Walking on the Leading Edge #8- A Journey of Power, Passion & Peace

The Big Island of Hawaii is one of the few places in the world where I want to kiss the ground when I get off the airplane. I feel at home there. I am embraced, welcomed and resonate with the energy. I love the wild and diverse beauty and how big it is! All of the other Hawaiians islands can fit into the Big Island.  Though I have never lived there full time the weeks and months I did spend in the Summer and Fall of 2007 changed my life. My focus, direction and path shifted dramatically due to events and the deeper healing and revelations that occurred on the Big Island.

I was first called to the Big Island. I had to swim with the dolphins. Little did I know the call was more about dying to my old life and identity to uncover, discover and connect more with my authentic self.  The locals say that “Hawaii either embraces you or chews you up and spits you out.” The Hawaiian islands have embraced me since the first day of my arrival. Some of  this embrace had to do with my willingness to transform, release my old limiting beliefs, conditioned behaviors and worn out relationship patterns. The new space created a greater opening for my long buried Divine Essence to express. I have known many individuals who could not stay on Hawaii for more than a couple of weeks as it was too difficult and intense emotionally resulting in broken relationships, financial troubles, etc. I ended up staying for a couple of months and then kept coming back again and again over the next decade.  My intense Scorpio nature, commitment to my spiritual growth and desire to be free from my story and ego persona gave me the courage and stickability to stay in this raw and beautiful paradise. Being a runner all my life I finally stopped and faced myself. Over time like a ball of twine unravelling I discovered my deeper Truth & Integrity.

The Hawaiian legend of Pele, the Goddess of Fire, is alive on the Big Island of Hawaii and supported this transformational shift as did the powerful energy of Kilauea volcano that is active at Volcano National Park.  Pele’s story explains that “Like a volcano’s lava that creates new land, the goddess Pele reminds us that, even fiery eruptions and emotional upheavals are followed by new life and change. As an archetype Pele is a passionate and creative force that transforms and rebuilds the landscapes of our lives.”

A perfect explanation and metaphor for my life. In addition my Edgewalker qualities of passion & playfulness were essential as I navigated through this adventurous time of fiery, passionate transformation, powerful change and experiencing a more centered and peaceful existence. House and dog sitting by myself at my friend’s beautiful 12 acre Kohala Sanctuary in Hawi, the northern most point of the Big Island, was the perfect setting for this chapter in the school called my life!

**Lesson from Pele, Hawaiian Goddess of Fire (worth repeating):

“Like a volcano’s lava that creates new land, the goddess Pele reminds us that, even fiery eruptions and emotional upheavals are followed by new life and change. As an archetype Pele is a passionate and creative force that transforms and rebuilds the landscapes of our lives.”

Walking on the Leading Edge: My “Edgewalker” Journey 3

Sometimes the best mode of transportation is a “Leap of Faith”.  Mine continued on June 1, 2007 on a one way flight from Naples, Florida to Kona, Hawaii. When I landed at midnight  I literally and figuratively felt like I was in the dark. I began to have second thoughts about my decision. What was I doing on the Big Island of Hawaii in the middle of the Pacific Ocean? I knew no one and had no future long term plan, no past possessions and no home to speak of. I was in the void,the unknown and at the same time felt empowered.  I was curious, open to a new adventure and chapter in my life. Little did I know that my Hawaiian “ohana”, friends and community, were waiting for me with open arms and hearts to welcome me to the islands.

When I awoke the next morning in the  beautiful home I rented I was surrounded by an abundance of nature I had never experienced before.  Sounds of tropical birds and the smells and sights of exotic  flora and fauna were a feast to my senses. Any uncertainty I had felt about my decision to come to Hawaii was dispelled.  I intentionally rented a house near Kealakekua Bay,  a favorite local spot to swim with the dolphins in the wild and one of the main reasons I was called to Hawaii. I have always loved and felt drawn to dolphins as I sensed they had a message for me.

I arranged a dolphin snorkeling swim on a small boat with my local guide Joan Ocean. To my amazement I had the opportunity to swim with about 30 spinner dolphins. As they were encircling me, looking me in the eye, I felt their energy, playfulness and magnificence envelop me.  I was crying in my snorkel, overwhelmed by the feelings and love that I felt. As we connected I was also invited to swim and play with them. My “Edgewalker” qualities of playfulness and connection naturally expressed with the dolphins.

When I got back on the boat Joan shared that clearly I had been called to Hawaii which included connecting with the dolphins. She explained that dolphins, and the Hawaiian Islands, call to certain individuals when it is their time to change, shift, evolve.  My “Edgewalker” quality of Self-Awareness allowed me to listen, hear, and act on that calling. The process of disengaging from my former  life, persona and identity created a fertile environment for Hawaii and the dolphins to initiate me.  Over the next 10 years I would transform spiritually, emotionally, and physically.  The shift that began to occur from the dolphin exchange happened almost immediately. My entire body, my energy felt completely different after the dolphin swim. It was so intense that I had to take a few days off to relax and integrate.

The local Hawaiians say the islands either “chew you up and spit you out, or embrace you.” Little did I know that I was being embraced and supported to grow and evolve in ways I could have never imagined.  This also included the difficult process of letting go of the parts of me that no longer served my life. Over time they got “chewed  up and spit out”. I surrendered to the unknown, scary and full of possibility, one magical day and one precious moment at a time.

Lessons:

*When we are aligned with our true path, our authentic calling, LIFE supports us.

*Learn to listen to and hear your intuitive voice, trust it and act on it’s wisdom. It is never wrong.

*Letting go of the old is necessary to create space for the new.