Becoming a warrior of Aloha,

Mahalo:
Kanaka HanaBecoming a warrior of Aloha,Mahalo Kanaka Maoli ~The word Hawaii is not only the name of an extraordinarily beautiful group of islands in the Pacific Ocean, but it is also the name of the people who settled there long ago. The spoken language of the ancient Hawaiians developed from their relationship with the beauty and natural diversity that surrounded them. Tied so closely to nature, the Hawaiian language literally vibrates with deep and spiritual meaning rooted in the natural elements that surround us.Hawaiian words are born of natural concepts and have many meanings, each of which is determine by the context in which they are used.The world 'HA-WAI-I' expresses several root meanings:HA: the Sacred Breath of the Creation of LifeWAI: the Sacred Water that Sustains Life, a symbol of great abundanceI: emphasizes what comes before itHA-WAI-I can therefore be interpreted as "the people and the place gifted with an abundance of the forces that create and sustain life". The people and the islands are called Hawaii and Aloha is their way of life.Ancient Hawaiian life was enamored of Nature as divine energy. Songs and chants praised the moon and the stars, the rivers and the flowers, the wind, the creatures of the sea, and the beautiful island paradise of Hawaii. Hawaiian songs related to the rhythm and movements of nature. Believing that the center of the universe exists in all beings and things, the ancient Hawaiians knew compassion, patience and joy, developing a deep respect for nature and the Akua (Spirit-in-all-things).As a tourist in Hawaii, a local may say aloha at the luau, but you'll have to look much deeper to find the true meaning of Aloha. Commonly, Aloha is used both in greeting and in parting. It is also said to mean "love surrounds you" offering friendliness, acceptance and kindly blessings.'The Way of Aloha' addresses a prevalent modern complaint--most of us in the world today have been trained to respond to life as warriors. We've been taught that the world is a dangerous place--the root belief of the warrior. "The world is a loving place" is the root belief of Aloha. Reacting to life as a warrior is sometimes easier for us, simply because it is what we are taught from our cultural heritage. And, in our history, it is a path which has proven to be effective at least for the short term. As warriors, we will emphasize danger, the destruction of enemies, and the cultivation of allies. As a group, we've been taught that to succeed, we must 'conquer or be conquered.'In contrast, 'The Way of Aloha' is a practice that emphasizes acceptance, forgiveness and cooperation through the development of spiritual awareness. It is the cultivation of Mana (divine inner-power), friendship and unity, a very real and easily integrated practice of skills that allows the individual to explore existing personal realities while simultaneously immersing oneself in the ethic of true acceptance. "Love and be loved" the ideal of Aloha, is a very active yet nonviolent path, a practice of non-judgment.In Aloha, one asks, "What can I give?" rather than, "What can I get?"'The Way of Aloha' perceives life as a series of circumstances that we attract to ourselves, gleaning from them opportunities that allow us to act more consciously and effectively, monitoring our growth by perceiving and evaluating our choices. Aloha will bring you a new response to your life, creating Pono harmony and balance in your relationships. Pono is being open and flexible in your thinking of how you will receive the answer to a prayer or a desired outcome. Sometimes it requires that you don't think, and you just hold the focus lovingly, pray about it, or simply give it up to God.Mana is the principle of divine inner power that is essential to the Aloha philosophy. It encompasses the idea that each one of us has the authority to think for ourselves and live our own truth. There is an ancient Hawaiian philosophy, Ola mai I loko mai "Health comes from within". There is no need for protection when one's root belief about life is that 'the world is a loving place'. Each of us can choose to refuse into our personal space anything or anyone with which we do not resonate. Within us is the center of the universe where we find the living God, Aumakua. When we truly attune ourselves to this divine Source, we find it to be infinite in both scope and power. It is we who have the choice of how to use this awesome power. The warrior will use it to destroy enemies, within and without. 'The Way of Aloha teaches us to find or create ways to use it for the benefit of society, and to heal ourselves and others. Interestingly, the way of the warrior and 'The Way of Aloha' can accomplish the same goals using entirely different approaches.Essential to creating a life of community living is the idea of Kahi, oneness, and Lokahi, unity. To practice Aloha, we need to give up our deeply rooted assumption that we are all separate--to feel our inner connections with all people, places, and things. It's the belief that we are all separate that enables us to dump raw sewage into our beloved Kai (oceans) and spill each other's blood in war, which contradicts our most basic human need: to love and to be loved, the spiritual law of Aloha.Aloha is pure joy. It's also the fragrance and color of a beautiful flower, the sound of children laughing, and the taste of ripe tropical fruit dripping with nectar. Aloha is the wondrous rhythm of Life, as well as the Spirit in and behind all Creation. 'The Way of Aloha' can be practiced and experienced anywhere, any time and with anyone. It is a path of love, harmony and appreciation for the beauty in all things and it is only available in the eternal moment of manawa (now).Please take a moment now and just say the word slowly: A-l-o-h-a. Say it again even slower: A-L-O-H-A. Close your eyes and feel your energy change as you say it a few more times, letting it in while breathing deeply for one full minute can change your day, your mood and your life. Feel the warm loving feeling this generates--the sun is shining in your heart! This is the great gift of Aloha.

This is the symbol the "shield" that I have been given which I carry on my arm. This is a symbol that incorporates the teachings I have learned, the shield of One Earth One Tribe. This is the shield of the new warrior, the Rainbow Warrior. Not one that kills but one that heals. One that's mission is to heal Mother Earth and all of her inhabitants with love with ALOHA.There are several meanings that are incorporated into this shield.The turtle is a symbol which has many meanings in the Native American culture. Here the turtle represents "Mother Earth".It also symbolizes a long meaningful life.In cultures all over the world water is a symbol of life. Here, the waves of the water symbolize constant life.The man on the turtles back is an ancient Hawaiian petroglyph. "Rainbow Man" depicts a man with a rainbow resting on his shoulders. The symbol represents each person's responsibility to 'shoulder' the task of protecting Mother Earth.Please join me in the task of returning Mother Earth to the purity of her first days. This is a great task but one that I know we can accomplish together. Help to bring others to The Point of Understanding. Help heal all life, for we are all connected, we are all one.UA MAU KE EA O KA 'AINA I KA PONO(The life of the land is preserved in righteousness.)These are the teachings that saved me, this is the life I now lead.I owe the Maoli Kanaka my life. I am a Hanai son of Hawai'i a modern warrior a "Rainbow Warrior", a Kumu of Aloha. Preserve the language, preserve the culture, preserve the 'aina (land), live in balance, live aloha.E ho'omaika'i O la'a kea me ke aloha pau oleBlessings of sacred light and everlasting love.Makaio Lukela (Matthew Russell)Kanaka Hana (a servant of Hawai'i)

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Becoming a warrior of Aloha,

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