Lomi Classes Coming Up

Two beautiful spirits are offering lomi lomi classes that I highly recommend.

Kauhi Ho'opii, originally from O'ahu and now teaching massage in Utah, was a big hit at the last 'aha or conference of the Hawaiian Lomilomi Association. One of his main points was how we can use body weight to make giving lomi easier on us. Everyone talks about this, but Kauhi's demonstration took the concept to a whole new level. He will be teaching on April 23 and 24 at Amy Greenwell's garden south of Kona. Contact him at kauhi@infowest.com.

Beloved kumu Brenda Mohalapua Ignacio is presenting two lomi intensives in a beautiful house on O'ahu. One is April 20-26 and the other is September 14-20. A professional hula dancer, Brenda includes hula in her workshops and emphasizes the importance of intention and using the hands in loving touch. She can be reached at bignacio808@aol.com.

This reminds me of all the other notices I have received about training that I haven't put up. I apologize to the other kumu. I am this close to putting up another web site where we can put everyone's classes. I'm just trying to get the logistics together. Let me know if this is an idea you would like to see.

Mahalo,
Makana

another meaning for lomilomi

I was browsing one of my favorite books, "A Treasury of Hawaiian Words in 101 Categories" by Col Winfield Kent, former President of Kamehameha Schools. After giving the usual definition of lomilomi, he gives this one:

"to act upon, as the spirit of God acts upon the heart."

Isn't that marvelous? And so true of authentic lomilomi.

The Question of Pay for Lomilomi

When I did my lomilomi internship at a native-owned spa, I was shocked when one of my Hawaiian co-workers told me she didn't get paid. She was there 6 days a week, 8 hours a day, and did not receive any pay. She did accept tips or ho'okupu from the clients, and they often brought her gifts, but nothing from the store. When I asked her why, she said, "Lomilomi is a gift from God. If I were to charge for it, He would take it away from me."

I was so inspired and touched by what she said that I vowed not to charge when I went into practice. I do have to admit, though, that I cheated a little bit because when people asked me what I charged I would say, "The spa where I work charges $60, but I do it by donation." Giving that dollar figure first is a sales technique called bracketing -- it gets the person thinking in the area you'd like them to give. And it more or less worked. Everyone paid. But I have to admit that it felt like a job. Over the years I let go of client after client, until I had only one. He was an old man, and he was dying.

One day he told me that he could no longer see me because he could not afford to pay me what he had been paying. Obviously, he had forgotten it was a donation. I told him, "I will still come and see you every week, and I'm glad you aren't going to pay me anymore." It stopped feeling like a job and became a wonderful time together. I was with him through the end -- the only person who came to see him. He gave me so much in that last year when he stopped paying.

I completely understand people who do charge for lomilomi and personally do not have a problem with it. I was just fortunate that at that time I was able to do lomilomi without charge. I no longer give lomilomi outside of the family, instead seeking to make a living by writing and speaking about Hawaiian healing traditions. I hope and trust that my work is pono.

Another view on client calls

The day after I posted the blog below, I went to a program led by two haumana of Papa Henry Auwae. They said when people called to see Papa, there was only one question they would ask, "Do you believe in God?" because if the person said no, he couldn't help them.

These haumana still practice Papa's way. They do not accept money, nor will they volunteer their services. They will only help if asked. They are on call 24/7. They never get a vacation. That is their kuleana.

How precious that they and many others are perpetuating the traditions. And how wonderful those who are melding lomilomi with Western business practices. Everyone is helping others in their own way.