Saying "Yes" to Kalani
I was captured within an hour. My friend picked me up at the airport and described all the wonders of Kalani on the 40-minute drive.
Even as I checked in I sensed a difference within minutes. I recognized the change that came from being in a heavenly space, for that is what Kalani means, “heaven on earth.”
My idea of heaven is being with a loving, accepting family, being nurtured and cared for, and being perfectly safe and at ease. Maybe “Peace,” with a capital P could be a shorter description.
As day became evening we walked the grounds. The sense of life was overwhelming. So many plants cohabited with each other, vines of philodendron enfolded trees up to 50 ft tall. Individual Ti and bromeliads were everywhere, as uniquely different from each other as humans.
I cannot come close to describing the flowers. I have never seen such shapes and colors before. Each stem seemed arranged in a massive bouquet. Each bloom presented itself for sex, seducing insects to pollinate them, starting the next generation.
The volcanic rock beneath my feet was alive, too. In its own fashion, created by lava flows over the centuries, the living earth revealed itself. There were smooth black rocks, some with glistening satin surfaces, others worn to a matte finish by longer exposure to wind and water. In other areas there were fields of sharp black rock, pock-marked by the bubbles of trapped volcanic gas. Brittle edges had broken and created knife-sharp fields impossible to walk upon. Whatever shape, there was always the memory of the living volcano that formed them.
And binding plant and rock together was a community of individuals who lived, played, and prayed together at Kalani. It was the 'people energy' I felt initially. This energy permeated me on deeper and deeper levels as I began to understand the intricacies of the human organism that had been created here.
There were rules but no boundaries. There was the freedom to say ”yes” to experience and welcome new friends and sensations openheartedly. There was the freedom to say “no” to the hold of lives lived before encountering this heaven, Kalani.
I heard countless stories of people who came for a week or month and stayed for years. One woman spoke of a dream to be more creative that was realized as she understood she could leave her old job. Another told of his search after retiring for the “next thing” so he could bring his skills and experience to serve another purpose. One man who found that his hands could heal was drawn to leave the mainland and work here, supporting his family and infant daughter.
In such a short time I made my decision, too. I wanted to give back to this place, this jungle, this family. I imagined and felt the smile God must have shown at His Creation when he said, “This is good.”
I am drawn here because of the peace, the beauty, and the life that is present. I doubt I will abandon my mainland home and life to move here as so many others have done. I know the peace I felt is within, available to me by saying “yes” to it. And I also know I can come back to Kalani to remind me and hear the chorus of yes, once again.
learned to be spontaneous and open up to new experiences; one minute I would be waiting to attend a meeting, and the next I'd be off on a staff trip to Green Sands Beach! Or I'd be saying goodnight to a friend, when suddenly we both hopped into the back of a passenger van to watch shooting stars from Coconut Beach! It was a huge lesson for someone who had NEVER been spontaneous in her life!
There is an indescribable powerful force at Kalani. Its energy seems to fluctuate with the energy of Pele (the volcano Goddess). Emotions can be so intense at times, as many people are going through life transformations. This can be challenging, but challenges are opportunities to grow and look within. Challenges can lead us to where we want to go (directly or indirectly). But everyone at Kalani is very supportive, very loving, and very understanding. They always make time for you and give you space when you need it. Because of this, people learn to be themselves at Kalani. 
And I replied " I found me."
Aloha Bill! Congratulations on joining Kalani's team of yogis. I was buzzing for hours after attending your Practical Yoga class last week. So that our readers know what to expect from your class, could you explain to us what Practical Yoga is?
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.
During 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.
My No. 1 tip from 10 years of travel photography? Follow rumors. There are no billboards for secret beaches. Having heard of a special spot below the cliffs of Puna, I drove through a tunnel of monkeypod trees on the Red Road, asking myself 'What do you wear to a nude beach?'
