Aloha!

A flower lei around your neck, with a warmly spoken: ‘Aloha’, this is the traditional greeting on the Hawaiian islands.

The word ‘Aloha’ is synonymous with Hawaii, like two sides of one coin and one of its translations is: ‘The presence of God is in our breath’ – ‘The breath of God is in our presence’.

Its various meanings, ranging from ‘Hello’ right through to ‘Unconditional love’ contain all the shades in between:

Kindness – Respect – Harmony – Friendship – Humility – Oneness – Divine etc…

Kahuna David Bray has given a meaning of this single word: ‘Aloha’:

“Come forward, be in unity and harmony with your real self, God, and mankind. Be honest, truthful, patient, kind to all life forms, and humble.”

The native language does not contain a word for “nature”. For Hawaiians, nature is not viewed as something separate from themselves because nature is their reality. Thus, Aloha is a close substitute for nature. The word Aloha literally means the joyful (oha) sharing (alo) of life energy (ha) in the present (alo).

A traditional Hawaiian gift is to make a flower lei. They are handmade with natural fresh flowers and strung around a natural thread. They are also made with nuts, shells and seeds.

This a special and sacred gift, offered as a blessing to someone we want to thank or express our gratitude, love and friendship. It is a mirror of nature, hanging on our hearts, where we feel the divine that inhabits us all.

So if you ever visit the Hawaiian Islands, bear in heart these simple expressions of love, for you to feel its true powers when Aloha is sang to your ears, whilst a flower lei adorns you.