. . . I am Hawaii

We all love Hawaii. The imagery of ocean coves and tropical breezes. Sipping Piña Coladas on an outdoor lanai . . .

Some of us are fortunate to live, have lived, or have visited there. Others, can only dream.

People ask me, when they learn I’ve lived there, birthed my baby there, regularly flown back and forth from California, working with horses there:  “Do you miss Hawaii?”

“Do I miss Hawaii? No, I don’t miss Hawaii. I am Hawaii.”    DawnSeeker

all photos Copyright 2019 DawnSeeker

You see, Hawaii isn’t just a place.

Hawaii is a lifestyle. A way of living and interacting. With your surroundings — with the people, the Nature, the land.

We all associate the word “Aloha” with Hawaii. Let’s look further into that word.

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Aloha:

The literal meaning of aloha is “the presence of breath” or “the breath of life.” It comes from “Alo,” meaning presence, front and face, and “ha,” meaning breath. Aloha is a way of living and treating each other with love and respect. Its deep meaning starts by teaching ourselves to love our own beings first and afterwards to spread the love to others.

According to the old kahunas (priests), being able to live the Spirit of Aloha was a way of reaching self-perfection and realization for our own body and soul. Aloha is sending and receiving a positive energy. Aloha is living in harmony. When you live the Spirit of Aloha, you create positive feelings and thoughts, which are never gone. They exist in space, multiply and spread over to others. (source)

Aloha is being a part of all, and all being a part of me. When there is pain — it is my pain. When there is joy — it is also mine. I respect all that is as part of the Creator and part of me. I will not willfully harm anyone or anything. When food is needed I will take only my need and explain why it is being taken. The earth, the sky, the sea are mine to care for, to cherish and to protect. This is Hawaiian — this is Aloha! (source)

Mother and child — Halawa Valley, Molokai

Aloha is the Hawaiian word for love, affection, peace, compassion and mercy, that is commonly used as a simple greeting^[1][2] but has a deeper cultural and spiritual significance to native Hawaiians . . .

Mary Kawena Pukui wrote that the “first expression” of aloha was between a parent and child.^[3] (source: Wikipedia)

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Recently I got uptight about something. A bit anxious. And I decided that I didn’t like where my mind took me.

So I decided to shift my thinking from the thing that was upsetting me, to somewhere peaceful and calm.

I decided to send my consciousness back to Hawaii. To Molokai. To Oahu. My previous home.

I teleport seaward . . .

I feel trade winds. Sunshine. I hear palm fronds clapping.

I wade into my favorite cove. Slide into the water — warm on top, cool beneath. Listen to the sounds of mollusks bubbling under the sea. Fluttering sunlight dances on the lids of my closed eyes.

Time stops. And I float . . .

Emotionally, I’m there :)) There again, on my peaceful island.

All the sights and sounds of Aloha — the breath of Life.

Feeling the slick Hawaiian sand — the type made from countless sea shells, broken into smooth bits by the ocean’s waves. My skin absorbing the penetrating heat of tropical sun.

Waving to rusted-out cars carrying local fisherman, surfers, neighbors — meandering along the one-lane “highway”.

And when sun sets, onlookers gather to view the grand display, pink or gold, hovering over the horizon. Then comes the food — and the laughter of good friends around a table.

A beach walk reveals stars at night GLISTENING SO BRIGHT!  Magnified by the salt-rich atmosphere. And, if lucky, a faint, but real, night moon rainbow.

Aloha. For real.

And I stayed there, in my magical island mode, all day . . . and the next.

And I think I’ll choose to stay there, in Hawaii. To LIVE ALOHA, as the locals say.

To feel the Spirit and the peace of the place, no matter that I now reside here in California.

And I’ll choose to live Hawaii, live the Spirit of Aloha here, and feed the hungry souls here on the Mainland. (So many seem SO EMPTY!)

And I’ll take my spiritual shoes off and display my emotional bare feet . . .

After all, where can you go to a family gathering, a church service, a business meeting — and see everyone’s gnarly unshod feet, and have that be considered completely normal?

Hawaii, of course. Hallelujah!

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So where do you go, when you find yourself getting uptight? Where is your place of peace and calm?

May your spirit swiftly soar to that place, and bring its Spirit back to where you live, to nourish those hungry souls around you :))

May your emotional feet stay bare and exposed.

May you live your life with much Aloha!

And, as we say on Molokai, A hui ho — until we meet again :))

DawnSeeker

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Like what you’ve read here? Visit Dawn’s sister blog: Soul Horse Ride

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Local Molokai horse, living tied out by the side of the road

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Copyright 2019, 2024 Dawn Jenkins All Rights Reserved
Photos: Dawn Jenkins/DawnSeeker
Mother and child photo: DawnSeeker family archive