Purposely I put just an audio recording here. Video will come after I have danced this song for that beautiful being I was honored to meet :)

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"A'a ka hula, waiho ka hilahila ma ka hale" - Dance hula, leave the shyness at home

Hula only for women?

Do you think Hula dance is not for men? Not at all. Raylen and Hope (Kumu Hula from Big Island, Hawaii) showed us an impressive example during our Hula training in Prague, how men can present and interpret meaning of Hawaiian legends and stories in Hula dances.

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This song might be presented by men and women in the same way.

Heart-based weekend with Madame Butterfly , part 1

Last weekend (seems like hundreds years ago already) Hula event with Raylene Ha'alelea Kawaiae'a (Ha'alelea means butterfly) and Hope Ilima Keawe happened in Prague. Yes, I am (again) thinking about moving to Hawaii. Not only me, many girls were deeply touched by the presence of Raylene, who's uncommon simplicity and warm-heart-being-ness created a space for beatiful connections with our-selves and with Raylene and Hope.

Hope Ilima Keawe, Kateřina, Raylene Ha'alelea Kawaiae'a

What we did?
We chanted, danced, shared and cried. Hawaiian chants are simple, yet powerful - please hear bellow.

The first chant "Oli Aloha" goes like this:

Akahai e na Hawai'i
(Be gentle Hawai'i)

Lokahi a ku like
(Stand in Unity)

'Olu'olu ka mana'o
(Let thy thoughts be kind)

Ha'aha'a kou kulana
(Let thy attitude be humble)

'Ahonui a lanakila
(Endure and be victorious)

Aloha e

Hawaiian way of singing/chanting is different from the way we use to sing in Europe (and other continents). Voice should be anchored down in the back part of the neck and vibrations are allowed to come out from the chest or belly together with the sound. When doing so, mouth doesn't need to be open so much, sound goes through very small cavity bettween lips. Song is being repeated 3 times, each time halftone higher. Melody is also unusual. When we tried to repeat individual verses, it sounded more or less as a weeping prayer in a Catholic church. After practicing several times we got some closer to the "original sounding" and closer to experiencing the meaning of its words: gentleness, unity, kindness, humbleness, endurance and Aloha.

While chanting, Raylene became the chant. In total humbleness and devotion she melted with that chant into one. So much to learn. Mahalo.

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More to come.