The Beautiful Meaning Behind Aloha

The start of our journey we moved out to the beautiful Aloha State of Hawaii. We lived on the second largest island, the island of Maui. We spent about a year there exploring all the amazing features Maui had to offer. The island was so diverse with the different climates and vast changes of scenery through the regions.We traveled around the island trying different local foods , hiking the amazing valleys, and indulging in all the activities.

While our stay there we also learned about the magical culture and traditions that the locals practiced in their daily lives. One of the largest well known phrases used in Hawaii and known throughout the world is “Aloha”.

I remember when first moving there trying to use Aloha in my daily dialogue and still not fully knowing the powerful meaning behind it. So, I am writing you this post about the beauty behind the word Aloha.

The Meaning of Aloha

If you are fortunate enough to visit or have lived on Hawaii you might have used or heard the word Aloha. It is very common to hear it used as a greeting when first seeing someone, like saying Hello or Goodbye. This is not a incorrect way of using the word but just so you know, in fact it is much more than that. The beautiful truth behind it, is that it means Love, Peace, and Compassion. It is more of a philosophy, a way of life, it is to have a heart full of love to share and inspire others with the spirit.

When we first visiting Hawaii, like myself you might find yourself over using the word because of just pure excitement but just know that by doing so you are actually weakening the strength of the word. When saying “Aloha” to someone it should come from the heart it always be genuine.

Once you grasp the feeling and passion behind “Aloha” you can start to understand the culture of the Hawaiian  families (Ohana) and their connections with the each other and the world around them, it is truly bliss.

The Spirit of Aloha 

Beyond just the greeting phrase, This just shows how much more it really is.  The Spirit of Aloha is something everyone needs to practice in their life. It is to treat other in your life with Love and compassion for who they are, recognizing the life in them, their presence, them being alive here with you.

Aloha is ” The Presence of Life” or ” The Breath of Life” 

“Alo” meaning presence, front and face & “Ha” meaning Breathe

Similar to the teachings of Buddhism ” Finding enlightenment”   The Spirit of Aloha is about becoming one with your body and soul. Living life in harmony and sending out positive energy to all and to all to send back. The spirit of Aloha is very powerful and the positive energy will effect many who are presented with it.

Young kids growing up in Hawaii in the earlier years might have had important lessons taught to them to show the importance of the Aloha Spirit. One of the early teaching goes like this :

“Aloha is being apart of all, and all being apart of me.

When there is pain-it is my pain.

When there is joy- it is also mine.

I respect all that is part of the creator and apart of me.

I will not willfully harm anyone or anything.

When food is needed I will take only my need and explain why it is being taken.

the earth, the sky, the sea are mine to care for.

to CHERISH AND TO PROTECT 

 

The Spirit of Aloha as Law

Believe it or not the spirit of aloha is actually a law in the state of Hawaii. The spirit of Aloha is a law but you will not get into trouble by breaking it, it’s main purpose is just as a reminder to the Government, that while they perform their duties that they will treat people with deep care and respect like their ancestors did. The spirit of Aloha is a law but what it actually is, is a guideline for government officials so they can contribute to a better Aloha State.

[§5-7.5] “Aloha Spirit.” (a) “Aloha Spirit” is the coordination of mind and heart within each person. It brings each person to the self. Each person must think and emote good feelings to others. In the contemplation and presence of the life force, “Aloha,”

If you have enjoyed this post please share with your friends and family and try and add some ALOHA SPIRIT into you everyday practices.

Leave a comment below if you have any input or stories on the “Aloha Spirit”

The Majestic Road To Hana

The island of Maui might seem small at times and would imagine it would only take a few hours to drive around. In Fact, it can be done in day but once committing your self to drive the insanely windy 64 mile road you will loose the sensation of being on a small island and feel like your in the middle of nowhere.

The road to Hana is a memorable ride that starts in the city of Kahului and brings you through a small hippy town, then to the heart of the jungle. The road to Hana almost seems to have it’s own protection for the outside world, with the road having over 600 turns and 59 one lane bridges, it turns some people off from taking the trip.

What awaits once taking the trip is the organic town of Hana,  spectacular panorama views of the ocean and sea cliffs, mesmerizing trance like waterfalls, the exotic vacant beaches, and of course just the amazing smells and the blissful vibe that flows through your senses.  

While our stay in Maui we lived on the North Shore,and with hana being on the South east shore we did our best to make our way out there. We spent anywhere from a couple days out there to a couple weeks staying at the different campgrounds. Hana was our go to place to get away from everything and enjoy the simple pure things in life.

In this article we will show you why we love and cherish Town of Hana and The Journey it takes to get there.

When finally getting the courage and committing yourself to drive the road to hana you will find your self leaving civilization behind. You will be leaving the fast driving cars, all the name brand stores, the huge resorts and traveling through time to see the traditional Hawaiian culture.  What is considered the “REAL HAWAII”.

The Small Hippie Town of Paia 

In the beginning of the journey before heading  into the jungle you drive through a small artsy  town, Paia. A must stop before  taking the long drive.The one stop light town is for everyone trying to get away from high end resort places and kick back island style.  Paia was once a booming plantation town for the sugar cane industry, but since then it has become an historic town full of colorful rustic storefronts filled with art galleries and very unique shopping boutiques and restaurants.

In the winter in Maui the waves become enormous and just a short drive north of Paia, Hookipa Beach Park you can catch a breath taking glimpse of the 60 ft shore break at Jaws. A jaw dropping site at that, seeing these brave surfers getting towed by jet skis into these massive waves. Just seeing the beautiful power behind the waves as they come barreling towards the shore and the thundering sound is just an incredible experience.

Mesmerizing Trance of The Waterfalls

Our favorite part of the Hana Highway is stopping and enjoying all the waterfalls. They each have their own qualities and flow to them. The absolute serene that comes with the sound of the rushing water down the cliff into calming pool. Being there in that moment relaxing with the falls is something deeper than what it looks, it almost resembles life, the constant flow, and energy behind it, as it moved over and under the rocks. It never just ends, there is always more behind it and a steady yet hypnotizing motion.

There are dozens of falls that await to be discovered and enjoyed by you along the way of the journey. Some may be road side but some may intake a voyage to get to. They are all worth it to take the time to find and see.

Panorama Views of the Ocean & Sea Cliffs

There is no feeling greater then looking out into the never ending ocean and just getting the sensation of small we really are, and the curiosity that comes with it. Along the intense Hana Highway you will find yourself high up on the side of a sea cliff. It is no better of a time to pull over. Step out of the vehicle, stretch you body and take a deep breath consuming the astonishing view. Being so high up on the cliff and looking out is such a character building experience, just the feeling of being on top of the world .

Along the way, one of our favorite lookouts is the Honomanu Bay Lookout. This is a great spot to stop and actually see the windy road you have been driving on for the past hour. You get a great view of the road as it snakes the side of a sea cliff.

Exotic Vacant Beaches

Some of the most unique and exotic beaches are located on the Hana Highway. There are not just white sand beaches, they have a red sand beach as well as a black sand beach. Once finally arriving to the town of Hana you can take the hike to find the Red Sand Beach known has the Kaihalulu Beach. The red sand is a product of the cinder cone hill which produces the red sand and makes the trail to the beach very slippery to walk on.

 The black sand beach known as the  Waianapanapa State Park is a beautiful Gem.  The black sand is actually smooth lava rocks  layering the beach and ocean floor. A  spectacular view with amazing color of the blue  ocean and vibrant green plants all around the  bay.

These are just two of the unique beaches you will find on the Hana Highway. All the beaches offer a great feeling of distance from the outside world. They usually only have a few people at most on them unless a bus                                                                                   comes rolling through then comes the crowds.

  Walking on the beaches in Hana is with out a doubt a slice of paradise. The hawaiian breeze brushes through all the beautiful plants and sends a pleasurable sensation through your body as you feel the connection with everything around you. Time stops and you are right there in that moment, stress and worry free. There is nothing more relaxing and at peace then being on a deserted beach in Hana.

Small Organic Village of Hana

At last once arriving in the small organic village of Hana the amazing sensation of traveling back in time to the old Hawaiian tradition sets in. The narrow streets only a few restaurants and stores to choose from so you do not have a choice but to slow down time and just relax. No one is in a hurry and the hospitality is like no other. The locals there will make you the Aloha spirit with their genuine smiles reaching out like no other, no wonder why a village so pure is hidden away from the outside world.

Thank You for reading our Blog on Hana,

It is a amazing place to visit!

Leave a comment below if you have any memories there or are planning on taking a trip out that way we’d be happy to recommend places!

How Moving To Maui Has Changed Us Forever

Before moving to Maui, we thought we knew how we wanted to live our lives. We had the perfect picture of what we were going to do.

Once we arrived on the island and started to get a feel for things. Our whole perception changed for the better. We then were given the greatest gift we could ever imagined. The island of Maui and the people have showed us how we wanted to live our lives.
 Back on the mainland, everyone seemed to have a difficult time figuring out how they wanted to live their life. They felt as if they had to work  their lives away so they could buy all these things that internally would make them more happy. They strive to get a good job so they can buy their house and their only excitement would be watching the super bowl.

Well after moving to Maui we soon learned that if you  want to know how to live, do not look at this  miserable society for advice, turn to the root of all  life, nature.

Maui is a beautifully organic place. The island was formed by two volcanoes, Haleakala and Mauna Kahalawai. It is full white sand beaches, spectacular rushing waterfalls, tropical flowers of all colors,magical forest, and no dangerous wild life to keep you from running through the jungle with only your bathing suit.

Maui is the definition of Bliss.

Living the simple life in Maui has taught us what it means to live. It has allowed us to open our hearts and soul to this beautiful world. Given us a chance of personal freedom and fulfillment. In this article we will hope to show you some of the life changing ways to life we have learned.

“No Worries” Lifestyle 

When coming to Maui you start to realize how happy and easy going everyone is. They seem like they do not have a any worries or stress just smiles and aloha spirit. Of course you can think to yourself that you would too if you lived in paradise.  You are definitely right though but after living there for sometime and take everything in we started reflecting on our own lives and our past. What we realized is, it has nothing to to with living in paradise, it is just knowing that everything is all good. Just being happy and positive about your life and not let anything get in the way of your Positive energy.

Love & Respect For The Ocean

Coming from Berkshire Mass, we did not grow up around the ocean except for some family vacations to Cape Cod. In the beginning we had a fear of the ocean and were not comfortable with being it in all the time. Soon enough fear of the unknown became love and understanding of the beautiful yet dangerous ocean. The flow and tranquility of the teal ocean water set us free from the outside world, the colorful coral and the ocean fish that live off it became our attraction. We soon felt connected and appreciated the ocean around us. We now strive to have the ocean be apart of our lives.

Nature is The True Reality

With the advancement of technology humans start to become distant from the planet. We start to loose connection with the mother nature. Living in Hawaii and be right in the middle of so much beauty you start to see and feel the energy that comes with all the natural life.

While out in Maui we had a friend that would take us on hikes on the island and when we went we would hike bare foot. At first I was hesitant about the idea but like she told me, I soon felt “Grounded”. It was a great feeling just walking bare foot through the muddy wet forest. We felt one with the land like we were apart of the forest. At the moment we felt as if that was the real reality, that was us at our naturalist state. It is the up most heavenly feeling to go through your body, not an anxiety or depression feeling for miles. Nature is the true Reality, it is organic and essential.

Simplicity is key

As we started to grow and be apart of the Hawaiian life, our life became fairly simple. We worked just enough to live there and the rest was pure enjoyment. There was no need for the fast paced life, our life seemed to almost slow down and everything became clear.

Being in Hawaii the weather was so nice out all the time we did not need much for clothes just bathing suits and some cover up clothes but that was it, there were need out there for all the unnecessary accessories. With Hawaii being so far from the mainland the prices of everything were high which resulted in not buying tons of junk food or over buying, it was just about what you NEEDED that is it. We would just live off the delicious island fruits and seafood. Everything you bought was only what you needed. By not having all these different decision to make it enabled us to focus and enjoy the purest thing that Maui offered.

Less Is More

Before moving to Maui we had acquired a lot of nice things. We both had closets full of clothes, two nice cars, huge t.v.s, we had it all, but upon moving to Maui we sold just about everything except for some of our clothes. We left everything behind, we knew what we wanted and how to achieve it. What came along with selling everything was an important life lesson that we would learn. Being down in Hawaii we did not have much but we had nothing to loose, and everything to gain. We were free of any material or possessions that could possible hold us back. we were free to adventure and explore life.

I once heard in a great film ” Fight Club” The main character Tyler Durden had these two great quotes that I will share to you:

“The things you own end up owning you”

“It’s only after we lost everything that we are free to do anything”

Those quotes have always made sense to us but once we moved they became clear and active in our life. Once we gave up all these possessions we were then free to explore and adventure.

We have Only the Limits We Create

Selling everything and moving across the world to Maui at the age of 20 was everything but easy. With-out the dreams from my girlfriend and me would have never imagine going there. We soon took action and made it happen.

Once arriving to the island we did not stop there when it came to pushing ourselves. We did not want to have a limits to what we were capable of, We spent hours, days , weeks, learning to surf, free diving and hiking these incredibly dangerous hikes. We did all this to seek that ultimate fulfillment. climbing deeper into ourselves to pull out the results we wanted.

After achieving this dream to explore Hawaii we have stepped it up and are now planning more adventures trip to Costa Rica, Thailand and who knows where next. We have no limits to what we feel like we can do.

Manifest Your Own Happiness

Some people can not find happiness and it can be sad to see, but being in Hawaii seeing the people interact with one another and themselves you start to see that it come down to how you look at life and everything around you. When you put positive energy out (Aloha Spirit)   into the world you actually get it back. The world and the different cultures are a beautiful adapting life cycle that once put good things into, come good things out.

Seeing some of the locals out there, they would wake up early and to go surf or whatever activity they enjoyed, go home, eat healthy and you can tell it made a huge difference. By practicing everyday the things you love and enjoy, happiness will come along with it. Practicing love and good health will go a long way.

We would always like to hear other peoples stories or life lessons they have learned while traveling so leave a comment below