I had the honour to give a lomi session for a fellow lomi practitioner today and was reminded of how I got into this beautiful work. I am truly blessed to have been introduced to this healing work full of wisdom and compassion, mahalo Lynne. It is with deep gratitude to my teachers Harriette Kapua O'lohelani Sakuma and Birgit Ke Anuenue Rieckmann that I publish this piece. It is part of a bigger story; originally written in 2005.
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I believe life is a journey toward wholeness and Self-realization. For 40 years I have applied the practice of yoga, meditation and related modalities to my own life’s quest. I have explored the nature of dreams, shamanism and hypnosis, but the experience I had during my first Lomi treatment took me by surprise.
I was expecting to become deeply relaxed and refreshed and that happened, but I also found myself propelled into the extraordinary state of being I call journeying. I chalked it up to a wonderful first-time experience but became intrigued when subsequent sessions consistently rendered new unique journeys.
The effect of these experiences was life changing. I needed to understand what was happening to me. Could I help others in their quest for wholeness and healing through this amazing work?
I embarked upon my first Lomi training under the guidance of Harriette and Birgit, joined by eleven other explorers from varied backgrounds, some beginners like me, others seasoned veterans in the practice of Lomi – the Ancient Wisdom of Hawaiian Temple Bodywork.
The world within the walls of the training centre were filled with the magic of our intentions invoking the powers of a temple – a world full of ritual, ceremony, compassion, love, healing and learning, where spirit/animal guides and the power of our ancestors were called in to help us remember who we are, where we come from; to unite us with the fullness of our being and reclaim the magnificence of our souls.
And we flew!
Flying is a prayer in motion, practiced by practitioners before, during, and at the end of a lomi session. It aligns all levels of one’s being and harmonizes the vibration of the therapist with that of the recipient. It is also a healing tool for Self-development.
For five nights and four days we flew. We flew before breakfast, between breakfast and lunch, lunch and dinner, dinner and bed. Times of day blended into each other.
It was said that we had been drawn together here at this time to do this work and participate in this journey because eons ago we had agreed to return. The spirits of our ancestors, having shed their personality aspects, now residing in wisdom, strength and compassion were calling us back to participate in this healing journey. We were flying not only for the benefit of our own individual evolution but for the evolution of our ancestors; for the benefit of generations past, present and yet to come; for the benefit of the planet.
The dynamic interaction of self, others and music symbolize our journey through life. Just when the metaphoric journey became a literal one I can’t say. At times we experienced turbulence requiring great effort at other times we were graced with ease. Was this effect generated by our direct physical response to the change in tempo and music, or by some unseen forces tugging at our psyches on our collective journey home? For, we were flying through the turmoil of our own personality aspects, not only of this lifetime but of countless others as well as those of every other member in the training. In healing the wounds of our souls, subconscious forces were being brought into light to be acknowledged and released with love.
One of the biggest challenges in flight, as in life, is to maintain one’s own space and not take on that which belongs to another. Instead, give space, support and honor the journey of each other. If another falters on her journey, can you fly, and in the strength of your flight, buoy her up; keep going; fly; fly through pain, sorrow, fear, joy, laughter, and above all else love; take it all in and embrace the full experience of what it is to be alive?
Arms swept out in a gesture of infinity to embrace the beauty and power of the limitless love of the universe that is available to us all, drawing it into our being and sending it out again.
“There is enough for all, take it all in, send it all out,” Harriette would remind us as we would step back, cross over, step forward; step back, cross over, step forward…
“Step back, back into the future, that future you set in motion before this birth, into who you are in the fullness of your being stripped of personality aspects, into the best of who you are that resides within you to be. Cross over. Break through the chains of past limitations that have bound you to habitual ways of seeing and being that veils your true nature. Step forward. Bring all that you are into the present, into light, into life.” Harriette challenged us.
Day by day movement was becoming refined; new possibilities were being formed not only in the flight, but in all areas of our lives.
Harriette’s words reached deep into my soul and my internal voice took up the charge. “Look, can you see it, feel it, hear it – that future being propelled into the present? Turn your head. See with penetrating gaze – breaking the chains of this reality, piercing into other realms. Follow your arms with your gaze as you bring possibility forward. Step back. Bring all the love into your heart. Cross over. Step forward. Send all of it out, knowing that you are merely a channel for the infinite love of the universe. You are a spiritual being participating in a physical experience.”
Step back. Cross over. Step forward. My heart pumped with the constant rhythm of stepping feet, sweeping arms, swaying head; breaths deepened, chest expanded, abdomen softened; foot falls became more solid and sure. Physical and mental exertion shifted into effortlessness, broke into pure awareness; my heart opened till I felt it would break, so intense was the love I felt. As my gaze followed the flow of my arms, I caught sight of all the others around me, became aware of their energy and personal expression of the flight and their uniquely beautiful spirits. And, I fell in love. I fell in love with all fourteen.
It was at that moment that we were ready to give and receive lomi sessions and the next part of the training began.
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