Big Island, day two, part two

Where were we?  Oh yes.

We left the Pu’uhonua o Honaunau and headed into Kona.  She assumed that I knew the island, so I was leading the way.  Parking was a mess but we navigated it fine.

We tried to get a table at Huggos, a fine dining restaurant right on the water, but they only had a waiting list.  Therefore we crossed the street and ate at Bongo Ben’s, a bistro / bar type place with a great view of the ocean and the sunset.  We both wanted fresh fish, what with being in Hawaii and all.  So that is what we ordered – Ono and Ahi.

We got to know each other a little better, and I purchased most of dinner, along with buying her a lei (flower).  Later I found out it was her birthday, and she really enjoyed it.

The sunset was not much to write home about, but hey, we were in Hawaii!  So we had to watch it.

We planned to meet for a hike the next day and then she headed east toward Hilo and I north toward Hawi.

I was pleased for a bit of a magical day.

The Big Island, day two

Having arrived in that curious new world, I was anxious to explore, or rather, anxious to revisit old stomping grounds. Back in 2005, in what was to be an incredibly potent and magical year for me, I visited the Big Island for a week. In that time, I swam with the dolphins (where I was comfortably “mugged” by them), did a whale watching voyage (where the captain positioned us within 50 yards of a mother and calf humpback pair), hiked an unimaginably beautiful trail which passed under waterfalls and had exquisite views of dozens of rainbows (near Pololu in the North, beyond Hawi) and participated in a workshop entitled “Sacred Partnerships.” It was quite a visit.

And yet, being more grounded and embodied now, than I was then, I had a similar visit this time around.

So, day two. The Kona side of the island does not have a lot to offer someone less than interested in touristy areas. That is, someone who is not at all interested in resorts or busy shopping areas. Now don’t get me wrong, it offers a lot, but maybe not as much as the Hilo side. From Hawi, Volcano is very far (at least 100 miles), so I figured I would go with what I knew. Therefore I planned to visit Keauhou for another round of delicious snorkeling. Then I planned to do a bit of ocean gazing a Kealakekua Bay.

Keauhou Bay has many resorts and shopping, but it also has one of the best and easily accessible bays for snorkeling. It was overcast and cool, so i did not stay in as long, but it was still beautiful swimming and fish viewing. Trigger fish, parrots, long thin cornets and many other colorful fish were busy munching away on the coral. So if I was near a school of munchers, there was the tell tale crunching sound. I loved it!

Next I traveled south, to where I had been previously. I planned to do some practice at Kealakekua and then I was to do a nice dinner later.

When I was on the island back in 2005, multiple people spoke about the potent energy vortex that is in the area. Now, ask me what a potent energy vortex is (scientifically), and I’d be the first to screw up my face in a skeptical grimace. However, as someone who has one foot in the empirical world of scientific evidence based fact and the other foot in a mystical world of intuitive healing wisdom (based on efficacious meditation practice), I personally pay attention when I hear something multiple times if it is moderately compelling. I heard that the vortex led to increased or magnified response from the universe if a wish was made. And this naturally leads to the conclusion, that if one’s wishes come true faster, then one should be careful what one wishes for.

This plays into my current story in that, after doing Green Tara practice, just for a couple hours, I set a very powerful intention. I said, “with swift yet appropriate timing, may I meet a female partner who is empowered, embodied and preferably a Dharma practitioner. (as an aside I think that some people are Dharma practitioners without being Buddhists, either their karma has not ripened for it yet or they are taking a break during this incarnation.).

Then I took some pictures of some delicately stacked rocks. The rounded obsidian-colored orbs were stacked four and five high, so I figured why not try to get a good shot? And then I headed back toward the parking area. Due to my being in a more meditative state, I did not particularly want to talk to anyone at that time. And yet, I saw an attractive woman coming toward me, so I went for a different trail to get back. But then she took the same detour to stand between me and the pounding surf, leading to my car.

I approached gingerly. She asked me if I had seen any dolphins. I said no. She asked how long I’d been on the island, and then we slowly started talking. She was timid or reserved which I appreciated. In the past, I explored natural signs from wisdom presence, meaning I associate certain messages from seeing certain animals engage in certain behavior. Well, when I was talking with her, I kept seeing pairs of animals – sea birds, insects, etc. Perhaps this was a subconscious projection on the world, but I took it as a sign that it was okay to follow her lead. (An example of another “sign” is seeing hawks or eagles, which is an indication that the guardians are watching over you.). Back to the story.

I told her I had the previous plans to have dinner with another friend and I mentioned that I would like to continue talking with her. She did not want to leave the area before going to the City of Refuge. I post poned my previous engagement. She drove us down the narrow lava-skirted road leading to the National Park. I paid for the entrance fee, saying that was why I wanted us to take one car. (Of course I was happy to spend time with her, but it’s always nice to have a platonic reason behind potential romantic fantasies.)

We toured the simple yet powerful area, seeing thatched huts, lava rock walls and spring fed pools which only the Hawaiian royalty would have had access to. We took many pictures, as the ocean waves lap right up to the edg of the Park. By the way, I would be remiss to not say that the Hawaiian name of this park is Pu’uhonua o Honaunau.

To be continued…

falling in love with… joy

The I Ching points out that I, oh by the way I use several interpretations of the book of changes, yes I have a poor habit of falling in love with /fill in the blank/.  Sometimes it is women.  It has been computer games.  It can even be with sports – I used to be very fond of watching college football and then more recently, EPL soccer.  So I have a tendency to fall into whatever I am into at the moment.

My favorite interpretation of the I Ching is still Julie Henderson’s.  She writes for meditation practitioners, somatic therapists, bodyworkers and psychotherapists.  Therefore she does not take life too seriously.  Her background with Zapchen somatics makes it so she adds some humor and playfulness to this ancient text.

In Julie’s interpretation, she says “you have a habit of going overboard with enthusiasm and joy.”  (paraphrased)  Especially with regard to what you (I) desire.  It is okay to enjoy what is offered to me.  In fact, that is most healthy – to be in my wholesome pleasure in the moment.  But my issue is longing for more and more, even after the apparent source of pleasure is gone.  And this is where I really appreciate this interpretation.  Bcause she mentions that I must realize that I am actually the ultimate source of any pleasure.  My karma determines my perception.  And I have the power and the tools to change my karma.  Therefore I can and should change my perception.  She even goes so far as to mention that with the tools and skills of a practicing yogi and bodyworker, I have the ability to rest in alignment right now.  And therefore I have the ability to rest in equanimity now, without “doing” much to attain such a state of balance.  All it requires is to be aware in each moment of my tendencies and of my present state of embodiment.

So what is the take home message here?  I have the skills to rest in equanimity right now.  I just have to be aware of my tendency to become attached to objects of desire.  Then, using breath work and somatic exercises I can locate areas in my body that are contracted and trying to force “their way.”  Then I can dissolve that contraction and find an easy balanced alignment.

Plus she goes on to mention that perhaps I am attached to a feeling or sensation of joy.  You might wonder what is wrong with this?  Well, she says that there might be a primary state which is even beyond this state of joy.  I for one do not know this state, but I guess she might be referring to some form of a natural state, where I have heard yogis and yoginis can rest in clear light mind, free from attachment and aversion.  But I’m just guessing.  I could be way off.  🙂

So, I embark on an ever mindful journey of discovering alignment.  Getting blown off a little, then adjusting accordingly.  And rediscovering alignment with new information in mind.  What a great adventure this can be!

Thank you for reading my random thoughts and have a great day!

The Big Island, part one

I spent four full days on the volcano isle, aka the first chakra of the Hawaiian islands.  I stayed with a friend in Hawi (“Hawvi”).  This is the rainy north west tip of the island.  And when I say rainy, wow!  It seemed to shower every hour or two. Pretty cool hearing pattering off the roof onto the decks.  I had a guest room to myself, but stepping outside I was met by three enormous labrador retrievers, which was loads of fun.  I love how dogs are always enthusiastic!  Kind of contagious.

My days on the island were absolutely packed, and fortunately (to speak a little astrologese) I had some very pleasant aspects coming to term while I was there.  From the moment my plane touched down, I was in the water or peacefully watching it.  The Big Island is just that. Compared to Maui or Oahu, it is thrice the size, so getting from Hilo to Kona, or even just up to Hawi takes 90 minutes.  But the driving time is worth it as I had time to think and the scenery is out of this world.

Landing at Kona airport, I found myself in a massive lava field, miles across.  I believe those flows were from the past few centuries.  I love the Kona airport though.  You will think you have gone back in time or that you are deep in the south pacific.  Anywho, driving out of the airport my friend and I headed south.  Our first destination was the Coffee Shack which is above Kealakekua Bay.  They are renowned for their mud, but I had a delicious chai (not a mud fan).  The view was exquisite though.  Most of the roads on the island are not at sea level, so we were 600 meters above the bay and the ocean stretched mysteriously into a foggy, distant horizon.

Next we headed down into Kealakekua for check out the water.  Apparently there is decent snorkeling there if the conditions are perfect.  If not, then you can be smooshed against some rocks and that did not sound fun, so we opted to check the next place.  But I promised the locals (seen and unseen) that I would be back.  So it was on toward Keauhou Bay.  And let me tell you what, those conditions were perfect.

Snorkeling is best under direct sunlight, as the colorful fish really stand out.  It was awesome.  I saw at least a dozen different species, but I never saw a turtle.  I was a bit jealous though, because my friend was in the water for five minutes or less and reported catching a glimpse of one.  Due to their just returning from the endangered species list, you are not allowed to touch them, but it is always fun to see them gracefully gliding about.

Then we drove on Ali’i Drive, which is the sea side drive through restaurants, the Kona harbor and resorts.  Great views of the ocean!  I planned possible future visits and then we headed north to Hawi.

The Big Island, in my opinion, is the most unique of all the islands.  I attribute this to the fact that the island is still growing!  The volcanoes are definitely active as I witnessed.  Therefore half the island or more is a dry volcanic desert.  Although, it is fascinating to see the lava change colors with different flows.  In this desert are scrubby, hardy bushes and cacti.  And sometimes it is so dry, the cacti die, which I found sad.  But then you also have views of the four mountains (from Kona) – Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea, Hualalai, and Kohala.  Two of these giants are 4000 meters high and Hualalai is often encapsulated in clouds, so you can catch a glimpse of a peak, bisected by cloud, rising up.

As soon as you approach Hawi though, the rainforests are in full swing.  I love the disparity in the landscapes, which change so dramatically in just a few miles.

This was day one.  I will post more soon.  Thanks for joining me.

Oahu, days one thru six

My vacation started off on Oahu, the busy throat chakra of the Hawaiian Islands.  It is the Isle of my birth, and of course our President’s as well.  My father presently lives here and has for the past fifty years, so I am getting some quality time and good conversations with him.

This is being written in the past and present tense because I am sitting in Waikiki as we speak, but I took four day jaunt over to the Big Island which will be included in a future description.  So there was a brief gap between Oahu visits.

On the island which offers Waikiki, a five mile monument to commercialism, Pearl Harbor, which is an obvious monument if you know U S history, and the infamous North Shore, where stormy wave swells can reach forty feet, I began my time of vital R & R.  I visited the Academy of Art, which offers a nice array of worldwide exhibits, but it specializes in several Buddhist collections.  So it was incredibly inspiring to be in the presence of the life size guan yin statue.  I nearly started doing prostrations then and there, but I hadn’t paid admission (my friend is a museum docent) so I figured that would be a poor choice.

I already blogged about the Spalding House which is also associated with the Honolulu Museum of Art.  A must if you have time.

Then I did go swimming at Ala Moana Beach, which has been dredged to allow for a long easy calm lap swimming pool.  That was pleasant.  There can be many other swimmers depending on the time of day.

And finally I went on an excursion to Waianae for a boat trip.  I went with a family run boat, called EO Waianae Tours.  I would highly recommend them.  Just buy a rash guard ahead of time – this keeps you warm in the water and protects from harmful UV rays.  On this excursion, we swam with dolphins, saw a reef with turtles and other colorful fish and we did ocean kayaking and paddle boarding.  Plus they threw in a fun hula lesson.  Don’t expect to spend a ton of time in any one spot though as we got out of the boat three times in three separate places.  I really enjoyed the family’s energy though – good people.  And I felt so at peace being on the ocean.  It fed me.

As I mention above, I mentioned six days, but I needed a day of rest, because perhaps my body knew what was coming with regards to the Big Island trip.

So I took one day off, simply rereading Kipling’s Kim.  Fun book.  And I partially rested another.  Good good!  And honestly, how someone could come to Hawaii for a short time, be in a whirlwind of activities and call it vacation…  Beyond me.  I want to actually integrate my experiences.  Thanks for reading.

Careful what we wish for

Kealakekua Bay, according to several friends living on the Big Island, is supposed to be a powerful location for manifesting one’s desires.  These friends are in circles with alternative health practitioners and other  consciously oriented individuals.  But I still am a touch skeptical when I hear these proclamations.  Because there are many sacred sites on this island.

This is the Bay that Capt Cook apparently sailed into first when he “discovered Hawaii.” It is also where he died later, and his bones are supposedly hidden in a difficult to reach cave in the cliff face.  Anyway..

I had a few hours to kill one day and I’d already snorkeled, so I figured why not go and meditate in this powerful location.  And then I might as well state an intention while I was at it.

Well, I did this.  Becoming very soothed by the rough choppy waters, the tide was slowly rising.  The bay is incredible in its own right, sheer verdant cliffs rise in front of you and of course the Pacific stretches to the cloudy vast horizon.  The lava rocks on shore are pretty much all black with a few striations thrown in for good measure.  But amazingly, all of the rocks within 10 meters of the water are rounded and smooth, which is a significant departure from the jagged lava nearly everywhere else.  It seems the surf has been pounding and refining these rocks for centuries.

So I was just sitting on a picnic table which had been carried a ways onto those black orbs.  I did a little bit of shamatha, not that I know what I’m doing, and then at the end I stated an intention.  Because, if you are a diligent reader of this blog, you will know that one of my heart’s desires is to be in a healthy relationship.  But I’m not looking for just anybody, so I stated a clear, detailed intention to who / whatever was listening.

And guess what?  Perhaps this is pure coincidence, but not five minutes later, I met someone.  We enjoyed a few outings together, and then she had to leave.  But it was a splendid two days shared with a dynamic and attractive woman about my age.

Who knows?  Maybe we would have crossed paths anyway.  But this is not the only time I have heard stories along this line.

The take home message?  When on the Big Island, of potent volcanoes and raw elements, ready for the shaping, know that your thoughts and words may pack an extra punch.

Spalding House Honolulu

Yesterday my father, friend and I went to the Makiki Heights branch of the Honolulu Museum of Art – the Spalding House.

It was quite a place.  Years back, this was a wealthy residence, with a tennis court, extensive outdoor gardens and swimming pool.  Today, nearly every square inch is covered with beautiful art.  In fact, I met the museum director, Stephan, and he said he was trying to make the museum fun.  This might explain the sock like warmers on many of the trees and one of the benches was covered in a sweater like woven woolen wrap.

So, nearly everywhere one looked there would be art in view – up, down, etc.  I took several videos of my walking through the gardens, due to the incredibly old, primal feeling which a short stroll evoked.  Pardon my poor videography skills though.  And if I am violating any copyrights please let me know!  But I figure this is positive press for the museum, so it can’t hurt much.

I plan to load these soon (I am limited to an iPad which is a bit frustrating for blogging).

The museum featured several exhibits, but I favored the more permanent sections.  Don’t get me wrong, the Queen Lili’okalani letters were quite powerful, as she was writing from Washington as she tried to prevent her country from being annexed.  Wow!  But I favored the David Hockney exhibit and the gorgeous native gardens.

The Hockney section featured his set from a French opera and as I walked through the dark, viscerally potent set, the opera was being sung from speakers above.  Hockney apparently benefited from synesthesia, as he is quoted as saying that he painted the shapes and colors of the music onto the set.  And I suggest that this increases the inspiration one derives from experiencing the exhibit.  I felt like I was walking into a womb of demons, and at that time, that was just the medicine I needed.

The outdoor gardens were extensive and old.  In places stairs had been carved into the basalt lava rocks, and enormous roots clung and crept over them down the stairs.  Of course there were gorgeous flowers and most of the walking paths were well maintained.  However I discovered a couple that were overgrown so I felt like I was momentarily pioneering through a new jungle.  Plus there was a curious bird which, considering the ancient rocks and caves in the area, I would believe to be a manifestation of a local spirit – just saying hello.

Then there was a nice cafe on site, so that topped off a pleasant morning.

If you get the chane, check out the Spalding House!

Anticipating vacay

8/23/12  The sun is setting on old patterns.  I sit here listening to funny songs for Guru, a playful album made by students of Julie Henderson.  The airport is cool, dry, but it is a doorway to something arising. Joy.  Bliss. Wholesome pleasure.

On the way to the airport my friend commented, “this is the most nervous I have seen you,” yes I spent much on plane tixx and these days flying makes me nervous.  Plus I will be spending two weeks with my Dad.  I am praying I can be modest and humble and compassionate.  Om Ah Hung!

8/24/12 sleepless in San Fran wow!  Between the security announcements and the vacuum cleaners…  My head is feeling full of warm sticky sludge.  Arrived fine in Honolulu where my Dad picked me up.  We had a delicious lunch at a Cuban restaurant.

My Dad’s office is a curious sanctuary of sorts with many pictures of me, my sister and brother.  I am now wondering if one of the reasons I am here on the island is to talk story and to heal some old stuff.  Well… That is the story of my life, so twould make sense.

More to follow.