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Kalani Honua Blog - Volunteer Reflections

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Get the Most Out of Voluntering
Cameron S.

The number one piece of advice for the budding Kalani volunteer in the first weeks is to put yourself out there.  Yes, you will find love and support, yes you will find fun and adventure and yes you will connect with many, but none of it will happen if no one knows you are here.  Kalani is in a period of growth and at time of writing there are one hundred and twenty five volunteers in the community.  Everyone does their very best to welcome new arrivals to the family and it’s important that you do your bit too and be proactive in introducing yourself and initiating conversations.

If you are camping, I would immediately go all out to make yourself as comfortable as possible.  Don’t hold back!  Mattresses, tents, lanterns, even bits of furniture do the rounds among the volunteers and particularly if you are in for a three month stint, you’ll be glad you made the effort early on.  I have enjoyed making my hale (Hawaiian word for house or home) as creative and comfortable as possible.  It’s all part of the Kalani experience.  You can scour the jungle for rocks and wood to get creative with (although check with the locals and do not remove anything from sacred spaces), you can design artwork and soft furnishings in the art shed, (a wonderful Kalani resource for creative play) and if all else fails you can search for supplies in Hilo and brave the consumer-madness of Walmart!   Yes, even in Hawaii…

One theory is ‘say yes to everything on offer’ to help find yourself in the community.  By saying ‘yes’, you maximize your opportunities to connect with others, you experience the range of classes on offer, and you will find yourself on adventures outside the retreat bubble.   A few words of caution; there are so many activities to choose from, it is easy to feel overwhelmed.   Listen to what your body and your heart tell you.   If you are tired, rest.  If you feel overwhelmed, retreat.  And if you feel strong waves of emotion arise, take yourself to ‘The Point’, a beautiful ocean vista just opposite the main gate. Sit down on a bench, breathe deeply and drink in the view.   This is the best dose of Kalani medicine.   

There are so many ways to live here, so keep in mind why you came.  I wanted to experience community living and the abundant nature on The Big Island.  If you find yourself staying up late and sleeping in, shake things up and watch the sunrise at 6am.  If you have never tried a certain type of yoga, challenge yourself to take that class.   And if you do nothing else, shake it all out at Ecstatic Dance on a Sunday morning.  It took me a whole month to make it there, and I have no idea why I waited so long!

Talk to the staff or long term volunteers if you have a problem, or if there is something that you do not like.  They would much rather know sooner or later so that they can do something to help.   With the exception of our founder who was here from the beginning, everyone else here has gone through the same adapting process, to carve their own unique space in this vibrant community. Come and check it out for yourself! 

 

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Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Heading East
Taylor Powell
One year ago, I was sitting at Kalani and I read a book. This book was unlike
others. It "followed" me. It kept peaking in my life and presenting
itself to me, nudging me along to read it, even thought I thought I already
knew what it was about. After all, how could a book published in 1971 have
additional insight into the blissful existence I was already experiencing?
Hell, I was 3 months into Kalani, I now had a beautiful A-frame and more
abundance than I had realized in a long time. Sure, Ram Dass is a great
author - I remember a particularly special high school english teacher
loaning me this beat up, pitiful light blue colored paperback that had
oranged pages. Something about meditation. I read 3/4s of that book, and I
felt I wasn't ready for what it was saying, or I didn't care - I was too
wrapped up in being a high schooler, so what could this blue bound wide book
called "Be Here Now" have for me?

But it did have something for me. It came into my life at Hale Aloha, when
Hanna the receptionist finally caught me prancing around this old novel and
declared that I take it immediately and inquire about the gems inside. So I
did. And after a few weeks I finally got past the intro story and into the
meat of the book. Wild illustrations, deeply beautiful words, reminders of
experiences of finding God in oneself whipped me into late nights of
reading, giggling and awe in my red light lit A-frame. I was floored, to say
the least.

Then one night I shared this book with someone. I was reading in my A frame
loft and a visitor approached and cuddled up next to me, while I read aloud
this masterpiece of light. As soon as I did, my voice changed, I felt a
charge, a connection and deepening with what I was reading, yet a
separation. I started to recite the book's passage loudly and I continued at
a perfect rate and perfect pitch. Each word was taken in by us both - we
both knew what Ram Dass was expressing - as if we had wrote these words in
this book. This connection took an absolutely spectacular turn. While going
threw this oration, I began to get ahead of myself - literally. I found I
would read a whole page, but continue onto the next page without looking at
it. I was reciting, word for word, a book (which I have never read before) a
page ahead of what my eyes were experiencing. I was speaking words
universally, without even looking at the page that they were already written
on.

This was quite an experience. This is all true. I have a witness, but I
don't even need one, as I am a very honest man. And this, well, this had a
profound effect on me. And I liked it.

Time went by. Things changed. New books were read. But I really liked this
book, and I really was happy that it connected to me with so much
extraordinary immersion. I felt a certain homage to it. I felt that this
book was very, very special and that it was a book out of time. The authors
of enlightenment that I love - eckhart tolle, don miguel ruiz, etc. were so
awesome, but this Ram Dass book needed a push into the modern times. After
all, the pages look to be printed by hand, with stamp typeface and
delightfully rough and intricate illustrations. So I had an idea. I would
take a sliver of this work, and put it to my experience, with only the
intention of creating beautiful art, with capturing a point in my life, and
maybe that would turn someone else, just as oblivious as I, to an "older"
spiritual work, that was so, so great.

So I started what would eventually be called "Heading East". In 2012, I was,
well, "Heading East". I had determined by this time that I was going into my
love of video production, which would take me from my current location of
Puna, Hawaii to Los Angeles, then attendance at Burning Man, at Black Rock
City, Nevada, then onto New York City. I wanted to chronicle this in an
intimate, personal way, but still rely on others to showcase this journey.
So I decided to make a video piece that would do just that. I was quickly
granted permission by Ram Dass's charitable organization and I began, with
the gracious help of friends, to create a project of deep love.

Kalani was my first location. I had spent 7 mind exploding months there and
it dominates this peace. Water, birth, love, sex, relationships, work,
employment, green, lush, jungle, ocean - all dominate the Hawaii portion of
the piece. Fire, lava, angst, fear, power are sprinkled in as well - they
are in their right place.

Serendipity followed this project. Upon arriving to LA, I started to shoot
glimpses of my experience there. I moved away from the elemental, nature
based quality of Hawaii that I had captured and more into people, dreams,
lift, air, flight, lightness. I was drenched in sweat, laying on a Manhattan
Beach yoga studio floor, after my ass had just been handed to me by a
rigorous asana practice, when I heard a tone. It was none other than a
Tibetian singing bowl, played by Anne Spinner, the yogi who had just guided
me through a physical, and honestly, emotional practice. It was like I knew
exactly where that part of my human experience should go in my work. I asked
her to play it for me, and she contributed the audio that sets THE tone for
this piece.

I followed the Eastward movement and immersed myself in the hustle of New
York City. Captured here was the enormity of it all, the question of where I
was, the comparison of who was in relation to the buildings, movement and
people around me. Hustle, loud, dominance, confusion, relation, humility,
reawakening was experienced here and captured as well.

So with another time around the sun in 2013, this project got eclipsed by
other ideas, new pages in new books, but it wasn't forgotten. I knew I would
finish this, but I didn't know when. More honestly - I was scared to. I was
scared to put my work out to the public, that.... well.... It wouldn't be
good enough. "Heading East" sat in the editing drive of my computer, only
known by the digital world of myself.

This week, I had some profound perfect serendipitous life experiences to
show me that it was time to publish this project. I had dreams of death, of
cancer, of end of life, of peaceful realization that life is finite. So in
some way, I know that contributed to me finishing this project. I completed
a final edit on this video today. I am putting it out for the world to see.

And I absolutely love it.

So now you know a story behind it. This is my art, this is me and this is
beautiful.

I present to you,

Heading East.

Love,

Taylor Powell

PS - When I started this email, I had no...clue that I would write a
novel. It just came out. But here it is. So share this with the staff and
loving friends at Kalani. In all incredible causation and effect in the
world, you never know what Kalani, or anything else might provide.

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Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Jungle Living is the Life for Me!
Cameron S.
As a veteran camper from wet and muddy festivals, I felt well prepared for jungle living.  So I was therefore pleasantly surprised by the jungle set up at Kalani.  A platform base and a sturdy tarpaulin cover awaited my arrival, making it very easy to keep dry.  It’s all about expectations.  If you show up looking for a room at The Marriott, then you probably will be in for a shock.  

Arriving in Lower Puna for the first time, I was struck by the lushness of the tropical foliage.  Explosions of green abundance are all over the district that is home to Kalani, and the forty-five minute drive from Hilo, through the rustic village of Pahoa and south to the ocean was a spectacular welcome.  

I arrived in the winter months and there are only two seasons – wet and dry.   And yes, it can rain a lot.  It was difficult to get a straight answer about the weather before I arrived, because it is entirely unpredictable.  I have been at Kalani for two winter months and I’ve experienced a week when it rained every day, and an entirely dry week of glorious sunny skies.  Every day is different.  When it does rain, it never lasts for long.  And I’ve gone through two large bottles of sun tan lotion. 

There are four types of creatures that I encounter daily in my Kalani jungle life:   The brightly-colored geckos that scurry around the campground, vacuuming up the bugs; the friendly feral cats that live across the property, each with their own domain and their own personality; the wild pigs that harmlessly snuffle around my tent before running back into the jungle; and the infamous coqui tree-frogs who fill the warm night air with their two-tone koh-ki mating call.   (Interestingly, on cooler evenings the coquis take the night off – apparently they are not so inclined to desire a mate when it’s chilly!)

The jungle is an adventure playground for the nature enthusiast.  Ancient Hawaiian sacred spaces offer a chance for meditation and reflection for those working on their inner journey.  A beautiful monkey pod tree has its home near the campground, with its gigantic sprawling roots twisting through the rainforest and it is a favorite place for the horticulture volunteers to gather after work.  And before too long, you will start to learn the best place to pick up ripe and juicy fruit such as lilikoi or passion fruit, strawberry guavas and mangoes.
 
I have found it easy to adapt to jungle life, and my large tent keeps me protected from the elements, while offering a great vista to the foliage beyond.   Practicalities of electricity are solved by acquiring some decent rechargeable products to provide light and entertainment, although my lifestyle here is such that the amount of time I spend in my tent at night is minimal – there are far too many other exciting things to do!   The wildlife in Hawai’i entertains, inspires and delights me, and provides me with such a backdrop of rustic beauty I cannot help but feel well in this environment.  

Come and experience the jungle for yourself. 
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Monday, June 11, 2012

Transformation Ignites Heart Fire
Andy Freist

Tranformation Ignites Heart Fire

Angels ground me I seek deeper love
letting go like the rain drops land all around
each light-beam lands on my skin in gratitude
I trust each day a gift I see to this day my life brings
wholeness I lust
cherish where I come from
beleiving in where I go
that star in my sky reaching for this breath
I am joy
In rest
and in my hands i sense freedom in the passing wind
starlight dreams in my whisper
enlarging my true essence
my tropical spirit flower intrigue with the red winged bird in flight
lush soothing jungle
smiles from heart surround me
bliss full dance
expression power of ocean waves
just below the surface alive moving lava of intent always
changing, manifesting, transorming, alarming, igniting
the grace of Pele appears
All is a part of me...thank you
I want to hug the ground, kiss the plants
say mahalo to Buddha for reminding me
I am peace
My Grandma's butterfly wings send me to new heights
I feel her smile, her proud tickled heart embrace
I have no doubt opportunity awaits
magic abundance is here
I trust~
Deep mahalo's to my Kalani `ohana for all you individually are and i wish you all greatness in where you fly~

Love,

Sommer Joy Albertsen

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Wednesday, April 18, 2012

E Komo Mai - A Note From Jesse Graeter
Jesse Graeter

E Komo Mai - Welcome

My time at Kalani has been about interactions.  About myself, other individuals, and about how we come together as a whole to form a community.  I came here with my partner Ellie and we were embraced as individuals and as a couple.

As a volunteer here at Kalani you receive a note card when you arrive and when you depart. They are like a greeting card with a message inside when you unfold it, with room for people to write short messages.

My arrival card welcomed me to Kalani with aloha.  There was an inspiring quote from a previous volunteer giving me a flavor of the experiences that awaited me.  There were also the critical details of the pool location and when dinner was being served.  Then below the printed text was a handwritten note from Zori.  Welcoming me to paradise and inviting me to an orientation tour of the property the following day.

Then 2 months passed.

On our last day, Ellie and I received our departure note card.  This card simply said that we will be missed, sending us onward with the aloha spirit.  Then all the blank space was filled in with handwritten notes from our friends.

“You guys are so perfect here!!! I will miss your beautiful energy and smiles. – Shelley” … I met Shelley the night the kitchen staff took the evening off.  A group of us non-kitchen volunteers had a blast serving dinner that night!

“You are both so wonderful.  You are both doing exactly the right thing.  Mahalo, with love. – Taylor”  … This brings back memories of talking with Taylor on the dinning lanai, the laundry room, the maintenance shed.  Topics ranging from GMOs, road bike touring, to activism.

“I am lost for words.  You are two beautiful people full of smiles and light. Sure hope you boomerang back to Kalani. Aloha a hui hou. – Marilyn” … Ah yes, the late night hot tub soaking sessions with Marilyn sharing an engaging conversation or sharing a comfortable silence.

“Loved our conversations. Stay real and joyful! Love – Jen” … I often grabbed a seat next to Jen during meals.  The introverted sides of our personalities really thrived on being extroverted with each other!

“Have a fabulous time biking the island and continuing your series of life adventures.  Great getting to know you and Maria too! – Deb” … We arrived at Kalani the same day as Deb (same airplane!).  When Ellie’s mother Maria visited us for a week, Deb and Maria went adventuring along the Puna coast while Ellie and I worked our shifts.

“You are both such an inspiration! Hope to cross paths with you again one day.  Travel well, mi amigos! Love – Clarity” … Who would have thought that a lady from New York City and a fella like me from a mountain villa would have so many deep connections?  It’s all the product of an hour long hike through a muddy jungle to a secluded white sands beach frequented by sea turtles. 

 This is a sampling of the hundreds of connections that were made with the beautiful people here at Kalani.  Yes, I do look forward to crossing paths  once again and I will take these fond memories wherever I go!

Mahalo!

- Jesse

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Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Sentiments from Samuel
Samuel Hogarth

Samuel HogarthAloha my beautiful Ohana,

It's very different being in the UK, it's flipping freezing here.

I want to express to you all what my Kalani time meant to me and what you all mean to me.

I am very grateful for every person I met in Kalani, you all helped and supported me on my path, taught me new things and helped me to realise things I already knew.

I have made strong, deep, lasting friendships with beautiful people. I have gained a home in Hawai'i, a place where I know I can go and be welcomed, be happy, be peaceful. All of the Ohana work together to make Kalani a wonderful place to live and the result is inspiring.

I have gained a higher state of happiness than ever before in my life. I have decided that wherever I am in the world, every day I am going to live Aloha.

Mahalo nui loa for Kalani, the realm where dreams become reality, and mahalo for every person who helped to create it and who helps to continue it.

Aloha,

Samuel

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Monday, December 5, 2011

The Witness, by Max Fathom
Max Fathom


A few weeks ago the Kalani 'Ohana was blessed with "I Witness", a beautiful poem by Poet, Performance Artist, and return Kalani volunteer Max Fathom (pictured).

May it bring as much light and joy into your day as it did ours :)

* * *

The Witness

I witnessed life unfolding as the sun rose up to kiss a flower snowflake that had fallen from a tree
I witnessed the witness watching this creation and everything expanded in me
I witnessed what humans can do when they are safe and sound
I witnessed inspiration rise up… and I watched her fall back down
I watched the lessons leave their marks on an island made of fire
And I felt my spirit lift as the io flew higher and higher
I saw how love can grow when she has solid ground
And I saw the challenges transformed when they had snuck back around
I watched myself come home to me in a place where no orphans be
And I watched the mystery rise up and return again to the sea
I watched the gift unwrap itself with fingers made of light
And I saw the darkness do a dance to music made of night
I watched some go thru the wringer and come out soaking wet
With tears from a place they hadn’t forgiven quite yet
And then I watched them drip dry in complete inspiration
Dazzled and in awe of the transfiguration
I saw courage grow in me I saw a love that would accept no bribe
I saw mothers who were fathers
Sons who were daughters
I watched rocks come alive
I watched a bird inform a turtle on the ways of the air
And when that turtle flew I couldn’t help but stare
I watched life jump up and live again and again and again
I saw day turn into night
And as my head kissed my pillow I knew
That everything would be alright.

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Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Aloha My 'Ohana - Letter from a Kalani Volunteer
Riss Winstanley

Ah my Ohana. What to say?

During my last breakfast at Kalani the gorgeous little Shola was behind me. She gave me a big hug and said "So what did you get out of this place? What did you find?"

And I replied " I found me."

And what else can you ask for? I cannot remember the last time I felt so loved, so appreciated and so valued. And I cannot remember the last time I genuinely believed everyone that told me so.

So thank you. All of your compliments will stay with me for the rest of my life.

I felt so at ease, and so appreciative and have realized that's exactly how I want my life to be.

And whenever I get to that point where I feel stressed, sad, insecure, angry or overwhelmed, all I do is picture all of your beautiful faces and those feelings literally wash off me and I am left with an open chest and heart and a very nice feeling of contentment.

My first Yogi Tea lucky dip told me an attitude of gratitude brings happiness.

I am so grateful for what you all have taught me.

I have learnt how to appreciate all the simple things.

I have learnt how to breathe.

I have learnt how to love, and to let people into my life.

I have learnt how to listen more, how to be more patient and how to accept everyone just as everyone accepts me.

I have been reminded how to live in the present, and how to not worry so much about EVERYTHING.

You are all such beautiful people, with such amazing lights of your own and I am so proud of all of you, and so proud of myself for finding such a rewarding experience.

And my parting words?

Enjoy yourself. No worries. Laugh. Dance. Recycle.

So thank you for being you, and for allowing me to be me. The greatest gift anyone could ask for.

Some of you I will see again, some of you I won't. But I will carry you all in my heart and you will all coach me throughout the rest of my life.

I love you all.

Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant.

Mahalo.

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Tuesday, September 6, 2011

.my jungle tent. - Camping at Kalani
Molly Rikkers

Camping at Kalani Big Island Hawaii

We've long wondered how to convey the beautiful experience that is 'Camping at Kalani'.

With lush tropical jungle surrounds to inspire you by day and a blanket of stars to cover you at night, it's hard to encapsulate what campers receive in our campgrounds experientially (physically and emotionally) in just a few simple words.

Thankfully one of our long-term volunteers, Molly Rikkers, has done it for us in the beautiful poem below.

Molly camped at Kalani for ten months (she and her tent are pictured).

Whether you're considering camping in Hawaii at Kalani or simply reading the Kalani blog for pleasure, .my jungle tent. makes for an inspiring read.

***

.my jungle tent.


my home breathes with the jungle.

the walls are transparent and billow like sails in the wind.

i have to unzip the windows to let air in, unzip the door to let myself in.

tiny droplets of water splash onto my pillow when it rains.

lilikoi vines wrap around the foundation and climb towards the sky.

if i don't weed every few days, the jungle will swallow me.

and i love it.

i'm safe on my wooden platform, under my teal-streaked tarp, behind my see-through walls.

i sleep in a sea of green.

i lie in my bed and watch shooting stars from my window.

i can rub a gecko's belly and give it mini high-fives with my fingertip as it hunts for dinner on my rooftop.

the coqui frog orchestra serenades me to sleep and the blue-eyed doves remind me that it's time to wake up.

i have everything i need in here with me, in this 13 by 9 foot space.

and it's the most perfect home i've ever lived in.

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Wednesday, August 10, 2011

The Kalani Effect - A Volunteer's Transformational Journey
Tina Eastoe

Tina during her volunteer stay at Kalani

If you are reading this you may be thinking about coming to Kalani as a volunteer.

The search for ‘something’ (maybe you're not exactly sure what yet) has brought you to this website, and now you're curious about this place called 'Kalani' on the Big Island of Hawaii.

That’s how it happened to me, anyway. As I sat reading through other blog posts six months ago, my heart beat a little faster. Why? Because each post provided a glimpse of what life was like at this special place, and what I heard resonated deep inside. I wanted what I was reading about. My soul needed it, and I'm guessing that yours might too.

For this reason I want to share a little about my own experience at Kalani in the hope that it will encourage you to have your own personal experience with, what I call, 'The Kalani Effect'.

As soon as I arrived I could tell that my time at Kalani would be life-changing.

The Big Island, with its lush jungle, volcano, powerful ocean and endless canopy of stars in the night sky couldn’t have been more different from my life in a small English town, a 'nine to five' office job, and live-for-the-weekend lifestyle.

Tina at The PointDuring my stay at Kalani I danced, laughed and laughed, ate well and tried all sorts of different classes, diving into everything that was on offer. I can't tell you how good it felt to be interested in new things again.

I swam in the pool almost every day, wove bracelets that I’ll keep forever, watched moonlight on the waves, smelled the most wonderful fragrances from flowers in the night air, helped make a community drum, sketched and painted, dressed up, had blissful massages, swam with sea turtles and colourful fish, made amazing friendships, had one of the most memorable birthdays ever in my 37 years, opened my heart, remembered what it was like to experience joy every day, and more and more and more…

Oh, I also cleaned some bathrooms and made quite a lot of beds! But even during my volunteer work hours at Kalani, there was still time to think, to reflect and to listen to myself.

One of the best bits about this place (because there are many best bits) is the people. The fellow volunteers and staff are fun, loving, supportive, mindful, interesting, entertaining, engaging and most of all being themselves. And they stay in your heart even once you’ve left.

Not a single day passed when I didn’t at some point think "I can’t believe I’m in Hawaii, I’m so lucky!"

And once I departed, my life was suddenly full of possibilities again. I was more confident that I could create the life I wanted rather than reacting to life around me. I was happier. I felt excited again.

Three months on, that same feeling of confidence and happiness - 'The Kalani Effect' - is still strong within me. My stay at Kalani has changed my life permanently.

So, if you do come to Kalani, at the very least you’ll have fun and catch some sun, and at the very best it will be a life-enhancing and life loving experience!

Kalani is a place where you have nothing to lose and everything to gain, so do whatever you need to do make your visit happen. If that means saving money, arranging vacation time, or taking care of other practical details, do it. If it means facing some fears and anxieties, so be it. Once you get to Kalani you’ll realise you don't need to hang onto fear and anxiety anymore. You'll have the time and space you need to get to know yourself. You'll learn to create and live the life you've always wanted for yourself.

In the end, my own experience of living and volunteering with this community – the Kalani 'ohana (family) – was truly more than I could have hoped for.

I hope you too will take the leap and honor whatever it is that is calling you to go.

* * *

Click here to read more about Kalani's Volunteer and Sabbatical programs.

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