For Hawaiians, the hula dance contains the secrets of Huna.
Huna, originally called Ho'omana which means "to make life force," comes from the ancient Hawaiian people. The teachings of Huna allow a person to connect with his highest self and bring harmony and healing through the power of the mind. For thousands of years, teachers of the ancient knowledge, known as Kahunas, have mentored others in the Huna teachings, helping them to increase their life force and foster spiritual growth.
History
More than 35,000 years ago, the people of Hawaii flourished under Huna, a discipline that promoted personal growth, balance, healing and spiritual awareness. After 750 A.D., a priest from Tahiti named Pa'ao invaded Hawaii, conquered the people and replaced Huna with a taboo system that worshiped a god of war. The Hawaiian people hid the original huna teachings in chants and hula dances and passed down the knowledge from generation to generation. Two men brought Huna into the modern world. Kahuna David Kaonohiokala Bray, known as Daddy Bray, mentored students in the 1960s, while Max Freedom Long sought out Hawaii's ancient wisdom so he could share it with others through his organization the Huna Fellowship.
Huna Basics
Huna teaches that humans consist of three selves or minds; and each plays an important role in a person's life. The middle self or conscious mind knows of its existence, can reason and has free will. The lower self or subconscious mind stores all memory, houses emotions and presents unconscious material to the conscious mind. The high self or super-conscious mind exists on a higher plane beyond the physical body and directs dreams, intuitions and premonitions to the subconscious mind. Integration or blending of the three selves leads to health and happiness.
Finding a Mentor
Huna mentoring is widely available today in Hawaii and throughout the world. Kahunas who studied directly with Max Freedom Long, Daddy Bray and other esteemed Huna practitioners still teach and mentor students. Papa Bray, the son of Daddy Bray, and Serge Kahili King, Ph.D., adopted grandson of the Kahili family, both offer Huna classes and workshops. A list of trained Huna mentors can be found at Aloha International (huna.org).
Mentoring Experience
Learning Huna comes from experience rather than knowledge. Usually presented in small classes or workshops, the goal of Huna mentoring is to declutter the mind, clear emotions and reach out to the higher self. Techniques can include guided meditation, chanting, breathing and discussion. Trainings held in Hawaii also include traveling to sacred places, experiencing the beauty of nature and learning Hawaiian traditions.
Tags: Daddy Bray, classes workshops, comes from, conscious mind, Freedom Long, Hawaiian people