LEI ... Art and Aloha ... Weaving One with The Other

My tutu was a lei-seller.  My mother was a lei-maker.  My name Mokihana strings us together over time and beyond the physical:  we are all Mokihana, as was my tutu's mother Mokihana, before her.  Seated as I am early on a Washington morning, it is night across the ocean where my mind's eye can still see the long graceful hands of my mother stringing lei.  Those memories fuel me to string or weave lei of images and words for this continuing voyage of COUNTING ON THE MOON and CARING FOR THE LAND. 

We begin this Workshop "Malama I Ka `Aina" during Muku. Though absent/invisible, Mahina, is like the water within us, we cannot see the water inside, but without it we dry up.  So, we drink water, we encourage the watery intuitive nature in us even as this Muku begins in the Earthy sign of Taurus.  Technically, New Moon begins Tuesday, May 3rd.  The process of learning how to count the moon time is just that, a process.  We are learning the technical 'accuracy' of predicting the phases, but have an even bigger vision than predicting-to-get-things right.  The bigger picture of this venture of practice with Kaulana Mahina is to become attuned to Nature and feel the effects in your body~mind~soul.  It may take this lifetime and more, but maybe in this one, we might be able to forget enough to remember.

New Moon is a time to set your intentions, to notice and envision where you are headed in the coming 30 moons.  Like making lei we put our intentions, or la'au, our pieces of our nature out there and weave a path forward from here.  Since by the calendar (the one we all use day in and out) New Moon is May 3rd we have a headstart as we begin Malama I Ka `Aina on Lei Day, May 1st.  These couple days prepare us to set our intentions.  Like the `olapa tree, if we think of the flexibility of that gentle movement we can bend with nature and not attempt to control her.

Navigating this workshop through Weaving

One of the things that will happen in this series of workshops, is the WEAVING BACK AND FORTH between workshops (between Part One:  Count on the Moon and Part Two:  Malama I Ka `Aina).  Like hula, there will be movement ... ka holo to the right ka holo to the left ... move to the right, move to the left.  During the review of content in Part One, stay with the posts as you wish staying and re-reading what feels good for you at the time.  Like re-reading a book, skip ahead if you are familiar with the content.

1. We start to weave back and forth, by linking back to THE OPENING 'OLI chanted by Kumu John Keola Lake in Part 1:  COUNT ON THE MOON.  The 'Oli opens us to the heart of our journey, creating sacred and joyful present as well as timeless reverence.  Continue listening and reading the rest of the post. 
2. Then, go on to POI BOWL where you are encouraged to introduce yourself.  If you have done this once before, there may be something new to add to your Kumulipo (your creation story); if you have not yet taken the poi bowl and filled it with your story we welcome it. 
3. Continue re-viewing the content of COUNT ON THE MOON:  follow the links to THE KUMULIPO, and INTERMISSION where there is Moon Music.
4. A link on Moon Music will direct you to the NEW CONTENT HERE AT 'MALAMA I KA `AINA.

At first, this may seem awkward .. it is different ... like learning new steps, or learning hula for the first time.  We are practicing. I chuckle to myself, thinking of how to orchestra this dance.  New ground, new dance, we cover it together and make up some of it as we go.  If you forget where you are, STOP, USE YOUR BROWSER ARROW, and RETURN HERE where the links above will be active; get your bearings, and begin again.  Ho'omanawanui .. easy does it.

Here we go:  Ready?  Ma hope (that's Hawaiian ... for 'step back' and English for 'I hope this works.') 

LINK HERE TO listen to The Opening 'Oli and CONTINUE