It was a beautiful Sunday morning, I was sitting on the beach in Santa Cruz, sipping on my coffee and watching the surfers crowd steady sets of long glassy waves, thinking about my life and where it will take me next. I’ve lived in California for about a year, had a well paying job in San Jose, and often visited Santa Cruz beaches for their irresistible views and consistently good surf conditions. I’ve been surfing occasionally for a few years, but was still far from being comfortable on the water. It wasn’t an easy sport to learn, I was lacking in skills, plus the culture added to the complexity. I wanted to surf much more than I have been, but couldn’t due to inflexible work hours and overcrowded beaches on the weekends. I also didn’t like my life in San Jose, it was too flat and claustrophobic, I often found myself escaping into the nearby hills for a breath of fresh air.
Hawaii kept coming up casually in conversations I often overheard from other people, apparently it was a common destination for many living in California, and it was just a short flight away. I heard many legendary stories of Hawaiian surf, and was really interested in pursuing this opportunity further. I loved California for everything that it had to offer, but it wasn’t the right time for me to settle there just yet. Hawaii was like a beacon in my mind, pulsating with an amazing opportunity to improve my surfing skills and grow spiritually while living in a legendary vacation paradise. I haven’t had much attachments to my life in San Jose, which made my decision to move to Hawaii a relatively easy one.
I announced my last day at work, said my goodbyes to a few close friends I met during the last year, and jumped on a direct flight to Maui. I’ve been on vacation to Maui before, and fell in love with this island, making it an easy choice this time around. I reserved my accommodations in advance, ending up in a small Tantric community living in the jungle of Wailuku. The setting was perfect and the views amazing, I was so glad and proud of myself to have made it thus far, recognizing the courage and resolve to make this decision.
A few weeks went by, my vacation luster slowly subsided and reality set in. My job search wasn’t very productive yet, and my savings were being depleted quickly, making me somewhat uncomfortable about my prospects. In addition, I didn’t get along well with the Tantric way of life, not being able to fully understand why people need to walk around naked in shared places. This lifestyle was new to me, I wasn’t prepared to handle such open mindedness, and quickly realized that I needed to find a normal place close to the shore and focus on my surfing skills, which is exactly what I proceeded to do.
My new apartment was on the shores of Kihei, first floor in an apartment complex, with a side balcony door one hundred feet away from the beach overlooking a decent surf spot. I already bought a nice surfboard and enjoyed the waves during my spare time, meeting the locals and absorbing island customs. Finally my job search paid off and presented an opportunity nearby, which I embraced eagerly with both hands. Everything seemed to be falling into place, the surf was great, my job was five minutes away from my humble dwelling, I was finally settling in and enjoying my new adventure.
Waking up with the sunrise, I surfed for a few hours catching the magic of Hawaiian mornings, and proceeded to my nine to five office job. It was a dream life that I so desired, I could now surf to my heart’s content, and still have enough time for work and the island life. I soon had enough money to pay off my debts and acquire a paddle board, which was pricey but allowed me to enjoy frequent water excursions around the island, watching the tourists from afar crowd beautiful beaches next to their expensive hotels. Paddle boarding quickly became my favorite pastime, as I often spent hours paddling around catching waves or simply enjoying clear waters and teeming with life coral reefs.
Every day was magical, there was so much to do, so much to see. I often encountered giant turtles navigating their way around coral reefs, huge stingrays gracefully passing close to shore with their magnificent wingspans, and small sharks hunting about for coral goodies. For a few months in a year, pods of humpback whales would come in to nurture their young, staying close enough to shore to allow crowds of people enjoy their magnificence. It was like having a huge aquarium in your backyard, where the animals lived as they pleased in the open waters of the Pacific ocean.
I lived an active lifestyle, as usual, and used every opportunity to explore the rest of the island. One of my favorite places to hike and meditate was the Iao Valley, located within an ancient volcano crater. It was a jungle setting filled with countless streams running down the surrounding mountain sides, converging into roaring rivers, especially active after a few days of rain. The water was cold and refreshing, and provided a welcome sanctuary from relentless Hawaiian sunshine. I liked to meditate on the rocks there, within convenient pockets of crystal clear pools surrounded by lush vegetation. The waters had a healing effect on my body, somehow inflaming and rejuvenating the skin with volcanic energy. It was a divine setting unlike anywhere else on the island, and I used every opportunity to enjoy its bounty.
My other favorite place to visit was the Haleakala mountain, comfortably occupying the East side of the island. I loved driving up there on a winding narrow road, observing rapidly changing climate with continuous elevation gain. It was a truly fascinating experience starting the drive from a hot sunny beach in Paia, passing through the open plains and gorgeous views of Makawao, reaching the cloud level in Kula, and then leaving it all behind by entering a narrow zig-zagging road through a volcanic desert, finally reaching the payoff view at the top. Nothing could compare with a sunrise at that altitude, surrounded by an expansive view of the ocean in all directions. I would often come up there to witness the beautiful night sky littered with the stars of the Milky Way, followed by a majestic sunrise, illuminating the clouds below in hues of reds and oranges, welcoming the new day on this tiny island oasis in the middle of a huge ocean. I’ve had many spiritual experiences up on that mountain, and consider it to be one of the holiest places on this planet, where the connection between the earth, the sun, and the stars above is still present within the fabric of time and space.
By now my surfing skills have improved dramatically and I began to challenge bigger waves on the North side of the island. It was a good learning opportunity for me, mostly on how to stay humble in the eyes of imminent danger. On one particularly big day I greatly overestimated my skill level, and was relieved to make it back to shore in one piece, watching my surfboard snap in half while being pounded by a huge wave. Somehow I welcomed these humbling experiences, learning my boundaries with the elements and appreciating the power of nature, while trying to stay alive. After some trial and error I found a sweet spot, surfing juicy waves about my height was the most fun and rewarding for me. The anticipation of an approaching wave was just so addictive, everyone else watching as you rip your way just below the crest line, zig-zagging back and forth through the moving wall of water like it is nobody’s business, appreciating its weight and power, and getting out just before it slams back into the ocean, crushing anything in between. Like many others out there, I was plugged into the daily surf reports, seeing the same faces over and over again at the break line. I was finally being a part of the surfing culture, exchanging shakas and quick surfing jokes with the others.
One morning I woke up with a burning desire to visit the back side of the island, famous for its scenic road to Hana and the sacred pools of Ohe’o. I’ve never camped there before, inspired to stay for a few nights, do some hiking, meditate, and investigate the mystery behind the legend. The seven sacred pools were surrounded by a lush rainforest apparently created by the molten lava some time ago and filled by a runoff from a nearby waterfall, making them a perfect spot to enjoy that part of the island. I’ve heard this was a spiritually special place, often visited by the Hawaiian royalty, curious to discover for myself the power behind the myth.
The road to Hana was beautiful as usual, and I drove through it this time without making too many stops, heading directly for the sacred pools. Arriving around lunch, I had plenty of time to settle in and go for a hike, ending up at the waterfall to wash away my tiredness before heading over to the pools for sunset. The legendary reputation of this place was truly well deserved, I immediately felt playful and relaxed, overjoyed with a cozy pocket of wet and sunny happiness in the middle of the jungle. The fresh water gradually streamed down each pool, creating a variety of places to swim and enjoy this rare oasis.
After a nice and refreshing dip, I found a cozy spot in the sunshine and meditated for a bit absorbing the rainbow energy of this place. The sun’s rays were just perfectly loving and warm, reflected off the ripples created by the playing kids. A strange presence came over me, a memory of open hearted joy and happiness, where men and women loved each other physically without shame or jealousy, openly sharing in the bounty of sexual unions. Anointed by the elements and actively practicing polyamory, their beautiful naked bodies joining together in bliss within the sacred pools, as if the sun and the earth fused here in a divine embrace, producing a living rainbow consciousness. Sitting there motionless at the source of the rainbow, watching the kids jump off ledges and play in the pools, my heart was simply content with just being present within the moment.
Relaxing into that pure space within, I rejoiced at the images that started pouring into my head, imagining what it was like to live here isolated for thousands of years. My mind slowly started to drift into a dream state and I found myself staring at a strange image, as if countless manifestations of the divine feminine were in a timeless ethereal mating dance with the divine masculine, producing that which we know as solid matter of the rainbow consciousness. I sat there through the sunset meditating, allowing the transmission to pass, quietly absorbing the influx of new information. My tensions eased after dusk, and I headed over to my camping spot, mingling with the rest of the visitors and dozing off shortly after.
I slept well that night and had many erotic dreams, waking up well before sunrise, compelled to go back to the pools and watch the sun come up from the horizon. I was the only person there, which might have magnified the effects, as I was overwhelmed by the amount of information that was channeled through me at the moment when the sun peeked over the ocean. After spending some time in solitude, I attempted to head back to the campsite, only to find myself in the midst of conflicting energies from my channelling and the present moment. I deliberated for a split moment on how to best deal with this situation, and was compelled to head for the water, which often shows a way to resolving conflicts. Fortunately there was a cold stream nearby, and I fully submerged into it, straightening out my body to let the energy pass through me. This helped immensely, as if the stream washed away the conflict within me, witnessing my prostration to the mother Earth. I got up refreshed yet still feeling unsettled energies around the area, as if the guardians were expressing their discontent with the lack of appreciation for this special spiritual place.
I kept a low profile, letting things settle down by themselves, and around lunchtime a huge rainbow around the sun appeared, as if the mountain itself stepped in to balance out the disturbance. I felt loved and protected, my worries settled down, and I stayed by the pools all day basking in tantric energy, swimming in the blessed waters and enjoying the sunshine. Surprisingly the rainbow lasted all day as well, as if keeping a watchful caring eye over the island, making sure all prophecies are fulfilled in due course and time. My energy levels were elevated all day, mingling with the rainbow consciousness and connecting me to this peculiar and ancient land mass in the middle of the ocean. I was no longer a passing tourist seeking adventure, the spiral of time no longer applied to me, I was at the center of the rainbow, being and breathing with the living sun while firmly planted on a mother planet.
My camping trip was over the next morning and I headed back home to South Kihei, unsuspecting of what happened next. To my great amazement, the rainbow around the sun persisted the second day, making me feel disoriented and strangely elevated, as if my soul energy comfortably mingled with the environment around me, channeling the rainbow consciousness with my very presence. I humbly asked spirits for guidance, unsure how to better navigate through this new and unfamiliar spiritual territory, trying to integrate back into the busy minds of the island dwellers. Spirit responded with a calm and gentle female whisper, telling me to ‘stay in the water' until the download is complete.
It was a majestically quiet afternoon, the air was thick with rainbow Hawaiian lush. I grabbed my paddle board, and spent most of the day floating around the bay, enjoying the beam of tantric rainbow energy pulsing through me, amplified by the surrounding ocean waters and my isolation. I was in the rainbow portal, gently rocking from side to side with the incoming waves and enjoying a pleasant splashing sound against my paddle board. Perceiving the present with vivid clarity and extreme sensitivity, I was in a realm of unlimited potential and pure magic.
The volcano mountain was right there beside me, like a giant guardian stretched across the ocean. I could feel its enormous size going deep beneath the waters, being aware of its presence and grace, and aware of it being aware of me. It was like we were one now, enjoying precious moments together like old friends. I could close my eyes and fly around it easily, soaring high and seeing far into the ocean. Perception of size also lost its conventional meaning as I found myself easily projecting into shapes and forms, expanding and contracting at will.
Another day passed within the rainbow daze, making me almost dizzy with all the information. It was a quiet night and I slept outside on the porch, swinging back-and-forth in my hammock, overlooking the bay and the moon above. The next morning I could feel the sun rising over the other side of the mountain, illuminating the sacred pools as if a part of me was still there connected to them. The rainbow around the sun persisted the third day, and that morning it was even more intense than the days before. I remember as the sun was peeking over the mountain, the picture of a triangle with the sun on top surrounded by a profound circular rainbow was so vivid, that it left a deep imprint within my mind that morning. I was once again floating on the water by that time, observing this magnificent sight from my paddle board gently rocking on the ocean waves. I simply could not believe my eyes that day, the intensity of the energy was overwhelming, as if making sure I remember well this moment for the rest of my life.
I stayed on the water for a while, not being able to leave until the intensity started winding down. Shortly after lunch the mood changed and the sky was covered with scattered clouds, the rainbow softened up and soon disappeared. Quite honestly, I was relieved, it was almost too much to bear for me at the point, I was tired and hungry and needed to go on with my life. What started as an innocent curiosity for a magical place ended up being an unforgettable transmission of information and consciousness.
This experience marked the beginning of the end of my Hawaiian journey. I was now rooted to the island, walking around like it was my home, deeply feeling the pains and sadness of how the present culture is hurting it, wiping their dirty ignorant feet on the intricate carpets of the original creation.
Shortly after this incident I moved to Haiku, which had a nice jungle setting on the North side of the island. Kihei was too sunny for me, I desired shade and a lush rainforest. I lived on Maui for another year or so, surfing and gardening, keeping a low profile and enjoying my new awareness of feeling at home. I also visited the Big Island and Molokai, which confirmed my suspicion that these islands are connected by one consciousness in various manifestations, each having a specific purpose and energy about it. Living in the jungle, I felt the sunrises in the East and sunsets in the West as if I was a part of these islands now, connected by an invisible conscious bond.
One morning I woke up and realized that it is time for me to leave, my presence here was no longer needed, I had work to do on the mainland. Surfing no longer attracted me as much, I lacked the inspiration to explore or even move around, as if being karmically pulled back to continue my path elsewhere. I’ve had similar feelings before and knew well what they meant. Searching for my next place to live, I decided to stay close to the ocean, and picked a bay in Southern Oregon with beautiful scenery and affordable housing.
Three days before my departure, a strange thing happened. A lighting storm with continuous violent discharges stayed near the islands, scaring everyone as if a volcanic eruption was imminent. It was a peculiar coincidence to say the least, I felt as if Poseidon himself was there stirring up the primal energies of creation and destruction, making sure I remember my connection and take the power of the ocean with me.
My flight to Seattle was uneventful, and soon enough I was watching my first sunset on the mainland in Oregon. It took me a few years to fully let go of my attachment to the islands, the deep connection, love and pain that I experienced there. Every morning I took out my wooden boat into the bay, quietly gliding through the glassy cold waters, enjoying the change of scenery, bumping into an occasional seal curious about my journey. Hawaii was far away now, but I still felt it with every sunset sinking into the Pacific Ocean. Mainland was full of space and new wonders awaiting me, I remembered my previous encounters with the sacred spots in various places and rejoiced at the new opportunity to revisit them and many others.
My Hawaiian trip was finally over, the lessons I learned were deeply engraved into my subconscious. I didn’t accumulate much material possessions in those four years, but felt enriched with profound new experiences. It was time for me to focus on the relative world, learn more about the spiral of existence and how to help others untangle themselves from its bounds.
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