Aloha e everyone!

 The last week has been pretty amazing!  My film, Aloha Life, received the Golden Kahuna for Best Hawaiian Film at the Honolulu International Film Festival.  Many of us who worked on the film joined filmmakers from all over the world to celebrate the power and beauty of film.  I was struck by how so many people use this medium in so many varied ways to translate their messages, their stories, and their passions.

I will be honest, I never dreamed of being able to share the Aloha Life on film.  When the Brian Rusch, the director, first told me he wanted to make a film, I had no idea how we could accomplish it.. I mean A MOVIE!

After I meditated on it, I felt it was a way that I would be able to reach people throughout the world that I may never be able to otherwise.  I sat down with Brian and we reviewed my writings and seminars.  His goal was to make Aloha Life into a Docu-seminar.  Bring in the beauty and power of Hawaii while also conveying the message of my ancestors.

When we started actual filming, I was amazed at the process.  I am grateful to Brian for assembling such a hard working and knowledgeable crew.  From our initial meetings to when I watched the first screening -- every person did their part to bring this project to the world.  I know now to have faith in others.  As we say in Hawai'i, `A`ohe hana nui ke alu `ia or No work is to large when done by all.  I am eternally grateful to Anthony, Gabriela, Matt, Zack, Jason, Mariah, Bianca and most especially Brian for helping to make this dream come true.

At my core, I believe that you need to learn from many different sources and then apply that knowledge to your life as it best fits.  I was raised by my family instructing me in the spiritual practices of my Hawaiian ancestors.  As I got older, I started noticing that people came from all over the world to practice yoga and meditate in Hawai'i.  I decided to investigate some of these groups and I discovered that so much of what is taught in the different disciplines of yoga is very similar to the lessons that I had learned through the studies of Hawaiian movement.

As I was learning more and more about other cultures, I noticed throughout all the practices of yoga I ever attended was the word "om" or "aum" that people chanted.  I was fascinated by this.  As a kid growing up on my little island, I had never heard this word before.

When I was in my early 20s, I got a job working for a traditional Hawaiian luau.  Before I went on stage, I used to sit and meditate to calm my nerves.  One day, as I sat in deep meditation, I suddenly became conscious of a noise vibrating me to my core.  It was the deep, resounding sound that could only be described as "Ommmm".

I have to admit it brought me out of meditation.  This was that sound, that amazing word that people chanted all over the world! 

This magical sound announced the beginning of the luau with the blowing of the "pu" or conch shell.  Every Hawaiian ceremony begins this way as a devotion of spirit.  This sound, like chanting the sound "om" moves your soul. 

I knew then why we didn't have this word - we had been blessed with this sound in nature all around us, a way to connect our inner selves with our outer world.