Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Crazy Coffee Farm

I have left the east side of the Big Island and am now staying on the Kona coast in a magical, funky and rustic coffee farm. My good friend LaRissa is caretaking the farm for six months while the owners are away.
First off, let me define the word “farm”, because it has a different meaning in Hawaii. It is not organized in any way. This one-acre plot of land has meandering paths with mass plantings of bromeliads, exotic flowering vines, taro plants, papaya and banana trees, ferns, all surrounded by a tropical forest of bamboo. The coffee plants are interspersed between all of thatI .
It is a wonder anything grows here since the ground is almost solid lava. The coffee plants are spindly, but covered with lots and lots of beans.
Despite the rustic outside appearance of the buildings, inside they are cozy and thoughtfully designed with sustainability in mind. The crystals and spiritual artifacts make it a welcoming environment for me. There is an outdoor kitchen, which is really fun to hang in. Three sides are open and it has a tarp roof over it. It¹s sounds weird, but it¹s really refreshing to be outdoors while cooking and eating especially since it is so warm here. I also like the fact that several Hawaiian cardinals, a beautiful red bird, fly in and look for crumbs to eat. That may not appeal to some, but I love birds and often feed them when I have come here on vacation, much to the frowning look of my husband. Check out the picture of the kitchen.
In the kitchen there is a fish bowl with greenish water where the pet goldfish lives. I watched as a green lizard climbed up the side of the bowl and came eye-to-eye with the goldfish. They stared at each other for several minutes. It made me laugh to see two very different critters look at each other with a quizzical look. I tried to capture their meeting in a photo.
Speaking of critters, did I mention there are lots and lots of mongooses? They give me the creeps when they scamper about the farm. I do, however, love the little green lizards, which some folks call geckos but I am told are actually something else. There apparently is a native brown gecko that lives in Hawaii, and the green and hot orange one is an import.
The import is crowding out the natives. That seems to be a familiar theme worldwide, don¹t you think? Anyway, these little green guys are all over the place, and I do mean “all over the place.”l I sat at an outdoor coffee shop and had two at my feet and one on the table, all snacking on some tidbit of food that was dropped there. They look kind of silly because they are always licking their lips.
LaRissa and I are going to be working with some landowners who want their land cleared of any negative energy as well as create a blessing and intention so they can get the bank loan they need for construction. With the state of the home loan market, I think it takes a blessing, and all the gods and goddesses available as well.
I am definitely getting my “kitty fix” here on the farm. A little black-and-white kitty named Tyrone follows me around. He is definitely chill and mellow, a typical Hawaiian kitty. That¹s all for now.
With much love and aloha, Holly

Friday, April 25, 2008

Kalopa Native Forest

Steve and I got up early today for a hike through a native Hawaiian rainforest. This park is 100 acres of rare plants, trees, palms and ferns of every imagination. It is located on the east side of the Big Island near the town of Honoka’a. Since it is located so far from the heavy tourist areas of Kona and Hilo, there are never that many people in the park. Even the trails didn’t have a lot of human thought forms. Despite there being so few people, there are lots of facilities, such as a campground, cabins for groups or individuals, a meeting building and lots of trails. Our hike was a walking meditation. The forest trail was quiet except for the sounds of birds and some sort of insect. There are very tall tree ferns that form the most amazing canopy. There are also amazing hobbit-like trees that seemed to emanate magical energy. This place is very peaceful and relaxing.

Much love and aloha, Holly

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Aloha from Hawaii!


Aloha from Hawaii!
Today is the first day of my two-week trip to the Big Island of Hawaii. Of all the islands, this is my favorite because it's so alive with energy. It's raw and creating more land as we speak. Kilauea has been erupting with a vengeance the last several weeks and the vog is very thick. It is the worst I have ever seen on the Big Island. For those of you who don't know what vog is, it is the gas and ash that is released into the air during eruptions. It really impacts those who have allergies and asthma. Go to this link to see updated pictures of the eruptions: http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/kilauea/update/images.html
Hawaii is my true home. When I get off the plane and feel the air on my skin, I relax and my spirit seems to take over. I lose the need to make it happen and shift to "island time." I am here to work on a soul age book with my friend and work partner Steve Cocconi. The soul age info is one of the best aspects of the Michael Teaching because it gives real incite into why people behave the way they do. I will be talking more about this later. If you have any ideas about what you would like to see in a soul age book, please email me them to me.
I am also scheduled to teach a workshop on Life Purpose as well as channeling for some folks. This is my first time working in Hawaii, and it feels like a dream come true. Next week I meet up with my girlfriend LaRissa, and we will be doing a land clearing together. I'll let you know how that works out. Off today toKalopa State Park for a morning hike. I'ts a rain forest on the east side of the Island. Much love and aloha, Holly

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Grounding Up, Not Down

This is a picture of Mt. Diablo and the surrounding valley where I reside. The town in which I live had the great foresight to save extensive acreage for open space in and around neighborhoods and the downtown. I am fortunate that just up my street is a trailhead to a beautiful hike through rolling hills with oaks, tall grasses and wildflowers. From this vantage point I can see Mt. Diablo, and this is one of the places I like to connect with the earth’s energies.


When I first started my spiritual path, I was in high school. My mom was into metaphysics, and we had lots of Edgar Cayce and Ruth Montgomery books lying around the house. We openly talked about all types of spirituality. Eventually I attended classes on everything from charkas (energy centers of the body) to aura clearing and reading, to intuitional development. One of the topics I studied was grounding. I was always taught to send a cord of energy down from my first chakra to the earth. I didn’t question the technique at the time, but as I have progressed on my path, I have come to learn what I believe is a better way to ground. It’s about grounding up, not down.
Sending a cord down doesn’t include the hips, thighs, knees, ankles and feet. Almost half the body is excluded from the process. This type of grounding doesn’t make me feel connected to the earth. I was once in a metaphysical workshop when I noticed the partner I was working with had no connection to the earth through his legs and feet. I asked him how he grounded, and he replied through a cord straight down. He looked “top heavy” and ungrounded. He said he was a runner, and was having difficulty because he felt he was going to trip and fall all the time.
The whole point of grounding is to anchor the body’s energy to the earth for stability as well as allow the body to draw up the healing energy for healing and rejuvenation. Our bodies are an extension of the earth and made of the same stuff. I believe a body needs a strong connection to its source.
My method of grounding is to draw up the healing, grounding energies of the earth into the body. Start this process by first activating your charkas with your intention. Sit in a chair or on the floor/ground and close your eyes. Take a couple of relaxing breaths. With your intention, open the chakra that exists approximately 2 feet below your feet. This is called the earth chakra. Next open the charkas in your feet. Then continue to open the charkas of your knees and hips, opening the pathway to your first chakra.
Next place your attention deep in the earth, connecting to the crystals, minerals, water, magma, oil, and underground water. Then allow your mind to connect to the surface energies of mountains, trees, flowers, rivers, oceans and more.
On your next breath, draw up the energies of the earth up through your feet, continuing up your legs, hips, to the first chakra. Continue to move the energy up to fill your entire body. You can visualize this as a color, such as ocean blue or forest green. Allow your body to take in all that energy into your cells.
How does your body feel? Are there any sensations? Is it heavier? Lighter?
When I first experimented with this grounding technique, I felt heavy; but it didn’t feel bad. My body loves this nourishment. I especially love the healing energy of ferns and moss, and I sometimes visualize covering my body with them. I know that sounds weird, but it feels great. I’m sure you will find certain plants, trees, rocks, flowers, or whatever, that you will gravitate towards. And you don’t have to know what you connect to; your body will know. Take a deep breath and draw in the energies of a tree, an ocean, a flower, or even Mt. Diablo. Try it and see what it’s like.

Thanks, Holly