The Way of Aloha
by Kumu
Wayne Kealohi
Powell
"Living Aloha is
a way of life
that all the
great masters
have taught us
in their own
language
throughout time.
The problem is
that we have all
been trained to
respond to
things as
warriors rather
than with Aloha.
"The world is a
dangerous
place," is the
root belief of
the warrior.
"The world is a
loving place" is
the belief in
Aloha. Reacting
to things in a
warrior fashion
is by far easier
because it is
our cultural
heritage. It
takes less
effort, and we
are more
familiar with
thinking in this
way.." an eye
for an eye, a
tooth for a
tooth." As
warriors we
emphasize
danger, the
destruction of
enemies and the
cultivation of
allies, the
ethic of which
is; "conquer or
be conquered."
This is
accomplished
through the
development of
inner strength,
survival/fighting
skills,
hyper-alertness
and various
methods of
protection.
The "Way of
the Warrior"
is a path
followed by many
aboriginal
peoples and
shamans alike
because it
proves to be
effective.
However, there
is another path
which arose out
of the
Polynesian
Islands in the
Pacific and
requires the
seeker to
develop entirely
different
skills.
"The Way of
Aloha" is a
path that
emphasizes
acceptance,
forgiveness and
cooperation
through the
development of
hyper-awareness,
the cultivation
of Mana--inner
power,
friendship and
unity, the
practice of
survival/exploring
skills, and an
ethic of "love
and be loved."
The typical
ideal is to act
in such a way as
to get the best
results for
everyone in a
given situation
with the
emphasis on
enjoyment and
creating peace
and harmony.
Aloha is a very
active,
nonviolent path.
We practice
nonjudgment, and
an attitude of
"what can I
give?" rather
than "what can I
get?" Aloha also
neatly
encompasses the
golden
rule..."do unto
others as you
would have them
do unto you."
The Way of Aloha
is to perceive
all life as a
series of
circumstances we
attract to
ourselves so
that we'll have
lots of
opportunities to
make choices of
how to act more
consciously and
effectively than
before. To ask
ourselves
continually
"what would
Aloha do now?'
becomes a life
in service to
all humanity.
Chances are that
if you do not
ask yourself
this question,
you will act as
you always have
before, and the
situation will
go the way it
has always gone
before. If this
gets you the
results you
want, then
GREAT! Because a
re-action
requires little
or no thinking.
In order to do
what Aloha would
do now, you will
want to bring a
new response to
your life that
creates
Pono-harmony and
balance in your
relationships.
PONO* is the
idea of being
open and
flexible in your
thinking of how
you will receive
the answer to a
prayer or a
desired out
come. Sometimes
it requires that
you don't think,
and you just
hold the focus
lovingly, then
give it up (or
pray about it),
and let the
universe do it's
thing! It seems
that we are all
so busy getting
in the way of
the miracle with
our old ways of
thinking and
re-acting. To
effectively make
a change in our
behavior that is
lasting takes a
constant
monitoring of
our
thought/action
processes.
Through
practicing this
we learn the
great value of
not dragging the
past into the
present, and the
huge value in
forgiveness to
set us all free
from the past".
* Pono is a Hawaiian word commonly rendered as "righteousness". For instance, the Hawaii state motto: Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ʻĀina i ka Pono or "The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness".[1]
Pono is a notably polysemous term. Mary Kawena Pukui's and Samuel Hoyt Elbert's Hawaiian dictionary gives six meanings and 83 English translation equivalents.
-
nvs. Goodness, uprightness, morality, moral qualities, correct or proper procedure, excellence, well-being, prosperity, welfare, benefit, behalf, equity, sake, true condition or nature, duty; moral, fitting, proper, righteous, right, upright, just, virtuous, fair, beneficial, successful, in perfect order, accurate, correct, eased, relieved; should, ought, must, necessary.
-
vs. Completely, properly, rightly, well, exactly, carefully, satisfactorily, much (an intensifier).
-
n. Property, resources, assets, fortune, belongings, equipment, household goods, furniture, gear of any kind, possessions, accessories, necessities.
-
n. Use, purpose, plan.
-
n. Hope.
-
vs. Careless, informal, improper, any kind of (preceding a stem).[2]
The word has strong cultural and spiritual connotations of "a state of harmony or balance", and is the aim of the Ho'oponopono practice.
Pono is often used as in affirmative prayers, especially within Kanaka Maoli healing arts and the Hawaiian Sovereignty Movement.
Pono References
-
Chun, Malcolm Naea. 2006. Pono: The Way of Living. University of Hawaii.
-
Fuchs, Lawrence H. 1961. Hawaii Pono: A Social History. Harcourt, Brace & World.
Other Articles
by Wayne Kealohi
Powell :
Catching The
Kahuna Wave
|
