Tag: spirituality

Places with power

Hannah TelluselleLeave a comment

In Hawai’i, some places are considered sacred grounds. In fact, since we can’t know for sure who might be buried underneath us, we must consider most grounds as potentially sacred and thread lightly. Some places, however, hold more power and energy due to having been places of worship and meetings for chiefs, or simply because some places in nature seem to have a certain quality about them, that one can sense physically, subtle, but still tangible. To me, it can be to feel more safe, to feel undisturbed, to feel that one steps into nature’s world away from our own busy human life, more oxygenated and light etc. These kind of places, can of course be found also elsewhere than in Hawai’i, with similar qualities about them for the people living where they are. In Hawai’i, these places can be entered with reverence, care and respect, and are considered holding Mana.

Mana, can also be personal. An inherent power that we have and can get access to, when we’re living righteously and in alignment with our heritage. When we feel grounded and centered, communicating with a purpose that is for the greater good, or at least good for the people we’re talking to, sharing knowledge that we know in our bones to be true. Mana exists in our bones, teeth and hair, according to Hawaiians.

What is then good? Good, is something that others can benefit from, without taking from someone else, where nobody loses on it, and when it brings about prosperity, positive growth and health. When others use their power to obstruct and stop someone else to use his or her own power (energy, education, experiences, creativity, communication, skills, traits etc) for the greater good, one can talk about manipulation and oppression, or simply power-play, which is what I feel that I have been subjected to for many years in Sweden. Luckily, the nature where I currently live, holds mana that is helping to heal and restore me. If we were to compare mana to another culture’s concept and word, it could be similar to what is referred to as Jing in Chinese Medicine, which is explained to be our inherited essence and fertility.

Wellness practices based on this, should then rather not be about fighting against someone else’s power, but to clear, restore and nurture one’s own, so we better can express ourselves, naturally commanding respect. In today’s society, so it’s not always the case, where we have to fight against malicious, or ignorant, influences all the time. But hopefully, we can strive more to.

Photo shows a stone with petroglyphs from Ulupō Heiau in Kailua, Hawai’i from 2011.

The inward outward journey

Hannah TelluselleLeave a comment

Most people have heard the expression “doing an inner journey”, but what does that really mean? First we travel inwards. This simply means focusing on what your inner world is about – your thoughts, your emotions, your memories and their meaning, your ideas, and your dreams. What we dream at night, is often our subconscious trying to process our impressions of the day, but also sometimes telling us things that needs to be brought to the surface for us to deal with. Perhaps a fear, a problem, we’ve tried to hide underneath the proverbial rug, or even a message from the spirit world. It’s said that our souls come lose during our sleep, and can meet with others, in our collective consciousness and from there carry with it information and inspiration. These things, can be realized, when we do an inward journey, such as through meditation and/or journaling.

What’s not so often talked about though, is the outward journey. We talk with others the same way we usually do. Sometimes, we even talk about the same things, and in the same way, regardless of who we are talking to, where, and when. That usually means we’re stuck in a thought pattern or dealing with an upset, or even assumed that we are, others expecting us to be and communicate a certain way, not at all congruent with our current state of mind and heart. However, looking inward before expressing ourselves, can enable a true blossoming. When we take what we’ve found within, and share it consciously, a door opens to new discoveries and a more deep understanding of both ourselves, others, and our world. And to dare share this, is where we mold ourselves into a constant evolving being. We can try our findings with others, which either makes us solidify our own insights, or let us develop them further, with others’ input. To dare take in others’ perspectives, as well as to dare share our own, from within our authentic self, is what enables a true exchange, free from pretences. And through this, we set ourselves free and can expand.

What are your true gems? What’s an inner longing or need you have? What’s an insight you’ve made about something you’ve been pondering about? What happens when you speak this out loud with people you can trust showing you respect?

The healing sound of mantras

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Prayers have been part of many religions and cultural practices since the beginning of time. Singing together as part of worship and community, can also be referred to as Kirtan, when made interfaith and intercultural. Chanting is one of the forms.

In Hawaii, they’re called ‘oli and pule, which are a way of chanting a story and praise their gods and godesses. The chanting sounds, are made by placing the vowels in the back of the mouth to invoke a vibration, that in turn is said to have healing properties by stimulating various parts of the mouth, which I was introduced to by Kumu Jared Kukaho’omalu Souza in 2005, and have continued practicing on occasion, such as E Ho Mai, a request to be granted wisdom from above (as chanted here).

In India, there are several mantras that are part of Yoga and Hinduism. Many are made to ask for blessings from the Hindu gods and goddesses. Here is the Gayatri mantra, that I learned in 2008 through the Indian teacher Shajesh Paparali, who found me in the online forum “The Daily Om”. The Gayatri is an invocation of the Divine Light for the highest good.

In Japan, their Buddhist traditions include a way of meditating and chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, which is a joint wishing well, which I practiced in the south of Sweden with an international group in 2009 (as chanted here).

In Tibet, the Mahakala is chanted to invoke protection, which I have done in Stockholm some years ago, as part of the Buddhist centre here.

The question then is, what do Christians do? Are there old Christian chants too? I think the Catholic priests’ way of praising and praying in Latin at Mass, could be seen as. And the way we pray Our Father there.

Would you like to try chanting a mantra?

Make your own ritual

Hannah TelluselleLeave a comment

Rituals can bring structure to our day, and is a great way of both creating balance, and make room for some personal time, or some family time. Rituals and habits are often alike, but while habits are something we just do to get them done, a ritual has a deeper meaning to it, and is founded in a conscious decision. Habits are things we are used to doing, that we might not even think about, while rituals are little ceremonies, that we create with presence.

Watching the sunset, has been one of my personal favourite rituals for many years. It started when I first lived in Honolulu, HI 2004-05, and also 2010-12, with the ocean close by, making it an easy accessible indulgence in beauty for free. Of course, I also liked watching them in Lisbon, Portugal, when I lived there in 2019-20, and now in Stockholm, Sweden since 2023, I have gotten the exquisite view right from my window, or by just walking across the street on top of a hill. But, while they are pretty to look at, they also hold a deeper meaning to me. First of all, most differ day to day, depending on the weather, clouds, and season – simply how the Earth is tilting. That reminds me of that change is constant. Watching the sunset, also gives me a welcome respite from the mundane, and enables me to realign with nature and the Divine. It’s a way to detach from any drama, and remind myself of how I’m just a tiny part of the whole, yet a full worthy member of the eco-system.

What can you do every day, or a couple of times per week, or once a week? What are you already doing that you enjoy? Add your own meaning to it, and you will too, have your own ritual.