The Divine Joy

In reality, we are divinity in disguise, and the gods and goddesses in embryo that are contained within us seek to be fully materialized. True success is therefore the experience of the miraculous…When we begin to experience our life as the miraculous expression of divinity — not occasionally but all the time — then we will know the true meaning of success. – Deepak Chopra

According to Conde Accordining to Conde Naste’ Readers Choice Awards, Kauai gets top marks for continually being the most joyful, friendliest destination in the country. What’s not to love about this garden isle?

In the evening, local Kauai resident Amen Ra (right) seen here with Ny, spoke to us about unconditional love and entertained us with his voice and exhurberant presence.

Mystic sound alchemist (Goddess) Tiffany entertains with dance and island charm.

Our leader, Alexina, started a new form of island rap dancing.

Tiffany and Kate celebrate the joy of dance and sweet ‘sisterhood’ as Tiffany has become a treasured member of our Goddess circle.

The Adventure

Waimea Canyon

“Known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific”, Waimea Canyon is vast; 10 miles long, one mile wide and more than 3,600 feet deep.  Each layer of stone represents a different eruption and subsequent lava flow.

Some of the Discover Your Inner Radiance participants enjoy the view from the top.

A ukelele rendition of ‘Enjoy Yourself” gets Kate and Surya dancing.

Stunning scenergy accompanies us along the pot-holed road to Polihale Beach on the eastern side of Kauai.

Poliahle is where the Na Pali Coastline meets with 17 miles of continuous sandy beach.

Our group does a meditation on the sand where Dalai Lama visited and described the area as a powerful place where the spirit voice may be heard.

The Spirit

“As it is in Heaven, so shall it be on Earth” aptly fits Kauai’s Hindu Monastary. Peaceful. Tranquil. Secluded.  In his 1933 novel Lost Horizon, James Hilton described a mystical, harmonious valley called Shangri-La. It does exist here in Kauai.

Kauai’s Hindu Monastery, founded in 1970 by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami (1927-2001), is under the spiritual direction of his successor, Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami. . It is part of the Saiva Siddhanta Church founded in Sri Lanka in 1949. Its spiritual heritage derives from the Nandinatha Sampradaya, which goes back to 2,200 bce.

Kauai’s Hindu Monastery is a 353-acre sanctuary, and also a theological seminary,
publishing center, home of Iraivan Siva temple, and a destination for Hindus
who come on pilgrimage from around the world.

America’s only all-granite Hindu Sanctuary. Iraivan Temple is a living ediface that brings ancient tradition into the 21st century. The temple is still under construction and is accepting donations for its completion.

Temple building tools. Each stone on the rose granite floor received pillow-edge contouring to create a soft earthy feel for devotees walking in the sacred space.

A peaceful yet vibrant energy can be felt throughout the Monastery grounds. The granite temple exudes its own magnetic quality. Our retreat members got up close to insert a hand into the mouth of this stone symbol, to find a round rock inside.

The Goddess Union

We gathered to be part of a special ceremony to celebrate Mother Earth’s feminine spirit and to join as one circle of women. Before we moved to the Sacred Forest, we cleansed at a beautiful nearby beach so that we would enter the sacred space with a pure heart.

The Kava Ceremony

The end of the day brought a special surprise — a Kava Ceremony to our group at Hale Luana. In Polynesian customs, kava (also called “grog”) is part of the fabric of life, drunk nightly by families and also used for important political and social events. The  importance is not so much physical, but a uniting event where stories are told and jokes bantered and also as a peace pipe ceremony.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Journey

Yesterday, we visited Hanakapi’ai Valley. At the ten mile marker, we’ve literally hit ‘the
end of the road’. We arrived at lovely Ke’e Beach, a lagoon which offers fabulous
swimming and snorkelling opportunities. And it’s where it’s where the Kalalau Trail begins. The entire trail encompasses 11 miles of hills and switchbacks, overlooking stunning scenery, a total of a 5,000 feet elevation.
A challenging hike, the trail is narrow, steep and includes some stream crossings.
The first two miles of the trail encompass a spectacular view taking 1 ½ to 2 hours.

The sacred Kalalau Trail is known for the Earth’s energy vortexes.

We arrived at Hanakapi’ai Beach, and alluring sandy beach – beautiful to marvel at, but with treacherous waters to swim in.

We embark on the next section of trail, a veritable tropical jungle. Along the way, we spot a bamboo thicket with trunking clacking together as wind softly blows.

The highlight of the of the Kalalau Trail is the Hanakapi’ai Falls. It provides a rich reward with a refreshing and magical swim in the pool set amongst lava rocks. Exclusive and sacred, it is a key energetic ‘sweet spot’ on the planet.

 

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The Water

This shining water that moves in the streams and rivers is not just water but the blood of our ancestors. If we sell you land, you must remember that it is sacred, and you must teach your children that it is sacred and that each ghostly reflection in the clear water of the lakes tells us events and memories in the life of my people. The water’s murmur is the voice of my father’s father. Chief Seattle (1854)

Visit to Secret Beach

We visit Kauapea Beach, known as Secret Beach. A 15-minute hike reveals a stunningly
beautiful golden stretch of sand.

We arrive at the Secret Beach shoreline and stand ankle-deep in the thrashing water. We sense the ocean’s might. As each wave crashes to the shore, the ocean demonstrates her ability to claim her power.

Joining in a circle on the sand, we connect our soft, feminine energy, set against
the strength and power of the ocean. Surrounded by the elements of earth, wind and water, and the memory of fire in the lava rocks, we harmonize with the Kauai Goddess.

The Water Ceremony

We have been graciously invited to one of the most sacred forests and streams on the island. The Gatekeeper watches from a stone formation above. We inhale the oxygen-rich air and thank the forest. The splash of the waterfall blends into the murmur of the clear running stream. The forest nurtures us, and the water sings to our spirit.

The conch shell is blown. We have been called, brought together in a sacred ceremony to honour our Earth Mother and the gift of clear water. We are mindful of the ocean creatures and the footprint we leave behind us.

The Kauai Earth Mother displays a beautiful Bird of Paradise in her garden. We feel the Earth’s energy pulsating and alive, as we tread lightly on the her soil.

The Gift

Stepping  into the Discover Your Inner Radiance retreat is walking into sacred time, savouring each moment and enjoying this precious gift.  It’s about honouring Mother Earth and the Kauai Goddess and stepping into our own power, honoring our connection with the Divine Earth Mother.

It’s respecting indigenous ways; thanking the land and the people of Kauai and honoring ourselves to create inner space to reclaim our Goddess. We do this so we can live in harmony with the Earth, building bridges with compassion – leaving a footprint of more love, beauty and peace in our wake as we move along on our journey.

Nature Nurtures

Just off Kapiolani Road near Punahele Road in Princeville, we find a jungle trail leading down to Queen’s Bath, part of an ocean lava shoreline. The somewhat slippery path leads
down about 120 feet, and we encounter a peaceful waterfall, surrounded by tropical
foliage. The flow will drop and spill into the ocean further down. But here, the power of the ocean is contrasted by the subtle cascade, where nature splashes, then speaks in mists and murmurs with her calm, soothing voice.

Fire Energy

Queen’s Bath is a large ocean pool the size of several swimming pools carved by nature into a lava shelf with an inlet from the ocean for fresh seawater to flow. The force of Mother Nature is unmistakeable. The lava rocks themselves, emit a powerful energy,
reminding us that we are standing on molten rock, once an explosive fiery flow heated to a temperature as high as 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit.

Water is Life

Next, we visit ‘Anini Beach, protected by a long fringing reef, ideal for snorkelling. Much of the coral seen around Kaua’i is called coralline algae, which secrets calcium carbonate, giving it an appearance of being dead-looking, but it is very much alive. We are again reminded of how water sustains our lives; with every cell in our body needing water to live.

We began the day with a morning of yoga, meditation, and learning how to consciously manifest our desires. We connected with the Kauai Earth Mother through the elements of nature and strengthened our relationship with her. At sunset, we sang and danced, and celebrated Mother Earth’s feminine Goddess energy, praising her for her beauty and ageless wisdom.

 

 

 

 

The Dream

Imagine shedding your worries to step into a lush, tropical garden paradise, a 550 square-mile dot, just above the equator in the vast Pacific Ocean, an island formed some six million years ago.

Kauai, the Garden Island is such a place, abundant in natural beauty and nurturing feminine energy, a place where you can easily lose yourself and experience ‘coming home’, back to your true nature.

You are in a Powerful Place

Kauai has a has a quiet majesty but powerful presence. The thunderous waves, crashing on shores of lava rocks, remind you that Mother Nature is indeed as powerful as she is gentle.
And yet she is fragile and vulnerable, too.

You are here now, and the Earth Mother Kauai welcomes you with her sweet, intoxicating Mana energy. You are somewhere special, sacred.

What better place to get touch with your feminine spirit than to immerse yourself in the fresh, vibrant and healing energy of Kauai at your Discover Your Inner Radiance
meditation and yoga retreat – where Heaven and Earth come together.

As we set off on our magical journey, we unite with the welcoming circle.

In Hawaii, blowing the Pū (pronounced ‘poo’) or conch shell, a deep part of the Hawaiian culture, is sometimes used before a ceremony to mark the official beginning. A gift from the Ocean, the Pū comes out of the life giving waters with a sound that flows across the ‘Aina (land).

In a similar way, we have been called together on this sacred journey. We honor Mother Earth and one another as a community with ceremony at the tranquil Hale Luana retreat centre, and we are each given a fragrant plumeria lei. The heady perfume is overwhelming; it becomes easy to surrender to the exotic beauty and infinite possibilities that a garden paradise has to offer.

We are ready to step into the light, to a deeper part of ourselves, to illuminate our paths and reflect our Kauai Goddess loveliness back to the world.