Aloha is ʻOluʻOlu

Aunty Pilahi Paki wrote this chant of aloha. In a wonderful workshop with Leialoha Lim Amina in 2005, Leialoha taught us what she had learned from her training with Kumu Pilahi. Here is the first verse of Pilahiʻs chant:

Akahai e nā Hawaiʻi           
Lokahi a kū like
ʻOluʻolu ka manaʻo
Haʻahaʻa kou kulana
Ahonui a lanakila.



This week I want to share my thoughts and feelings about ʻoluʻolu, Hawaiʻi meaning agreeable expressed with a feeling of pleasantness. It often seems that in this modern world those two words, agreeable and pleasantness, seem so old-fashioned and discarded by many. Spirit teaches us that these are needed more than ever to counter the chaos and unkindness which is prevalent all around us. And that we donʻt have to get drawn into othersʻ anger and distress. To be agreeable is not weakness, it is a show of inner strength to hold your core in kindness and release that feeling to your world. There will always be a time to fight, to protect your self, your loved ones. However, that is always the last response and seldom is needed.

To be agreeable and welcoming when in daily interactions on the phone, in the stores, in public and at work creates that warm and welcoming energy. It allows all you come in contact with to react to you with a smile and a sense of wanting to return your pleasantness.

The spoken word has power. When a word is spoken aloud, the meaning of that word is released into your home, your neighborhood, your world. In Hawaiian belief that word and its meaning cannot be called back once spoken. Its power has been released. Therefore, we endeavor to choose our words with care and consideration for our lives and our planet.

This is so true for me in my working world of real estate broker. I often spend full days in the car with new friends. Just did that yesterday! We had so much fun together and found so much in common as we searched for their new home here in our beautiful mountain village. Ours is a business of relationships. I strive to live with, and in, aloha with all of my business partners. To move through the day in ʻoluʻolu opens up so many more possibilities for magic and discovery between us while it colors the outcome of our business, as well.

I am grateful for Pilahiʻs wisdom and for Leialohaʻs additional teaching. My kuleana, responsibility, is to pass that teaching along, with aloha.

Aloha Is...Lokahi

Another glorious fall day in our mountain village. I am grateful for the beauty.

The traits of character that express the Spirit which lives in the people of Hawaiʻi are found in this chant written by Kumu Pilahi Paki.

A is Akahai meaning kindness expressed with a feeling of tenderness

L  is Lōkahi meaning unity expressed with a feeling for harmony

O isʻOluʻolu meaning agreeable expressed with a feeling of pleasantness

H is Haʻahaʻa meaning humility expressed with a feeling for modesty

A is Ahonui meaning patience applied with perseverance

Aloha is known throughout the world through these words of wisdom, intelligence and understanding. I was reminded of this teaching when I took a workshop with Kumu Leialoha Lim Amina at 3 Days of Aloha in 2015. In the workshop she shared the teaching of Pilahiʻs chant. This is the gift and message that we can share with the world.

My previous post discussed the meaning of akahai/kindness. Today I want to speak to Lōkahi, meaning unity expressed with a feeling of harmony. Two of the most obvious endeavors in Hawaiian culture that show lōkahi being lived to the core of those involved is to watch a hālau hula, the dancers moving as one being, total unity of mind, soul and bodies. Training together, being together in classes and in performance creates a bond, a sisterhood. Unity of spirit.

Another obvious place where lōkahi is prevalent is in the waʻa, the outrigger canoe. Paddlers train for hours/months/years to feel one another as they glide through the kai, the ocean. Becoming one with the canoe and each other. Unity of purpose. Lōkahi is not about self, it is about moving into harmony with others.

One of the things I miss the most about becoming the teacher, the kumu, is that I no longer dance on the line. My kumu told me many years ago that this loss was the hardest part of evolving to teaching. That I would deeply miss being a dancer with my sisters. And I do. Lōkahi.

How do I attempt to translate the lōkahi of aloha into my daily life? 

I feel lōkahi is central to welcoming my newly adopted rescue Alaskan Malamutes as they adapt to life in our Ash Street Pack. Dogs that come from so many levels of circumstances and backgrounds. Some abandoned, some mistreated. Some neglected. Trust comes to rule our pack through aloha: tenderness, harmony and patience.

I also reach for the sense of lōkahi as I teach a new chant or dance to my haumana, students. Our goal is to learn to feel and to trust our sisters as we dance together. We do this with joy and laughter.

I seek lōkahi in my home, my yard of trees, bushes and flowers. I seek lōkahi with my clients. 

Hoʻomoe wai kāhi ke kāoʻo. Let us all travel together like water flowing in one direction.

Aloha Is....

 

    Momi Palmieri, Kumu Hula - Mālamalama O Ka Mahina Leavenworth WA

 

In 1986 Hawaiʻi adopted The Aloha Spirit Law. The meaning of Aloha was written by Pilahi Paki.
Her students strive to live by, and for, the Aloha Spirit. Those of us who teach hula, chant, dance, healing and spiritual training do the same. We teach to remind and to keep alive the values of the life force of Aloha.

In 2015 I attended a workshop at Three Days of Aloha in Portland, OR. given by Kumu Hula Leialoha Lim Amina, a haumana (student), of Pilahi.. Her entire training that day was concerning this chant and its deeper and profound meaning. She passed this kuleana (responsibility) on to me and other teachers in this training.

"A - Akahai, meaning kindness to be expressed with tenderness;
  L - Lōkahi, meaning unity, to be expressed with harmony;
 O - ʻOluʻolu - meaning agreeable, to be expressed with pleasantness;
 H - Haʻahaʻa - meaning humility, to be expressed with modesty;
 A - Ahonui - meaning patience, to be expressed with perseverance.

These are traits of character that express the Spirit and the people of a land known throughout the world in these words of wisdom, intelligence and understanding. What the world knows in the word of ALOHA."

- Pilahi Paki

This beautiful fall morning in Leavenworth speaks to me of aloha in all facets of my life. I sit at my computer looking out my east facing kitchen window, my world on the rising sun and chattering, feeding birds. A hummer darts in and out of the young Indian Summer Crab Apple tree, which is brilliant with its bright red berries. In late winter the Pine Grosbeak comes down from our forests of spruce and fir to devour these choice berries.

Akahai, kindness to be expressed with tenderness, encourages me to be mindful of the needs of my real estate clients as well as my students, of my family and friends. Kindness requires forethought of my words as I teach the meaning of contracts, or the meaning of Hawaiian chants. Akahai reminds me to be tender with my rescued Alaskan Malamutes. Their past experiences often were fraught with fear, abandonment and mistreatment. They bring me their hope which, in time, grows to trust and happy dog laughter. There is no place in my life where the need for kindness and tenderness does not reach. I learn every day more ways to be in aloha, to take a breath and let aloha happen. Let it come from me, let me give it away...with joy and kindness.

Wishing you a day, a week, a lifetime of aloha.

 

Mālama Our Village Way of Life: Protect and Preserve

YES TO MONTHLY RENTALS - NO TO NIGHTLY RENTALS IN OUR RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS

From Hawaiian Dictionary by Pukui and Elbert
mā.lama

1. nvt. To take care of, tend, attend, care for, preserve, protect, beware, save, maintain; to keep or observe, as a taboo; to conduct, as a service; to serve, honor, as God; care, preservation, support, fidelity, loyalty; custodian, caretaker, keeper. 

At this time there is significant pressure on our Planning Commission and City Council to change the existing code to allow overnight/transient rentals in our Leavenworth residential neighborhoods. Turning our homes into hotels in the residential neighborhoods. We believe that this would be a detriment to our beautiful village in the mountains. We are a prominent destination for outdoor recreation, shopping, dining, wine and beer tasting, hiking, river rafting and rock climbing. Much of our daily lives are impacted by vacationing visitors. Many businesses thrive and grow. 

Balance is the key to a healthy way of life. As a coalition are trying to conserve and protect, mālama, our very small residential neighborhoods. To protect what little space we have left for our homes and families, free from overnight/transient rentals.

This from a fine letter to the City Council on June 28, 2016.

"The residential restriction area is ridiculously small. Consider:

*The area encompassed by the Cascade School District (what we usually refer to as the Upper Valley) is about 1,170 square miles, or 748,800 acres, probably 20% is inhabited, or about 150,000 acres.

*The entire city is 1.23 square miles, or about 788 acres (this excludes water)

*Over half (54%) of Leavenworth is commercial or zoned TO ALLOW nightly rentals.

*The residential zone where nightly rentals are prohibited is 366 acres (from Nate Pate, less than 1/2 square mile). 46% of the city, far less than 1% of the inhabited Upper Valley.

*The conversation should be on how to maintain and grow the quality of residential in this TINY zone, NOT giving over to tourist trade the last bit of a place trying to be a real village."

                                                                                                    - John Agnew

We will be in your neighborhood soon with our Petition to the City to continue to:

SAY YES TO MONTHLY RENTALS - NO TO NIGHTLY RENTALS IN OUR RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS.

Write letters to Leavenworth City Council members www.cityofleavenworth.com

Write letters to both the Leavenworth Echo and the Wenatchee World with copies to the City Council.

Attend City Council Meetings July 12 and 26th.

Talk to your neighbors about this possible major change to our lives.

If you support our vision call me at 509-433-2211 to have the Petition brought to your home.

With deep aloha,

Momi

Ahonui

For most of my life I have been working on the ability to be patient. Ahonui. I was such an impatient child, teen and young woman. Over time I have become quite able to be patient with others. Self? Still not so much. This morning I am realizing that what my friend and physician, Dr Karl, stated some weeks ago is playing out as he predicted. On May 2, I tripped and fell. Splat. Prat fall. Slammed. Caught myself beautifully, as I did not hit any furniture or break any bones in the accident. However, when I went to see Dr Karl, he diagnosed my aches/pains as whiplash. "Donʻt use your right arm. It will take six to eight weeks to heal. If you continue to use the arm, healing will take longer." Today is June 12th and I still hurt. I try NOT to use the arm, yet obviously still do so in lesser ways than usual. Type A personalities like mine are not easily self-constrained from zooming from task to task.

Sistah Kitty is delighted with my need to be still. She is on me the minute I sit down. Sproing! Happy Sistah! My patience, ahonui, wears thin many times each day. And I am the culprit. Although I donʻt do any heavy work I still water the flowers, brush my Bear Pono, vacuum the flying Wooly Bear fur. Professional and personal work on the computer. Frustration follows me right now. Even art journaling hurts. That makes me sad.

I did choreograph a new noho dance with stones, the ʻiliʻili, for my students, my haumana. Of course, that dancing does make my neck, shoulder, arm ache. However, the joy of creation over-rides the soreness. It is a beautiful and meaningful mele. My students are dancing and chanting in new ways now.

Kanalani will massage me for the 2nd time on Monday. Such relief. Her healing hands working with aloha to pull the soreness from my neck/shoulder/arm. So, today, I am vowing to do less, wear the sling more, and slow down! More Tylenol, more ice. More non-motion. You would think an elder would relish the chance to slow down a bit. Not this one. And I know that in the greater scheme of things, my injury is nothing. Okay, pau with that. Today is glorious: sunny, cool temperatures with Keola Beamer music floating in the background. Bear Pono and I will get another fine walk today; early, in the coolness, suitable for a wooly malamute still blowing his thick coat. I will cherish each moment and think healing light. Live with aloha.

Kaleidoscope

Aloha kakahika e hoaaloha. Spring is here; she showering us with a little snow, lots of rain and glorious sunshine. My life is a kaleidoscope of life colors: the constantly turning patterns of interwoven hues encompassing the activities of real estate broker, traditional hula teacher, ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi haumana/student, art journaling enthusiast and companion to Bear Pono and Sistah Kitty. Oh, yeah...and Mom and Grandmother/Tūtū.

Mother Earth is bursting open with the joy of new life. Vibrant color surrounds me: new flowers and old-friend birds returning. I saw the female Rufous Hummingbird searching around the sparse lilac which I have filled with bird feeders and suet. I quickly put her feeder together and hung it in the kitchen window. Within hours she was sky-dancing and drinking. I slid the window open a bit to hear the sound of her wings. Magical music. Yesterday she brought the male; he was an afternoon delight of brilliant velvety red. She sits patiently in the lilac, enjoying the other birds. Bird song is truly loud in the early morning. What a joy here in the village. Bear likes to eat his breakfast and then snooze on the back porch where he can hear his birds.

The hālau was so happy to be a part of the In Celebration of Dangerous Women presented by Icicle Creek Center for the Arts. We held extra practices and rehearsals in order to share our traditional hula with the community. What a fine performance it was. Moving and delightful. Thanks to all who made it possible.

Lishkaʻs Crab Apple 

I have begun sitting on the front porch in my favorite noho paipai (rocking chair) with a fresh cuppaʻ joe. I swear I can feel the earth expanding with new growth. I have been watching Lishkaʻs tree (it was planted in her ashes), the Indian Summer Crab Apple, bud and begin to bloom. The colors range from rich ruby so shell pink and change hourly as more blossoms mohala/open, unfold in the warm sunlight. 

Heidi and Tepʻs Lilies

Drink in all the colors that surround you. 

I walked my green wheelbarrow to Tep and Heidiʻs and dug up a few of their Tiger Lilies to replant in my antique bathtub. Now, I wait to see if they are happy in their new home. Mahalo, Heidi for the photo, as well. What fun to share our lives and our flowers.                             

                                                 

I have clients who need my time and energy and must move my day along. They, too, are beautiful pua/flowers in my life.  Wishing you a vibrant spring with eyes to drink in all the colors that twist and turn moment to moment like a dancing kaleidoscope of magical surprise. Live with aloha.                                                                  

Eudaimonia

The heavy rains of last night have ended and for now we have early morning sunshine. Double blessings for new spring growth; some of which I can see as the feet of old snow continues to melt away, return to the deep earth. Birds are not at the feeders right now. My wooly Bear still finds snow to roll in, to lick as a child would enjoy a popsicle.

Andrea told me of a book she loves: Big Magic - Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert. I immediately bought and read it and have now downloaded it to Audible so I can listen to Elizabeth reading to me while I paint/stamp/stencil in my DLP journal. I listen as I prepare Listing paperwork for a new  real estate client. I listen while I plan for the next hula lesson I'll teach or the next Hawaiian language class I take. This book is big magic as it propels me to just keep doing the work. Don't judge, don't overthink, just work. If poetry doesn't come, then paint. Or plan the next hula costume. Or choreograph. Or work in the yard, painting with plants and rocks in the bits of my tiny yard which I can see right now. Greens appearing around the still deep snow bomb piles.
My new favorite word - that I've wrapped around me like a blanket - came from her text. EUDAIMONIA. She explained it as from the Greek, meaning 'well daemoned'. Protected by creative spirits. I've read that it was first used by Aristotle to mean happy and healthy. I also ascribe my core self as having my Grandmother Dix's happy gene. Aristotle and Grammy plus good spirits dancing around me. I am blessed.

I understand that I have chosen a varied life which encompasses my 'work' work as a decades long Real Estate Broker and is seasoned by a passion for traditional Hawaiian hula which I now teach here in our village. I also require the companionship of my beloved rescue Alaskan Malamutes; Bear Pono is my guy right now. Blind and yet he sees/knows more than I will ever ken. Art journaling has opened a grand new time of excitement as I learn color and form and freedom on the page. I have also returned to an on going class in Hawaiian language in order to understand the chants with greater clarity. Each of these holds a dear place in my life, each one feeds the other.
I dance forward in each quadrant of my life with the intention of doing and being better each day.
Client meeting this morning. A little art journaling mid-day prior to walking the dog. Then rehearsal for Women's International Month presentation at Snowy Owl this evening. Life is good. I wish the same for you. Aloha.