The 'Ole Moons

The beautiful illustration of "Kaulana Mahina" (the Hawaiian Moon Calendar) is done by Holly Camp found in an article in Maui No Ka 'Oi Magazine written by Paul Wood

These (yesterday, today, tomorrow and Thursday) are the 'Ole Moons if you keep track of time via Kaulana Mahina The Hawaiian Moon Calendar. The anahulu (10 nights/days of the week) leading up to the full moon includes 4 phases of 'Ole Moons. On the other end of the moon's near 30 days/nights of illumination, there are 3 phases of 'Ole Moons. Traditionally, our ancestors knew to keep these days/nights as times of weeding, repairing, resting, and resting the cultivation or harvesting of ka 'aina a me ke kai; leaving planting and harvesting from land and sea for other times of the month. The Kanaka Maoli are not the only culture which attunes to the inseparable nature of give and take between all-that-is. Most indigenous people lived and maintained life with that value.

As a life practice in today's reality the application of living, planting, fishing and being in sync with the moon is one that begins when the makua becomes aware. Solar time and the male domination of the sun-driven culture is addictive and subtle. We tell time and set our goals primarily by solar time. The shift into living by mahina came for me and my husband as a result of a major crisis in identity and lifestyle. From that loss we came to know the regularity of moon time and have not been quite the same since. I have written many articles about The Hawaiian Moon Calendar on this blog. And have facilitated on-line workshops focused on The Hawaiian Moon Calendar. You can link to those workshops here. They are open to the public now.

The 'Ole Moons are a time of pause, not just one day/night but several during the moon's monthly cycle. It's a rest and reflective time and though I love the sight and feel of all of mahina's 'faces' it is the 'ole that affects me with much appreciation. Surrender applies to 'ole moons. Being replaces doing. Yes, here I am writing and it makes me feel the appreciation for those Hawaiian roots that tether me when I feel lonely for the warmth of Hawaii ... reflective and weeping, I greet my roots through this writing and give thanks. New work can wait for other times. Awareness of Kaulana Mahina is the beginning, an idea that tickles at our minds and our gut. Integration of that perspective is the gentle and patient application into body knowing; that takes time.