Last year was a year of gentle and not-so-gentle changes in this world and in many of our lives. We begin this new year with some thoughts on achieving in a new way. In many cases old structures and ways of doing things have crumbled. Ideas for a new way of doing things seem in order rather that restoring old, nonfunctioning systems. I offer to you a challenge offered to me 21 years ago by my teacher, Abraham Kawai‘i.
As I sat in dazed wonderment after my first workshop at Koke‘e on Kauai, he passed by me and looking into the distance asked a deceptively innocent question:
“What are you thinking about?â€
I should have known better than to answer a Kahuna’s question.
I said something about having a dream of someday living in Hawaii.
This is the answer I got: 
 
“Bring your ideas to life!†he said in a voice of command.
Our ideas exist in a space with other ideas: changing, moving randomly as they bump into one another. They share a space with social, economic, psychological and political forces.
All of this influences the success or failure of our ideas to manifest and become fruitful. But we can also supply another force with which to move our ideas.
Manifestation of an ideas requires mana, or life force. We can capture this energy if we see opposition to our ideas as a source of energy. This opposition allows us to recommit to ourselves again and again.
You cannot make an idea happen without mana, so these frictions we come up against in our lives become a source of mana.
The other side to this friction is Aloha, and the mana of Aloha. You cannot have Aloha unless you give Aloha. You cannot give Aloha unless you do Aloha. You cannot do Aloha unless you be Aloha. You cannot be Aloha unless your thoughts are filled with, preceded and followed by Aloha.
This Aloha, this love, is a powerful force. It feels much better than conflict, fear, or rational reason. Persons loving each other make junk ideas work. Persons loving an idea make a junk idea work. Persons filled with anger, envy and righteous indignation make brilliant ideas fail.
Most of the time, love is not considered by the individual to be a practical principle to settle disputes. It is a force that is not included in strategic planning.
Love is only occasionally mentioned as a vital component of success. Imagine what love, manifested as a force and directed towards a goal could achieve: never to be tired, always to be eager for the next, never clinging to a past idea of how to hang on to an idea of a person or failed attempt.
If you can imagine it, it is. Remember that an idea is a force existing in a space and sharing that space with other forces within you.
Feed your idea. Life is not a problem to be resolved, but a reality to be experienced. Loyalty to yourself is the true love for yourself. When we find it most challenging to be Aloha its is most necessary to BE Aloha.
And with that he proposed that I become his student and take over his business matters. It has not been as easy or as difficult as one might think. When we find it most challenging to Be Aloha, it is most necessary to do so.
It is a sweet and rewarding way to live life, because at least there is one person at least to Aloha: you. The face in the mirror.
Ho’okahi Tamara wishing you much Aloha!