Enlightenment

I've realized the first step in a makeover of the self is embracing the power of love and joy. I have felt so lost on this journey. Much of the time I have spent on the Big Island of Hawaii has been spent in depression or illness or a state of limbo-malaise. It made no sense to me. Here I am in this beautiful place full of opportunities for adventure and joy and yet I felt as if I couldn't move or breathe. The breathing part was actually kind of literal because I am very sensitive and allergic to the Vog (volcanic smog). When levels are low and unnoticeable for everyone else, I'm sucking on Albuterol and rubbing my back where the muscles have tensed up sending shooting pain into my body.

After several months of feeling as if I have been sucked into a void, the purpose of my journey has been revealed to me. Each new encounter that I have had on the island kept reinforcing the concept of spiritual journey, spiritual enlightenment.

Our first encounter was with a large Hawaiian/Haole family that pushed me to take a look at our own family dynamics as well as the power of indigenous pride. Our second encounter brought us into Sankirton Das's world of Bhakti Yoga, the divine worship of Krsna, and organic farming. At Punalu'u Black Sand beach, one of my favorite beaches because of the shining ebony sand and basking sea turtles, I met a woman named Maile who later witnessed to me about her experiences as a new Christian and Seventh Day Adventist. In my fourth encounter I came face to face with the ugly side of ambition under the guise of environmental morality as well as the beauty of acupuncture and activism motivated by selfless love of the earth. In their ecstasy the magnificent humpback whales became my fifth encounter on the spiritual path when we first camped at Mahukona beach park before moving into a rental in Hawi. Once in Hawi, I signed up for yoga classes which, though not new to me, continue to bring me closer to spiritual and self awareness. In one of the poorest and wildest regions as well as my favorite region of the island, Ka'u, I met Sandra from Uganda. She is number seven and brought me into the clearest realization of my spirit. This week I have experienced my eighth encounter, or eighth step on the road to enlightenment: my daughters preschool teacher offered me divine light to help ease my troubles. I had no idea what it was, but I thought, "Why not. What could it hurt."

Each of these encounters is a story in and of itself.  I could start at number one, but I think I will begin with the whales since they taught me about joy. After that I will return to the beginning of my journey, and post some of my journal entries. This journey actually started before I left Alpine, Texas. Journeys of the heart and soul can begin anywhere and often begin before we are aware we have set forth.