Deep down inside of us resides a deep wisdom, a knowing that transcends time and space.
This still inner voice lovingly leads us every step of the way if we are just willing to listen.
Some years ago, I was guided to connect with the Hawai’ian islands and explore the ancient healing arts that have been handed down from generation to generation. The term aloha that I previously only knew as a word of greeting or farewell suddenly turned out to be a doorway into a world full of magic and mystery, a world that would hold the answers to many of my questions and ultimately would change my whole path in unexpected ways.
For most of my life, I have been searching for a deeper meaning, and have tried to make sense of the suffering and the pain I encounter everywhere. I had so many questions but only found a few answers. Deep inside of me, I felt a constant yearning for more truth, more depth, and the desire to somehow put the disconnected puzzle pieces together in a way that finally would make sense. Allowing myself to explore the Spirit of Aloha and the ancient wisdom of the Hawai’ian islands created a paradigm shift for my personal and professional life, The Spirit of Aloha has provided me with the healing, wisdom, transformation, and awareness for which I was yearning.
Aloha is not just a word, but an expression of life itself. Embracing its deep meaning ultimately becomes a way of navigating everything we encounter along our life’s path. Aloha is the essence of relationships, expressing deep regard and mutual respect as it encourages us to take care of each other without obligation. Aloha is about serving, not fixing or helping, about honoring life in all its expressions by allowing the fullness of each experience to be what it is without judgment, resistance, or attachment. Aloha means to hear what is not said, to see what cannot be seen, and to know the unknowable. Body, mind, spirit/soul, and all of creation come together in this philosophy of life and suddenly I had a deep understanding of the interconnectedness of all beings in all places and at all times. I have no more sense of separation, and in this new paradigm, the Spirit of Aloha paves the way to living in this world with a sense of wonder and appreciation.
Aloha is translated as “the breath (of the creator) is in our presence.” ALO – HA. Just take a moment now to say it slowly out loud. ALO – HA. “Ha” means “breath”, the deep breath of life, and “alo” means “presence”. How does it feel when you say it and allow yourself to open to its frequency?
There is an element that is transmitted when consciously expressing the word aloha that goes beyond what our physical ears can hear or what our physical eyes can read. It is almost like a third language that comes through, the language of our inner wisdom, the spirit of all creation. By immersing ourselves in this shamanistic way of life, we open ourselves to become healers of relationships: those relationships between mind and body, between body and soul, between people, between people and their circumstances, and between humans and nature. When we feel connected to all there is, we start to understand that complex systems don’t want to be taken apart, but gently held and honored; symptoms of body and mind don’t want to be cured, but listened to with compassion and understanding; problems don’t want to be fixed, but to be received as the messages they truly are. The Spirit of Aloha invites us to show up for life on its own terms and not get dismayed by what is broken in this world, but to find the good, the beautiful, and the sacred everywhere, in everybody, and in everything.
The Hawai’ian Healing Arts encompass different modalities that are practiced on the Hawai’ian island and handed down from generation to generation. Many families have developed their own lineages and have created different techniques to work with the Spirit of Aloha and serve those who are looking for transformational healing journeys. Lomi Lomi, a type of massage, is an integrative type of bodywork in this tradition that combines energy medicine with heart-centered prayer work, chanting, as well as meditation. Lomi Lomi is designed to release tension, pain, and stress in body and mind and facilitate the restoration of peace, harmony, and well-being in all areas of life. Lomi aligns the giver and the receiver with Spirit and facilitates the release of long-held emotional and physical baggage, letting go of tension and old memories that are stored in the cells and the vibrational fields of our bodies. Hawai'ian Healing helps remove what doesn't belong in our lives any longer and sets us free in body, mind, and spirit.
Being guided by the Spirit of Aloha has changed everything for me as a therapist and as a person. Through this sacred adventure of following the Spirit of Aloha, many of the separate puzzle pieces I held for a long time in confusion suddenly fit together in a newfound harmony. Choices are no longer experienced as a matter of either …. or, but yes …. and. I have learned to see myself as a navigator, following the flow of life, always knowing that every step of the way there is a choice between staying in the flow or fighting against the current. One of my teachers, Kahu Abraham Kawai'i , taught me that there is always a “yes”, a solution, and a way. The only choice is to either act in collaboration with or in a fight against the life force. Mind, body, emotions, spirit, and nature exist on an interwoven continuum inviting us to create an expanded container going beyond our immediate human interpretation. In this new paradigm, healing can be defined as becoming whole again, mending the disconnect, and facilitating a new level of awareness of and connection between all the parts within and outside of ourselves. Following the teachings of the Spirit of Aloha makes it possible to detach from outcomes, inviting solutions informed by higher guidance, this still inner wisdom we all carry deep within.
I am deeply grateful for my spirit’s nudge to connect with the Spirit of Aloha. I hope that this sharing can bring new insights and inspiration to others as well and open your heart to this beautiful way of navigating life.
Mahalo nui loa (Thank you very much) and Aloha!
To learn more about Andrea Winzer, visit her contributor bio
