Aina: The Land That Feeds Us

In old Hawaii, masters of agriculture farmed the land. Irrigation ditches were built for the taro, that returned water to the natural streams and kept the ecosystems that were dependent on this supply downstream alive. The Hawaiian word for wealth, 'ama 'ama literally translates to water water.

Aina is the term which acknowledges the interconnected ness we have with the land. In the past, the land belonged to everyone. Rights to work the land, or 'kuleana', permitted a household space to live and work the land. A pie-shaped unit of land that stretched from mountain to ocean, or 'ahupua'a', was the basic unit of taxation and was managed by one chief. In this region, everything was owned together as a social unit, and resources were freely shared among its people. They shared their goods and worked on big projects together.

The people learned that successful island living depends on a high level of trust, tolerance, and mutual cooperation. Sociologists call this 'social capital'. The Aloha Spirit can be further broken down into these values:

• Malama: to care for
• Ohana: family
• Ho'okopia: hospitality
• 'Olu'olu: graciousness, pleasantness, good manners
• Kokua: helpfulness
• Lokahi: unity, harmony
• Kupono: honest, fair, upright

The Europreans, who came to the island, brought with them many diseases, including venereal disease, which wreaked havoc on the native people and their way of life. They also brought the concept of land ownership, something unheard of in native Hawaiian tradition. The Mahele is the document that was signed to make 'land accessible to the people through ownership'. This changed the lives of the people forever; the business owners, government, and king took the property for themselves, with a scant one percent left for the people, land law is important today in Hawaii, however, as old ways still apply to water and beaches. Beachfront is accessible to all.

I felt the aina this morning in the condo by the golf course as I made breakfast. The energy of the neighbors and the land for the first time connected to and supported me. Aina exists in the cute suburb called Kapolei. It felt good.

I was making my morning tonic I learned from Hope Johnson: warm water, one spoonful of honey, one spoonful of apple vinegar (the kind with the cloudy stuff on bottom is best), and juice of one lime. I recommend it. It will make you feel wonderful after morning yoga. <3

On big Island aina is easier to feel. People live off the land and through mutual friendships provide eggs, milk, and extra produce. On the road courtesy is incredible to appreciate--for a native L.A. Driver like me!

No matter where you go, aina is alive in the aloha spirit of the islands.

Guess what? I have a hunch that aloha is coming to everyone after the Event! Can you imagine all of the seven Hawaiian values held by everyone you meet? That is Heaven on Earth!

How wonderful is that?

Namaste,

Reiki Doc

Let Go

Today I had the pleasure of swimming in the pool at Waimea Falls. I was excited and happy to be at such a sacred place.

My mother could not climb the hill. The entire family paid extra to ride up the hill. There is a walk from the drop off point to the water. Mom went to the bridge. And sat. She never came close.

My niece, walked in but chose not to swim. She sat on a rock.

My boy fought it. He had to wear a life vest, and felt singled out. It took a lot of coaxing to get him to the water. "I feel stupid!" he complained. My sister, his Godmother, got to his eye level, and said, "missing out on a chance to swim here with your mom and cousins would be the only thing that would be really stupid." he listened, and walked to the water. He took a boogie board too. I smiled inwardly, as he didn't want either but truly needed both!

Once in, we went to the falls, swimming across the thirty foot deep pool of chilly water. That is when the magic began.

There was a face in the rock between the two sides of the falls, a mans face, broad nose, firm brow, thick lips. I felt the spirit of the falls. I clung to the rock, under the spray, sending I Love You to the rock. As I jumped, the rock spirit guided me, "Let Go".

Again and again I jumped with my son, my nephew, with boogie board, and without. The current was strong. I swam against it to come back.

The last time I leaped into the waterfall, totally at peace, I understood: let go, let the power of the water carry you, until you are able to go your way and swim to the shore again.

Let go. Let Spirit do its thing. There is a time for it.

I didn't want to leave Spirit of water. He said "we are always with you". He also said, "Kamehameha's can't touch this." it's true. The vibration of the land, the energy, is vibrating at a higher rate. Man with warring ways, and manufacturing, and the world can't grasp the significance of what is there in plain sight in front of them.

The Water Spirits were delighted to have me. They said they "wait all week for one like you", " sometimes longer."

At the shore, I shared with my son the face I could see in the rock. He noticed it too, and saw even more on the overhang rocks to the left. He saw them all. Everything is alive. Look around you for your local Earth Spirits today.

Namaste,

Reiki Doc

Namaste,

Reiki Doc