Healing Journeys with Suzie Daggett
Traditionally, the Summer Solstice has been a sacred and powerful time for many indigenous cultures, as it signaled the beginning of the planting time, which would bring abundance in the fall. In Hawaiian traditions, it is also considered a time to be filled with the divine universal light and to commune with the elements, the Guardians of the four directions, the Ancestors and the Creator. Hawaiian Spiritual Guide and decedent of a high priest lineage, Aka Pule or Hal'eaka Iolani is making a rare appearance locally to teach Ancient Hawaiian wisdom on the Solstice. Aka and Marza Millar of Ancient Visions in Grass Valley answered a few questions to help us all understand a bit of ancient Hawaiian healing work.
Aka, explain a bit about your healing work and life:
Ka’ala or The Path assumed by me is an Ancestral position filled every other generation. The signs and dreams received by the Elders in my family upon the birth of certain children give their names “inoa’po” or named so by the ancestors. Born at the time of the night ruled by the akua’s (god and goddesses), I was such a child. My Ancestors were “Rulers of Hawaii and Kahuna Nui” (High Priest/Priestess). Today, everything they lived for, loved and died for sits inside of me. At birth, Elders instructed my parents on the care of me (even though I was their 7th child). I was to wear no hand me downs, not be hit at all, faced in a certain direction to sleep, and much more. Being born with the sight (the ability to see and know beyond the ordinary) was not the easiest thing in the world to live with. Because of my Elders, I was and am able to cope. My grandmother and her sister Iolani Luahini raised me to be connected to all and my training began at birth. My Grandmother was a Kahuna La’au Kahea, calling medicine, our highest form of healing. Where the power of prayer and laying on of hands brought people out of sickness, mended bones and wounds. My great aunt Ionlani Luahini was a Priestess of Pele, a very famous KumaHula/Loea (master of Masters).
Today, I continue doing the work that each generation before me has done. I travel to different parts of the world. I meet with Elders of various Indigenous Tribes to do powerful prayers to release the negativity affecting each of these areas. I also work with the elementals of each area to raise the vibration that brings forth healing “knowingly or unknowingly, consciously or unconsciously”. Some of the old ones refer to me as the patcher of the web – or the one that reminds, re-connects, remembers each connection of the web of life. I continue to do ceremonies at the Kilauea Volcano, honoring Pele, Full Moon Ceremonies honoring Hina (Goddess of the Moon), hale o keawe, City of Refuge, Winter Solstice and both Equinox’s to name a few. My work brings me full circle in my life and with the work that I do with so many here from the Mainland.
What will you be doing in Nevada City?
I will be presenting a workshop on Ho’oponopono – which at times means spiritual mediation but also includes many ways to "make right" our lives, by re-connecting ourselves with elemental forces and allowing universal divine energies to flow through us. It helps balance the imbalances and to bring forth healing on a heart level. We will connect with our ancestral lineage through a true connection to the divine, creator or "ke-akua". People will learn ways to maintain sacred space by learning to powerfully guard ourselves and our families from psychic interference and power stealers. We will use sacred chant, story-telling and feasting together as part of the ceremony.
Marza, why did you decide to study with Aka?
I am a Anthropologist and a Shamanic Practitioner. My father was Shamanic practitioner so I was raised with and around indigenous people all my life. I purchased a vacation house on the Big Island of Hawaii in 1995, and taught Hawaiiana at the University of Hilo but I never spent anytime with a trained native Hawaiian Shamanic Practitioner. However, sometimes fate has a way of opening doors for us. Since I owe a retail store called Ancient Visions, I was on the Big Island on a quest for some new items for my store. While visiting Napoopoo Bay I notice rocks (pohaku's) sitting on the Heaiu (Hawaiian Temple). They were so interesting, I just stood there staring at them. A few minutes later, a very friendly Native asked me if I like the rocks, and proceeded to tell me about the spiritual aspects of the rocks. This is how I met Aka. For the last 12 years, I have spent many hours talking story and studying with her. We share a common goal to build a bridge from Hawaii to the Mainland to bring knowledge from an ancient people in how to live in balance and harmony with ourselves and our world. While Aka is here, we will be doing prayer at the Yuba River for the balancing of the Earth Energies in this part of Nevada County.
Aka Pule will be offering a one day workshop on Saturday, June 17th and a three day Summer Solstice workshop on June 19, 20 and 21. Contact Marza Millar @ 530 -748 -5358 or ancientvisions@foothill.net
Healing Journeys is a column written by Suzie Daggett for the Grass Valley Union newspaper. Suzie interviews a variety of health practitioners most Fridays in the Wellness section. Click here to read past articles. Enter "Suzie Daggett" in the search box to get listing of all articles. |
