Yesterday I walked up the tallest mountain in the world. And it wasn’t that hard. A bit of panting, a few stops to rest and boom – I saw Akaka Falls, a waterfall twice the height of Niagara tumbling down the side of said mountain.
No, I haven’t suddenly inhabited the body of Wonderwoman. Or lost my mind (although that could be a topic for further discussion!).
I walked up Mauna Kea, a million year old, now dormant volcano in Hawai’i. Mauna Kea when measured from sea base to peak, is 500m taller than Everest.
The thing is most of it is underwater.
It got me thinking about how we see ourselves. All of the unseen potential, all of the gems inside us are mostly unseen. Underwater. Unknown, even to ourselves.
Hawai’i has been so surprising. I have visited and stayed on three of its islands, and each one has been an experience so different from the other that I’ve felt like I’ve visited three nations in the span of a week.
My Hawai’ian adventure began on tiny Lana’i, where the supply boat (bringing EVERYTHING from cauliflowers to clipboards), only visits once a week. Very little is grown on the island, and much of it appears a desolate wasteland, a legacy of a now abandoned pineapple industry that once supplied most of the world’s pineapples.
There on Lana’i, I attended a retreat with Linda and Dan Popov, the Founders of the Virtues Project. I first encountered the Virtues Project 25 years ago when my daughter Mary was little and I was really struggling with the “hows” of raising a child, one whose gifts were so wrapped up in the crippling blanket of anxiety. That retreat was life-changing for both Greg and myself, and helped us raise our daughter (and ourselves!) using the language of the virtues, calling ourselves to recognise moments of Patience, Helpfulness, Generosity, Kindness and so many other gems of character, instead of shaming for what was yet undeveloped.
Twenty-five years later, on the tiny island of Lana’i, it was as if I was the child who was called to remember those gems within, some of which were, (like most of Mauna Kea), submerged under an ocean and invisible, especially to myself. I saw my own childhood through a different lens, and all the pain and betrayal and loss of that period became swathed in compassion and understanding.
And there was joy! With my sister and my friends, I laughed so hard that Laughter on Lana’i is now a treasured memory of my first experience of Hawai’i. (Oh, and I also swam with the little colourful fishies, and narrowly escaped eating vegetables cooked in blood. True story.)
I’m now on the Big Island, in a little town called Hilo. On this island, I’m surrounded by nature that’s pulsing with life. Lush, tropical nature, the kind you think of when you think of Hawai’i. The kind I hadn’t seen until now.
Green lizards wrapped around bright red flowers. Black, moss-covered rock walls bursting with tiny ferns through the cracks. The fast-flowing Wailuku river outside my window, and butterflies and a hundred different types of palm trees everywhere.
And yesterday I walked (partly) up the highest mountain in the world, past giant banyan trees growing on land that’s a million years old.
I’m at Retreat #2 with the lovely, kind and brilliant writer, Alexandra Franzen.
I came here to write and to learn from Alex. Or so I thought.
Alex has made this retreat a treasure box for the mind, body and spirit. I am incredibly grateful to her, as my body relaxes from the rigours of work and travel, and my heart expands.
Delicious meals appear without any effort on my part whatsoever. I am forbidden to do anything for myself. While writing this, I was handed a glass of cold coconut water by a magical fairy called Kate, fresh out of a coconut, and there were purple floating petals on it. I might have died and gone to heaven, which would also explain THE MOST AMAZING massage I’ve ever had. Ever. And I haven’t even mentioned my bedroom, the massive beautiful 4 poster bed or the Big Magical Window that I am currently sitting in front of, listening to the birds and the Wailuku River below. Or Alex’s skilful, gentle teaching, where she helps us remember and write who we are. Uncover what we offer.
Discover how we’re all the same and yet so deliciously unique.
Today we had to answer the question, “if you had a billboard on Times Square that you could say ANYTHING you want on, what would it be?”
Now, I’ve been to Times Square! It’s an insane place. My sensitive, introvert soul felt the crushing weight of so many humans’ dreams and desires, pushing and shoving, all those billboards demanding to be seen and heard.
I could never add my voice to that noise!
But, what if I did? If I could? What would I say? What would be my one message, the one I believed strongly enough in that I would add it to the noise of Times Square in the hope that someone, even just ONE person, would see it and be encouraged.
It would be this:
Make YOUR art.
Change your life.
We ALL make art in so many ways – when we cook, create gardens, paint, make pots, crochet, make movies, arrange our homes, create little tiny humans, teach, sing, write, dance. Most of it goes unnoticed. But when we name it art, when we use the creative impulse with intention, its power magnifies and grows. Something in our spirits recognises the ancient magic of creating beauty when before there was none and rewards our efforts by expanding our consciousness and amplifying our awareness. We come home, just a little more, to ourselves.
And Hawai’i, pulsing with so much of nature’s creative magic, from the green lizards wrapped around pendulous bright red flowers, to the raging rivers, swaying palms and mighty waterfalls, has wrapped itself around my heart and invited to come home at a deeper level than ever before.
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I’m returning to Perth very soon, where, on July 6-7, I’ll be running Finding Your Way Home, a two-day art retreat where I share how you might find your way home – to yourself, to your creative, strong centre. This journey is one that I believe we all take multiple times in our lives. And ART is one of the most powerful ways of doing this.
So, I have brought together some of the creative elements that I have found to be most powerful in doing this – the soothing calm of the Swan River, replete with the occasional dolphin, nature’s wonderful creation. The gentle, restorative yoga with the incomparable Chioni, who teaches yoga with love and calm centredness. (Her yoga reminds me of how the body recreates itself constantly, especially when we honour it with this sacred practice.) Reflective journaling, one of my most treasured creative tools; inspiring words and stories, and of course, step-by-step guidance for you to create nine glorious paintings (each) that come together to capture your journey home – no matter what your experience or lack of experience is with art. This workshop is gentle, powerful and forgiving, and teaches us to be those very things to ourselves.
Come. There’s room. And there’s still time to find your way home.
With love,
PS You can find out more about why I called this workshop “Finding Your Way Home” and see the art students have made and what they thought of the experience, and book your spot (3 left) OVER HERE.
PPS If it calls to your heart, but your finances don’t permit it, please reach out to me anyway. I want you to be to there and I gift at least one spot in most of my classes. It could be to you.
PPS and lastly, here are some images from my journey to these surprising islands, to make you happy (or to laugh at my dorkiness!)
First view
Banyan Tree
How I Eat Now 🙂
Sitting by the Big Magical Window
Leaves are different here!
Alex about to take us to her fav ice-cream store!
Finding a new life skill
Aloha!
Comments 22
OMG! To be pampered in body, mind and spirit! What an inimaginable dream, but you dreamt it and lived it! Can’t wait to hear in person all about it.
Author
Yes, it’s a bit Dream-like! I’m feel very blessed.
such a beautifully written reflection, Mal… i’m so happy you’ve found these experiences to nurture your spirit. so looking forward to receiving your insights back home as you absorb your own learnings and transform them into teachings big hugs xx
Author
Hey Carina, I appreciate your kind thoughts. I’ve certainly had a rich experience indeed and feel blessed. I hope I will be able share some of the learnings with others once I process them myself! Xx
Wow Mal, what an AMAZING blog about your AMAZING journey. An inward & outward journey. I felt as if I’d been there
Author
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Yvonne! Happy to spread the magics 🙂
This is glorious and beautiful. I feel honored to be in this space with you too. Your writing is a treasure, I’m crying and thinking WOW and YES at the same time because I’m experiencing it with you, if I wasn’t I would still feel like I was here, you’re writing is real and true.
Author
Thank you Lisa, I’m grateful for your enthusiasm and SUCH kind words. So deeply touched. Mahalo!
Wow! I love the riding on the flow of your words and being embraced and carried along as you reveal for me the magical world you have been experiencing. And to think you climbed the world’s tallest mountain–what an incredible metaphor! Thank you for sharing this, Malini. I am so deeply moved by what you have written and the love that saturates each word! Big hugs to you!
Author
Suzanne dear, I love that you noticed the metaphor of the “climbing tallest mountain”! I didn’t even notice that. What a gift. Can’t wait to tell you more! xx
Malini, I always love reading your posts. You have a beautiful way with words that are always so uplifting. Sending you love.
Author
Awww thank you Elena! I’m so happy you feel that way and Thank YOU So so much for reading my words. X
Thank you for the beauty of those strings of words, that describe something beyond the limits of language, to move our hearts
I was touched to read how we can call those unassuming acts we perform, or even profound acts like raising a child (or 3 ), “art” to remember and honour the creative force within us, and renew the spirit of those acts
Author
You wrote such beautiful words, Helma. I love that you took all that away from this story. Thank you for reading it and for sharing your thoughts xx
SO happy you’ve had such a wonderful experience there! And as always written up so beautifully. xx
Author
Yes, an unexpectedly rich experience, that beckons me to return one day… and thank you Tara for your kind words. x
I enjoyed your expression of your adventures – it’s as if I were there with you part of the way 🙂 LOL Love what you wrote in Times Square, awesome touchstone in so many ways. A privilege to meet you, to see you, to journey with you oh Beautiful One.
Arohanui
Angevhn
Author
Hey Angevahn, thank you thank you, that is so kind of you! And I’m glad you liked my Times Square fantasy 🙂 much love x
Smum! What a wonderful experience you have had! As always, beautifully written- so pleased for you and excited for what’s next…The photos are amazing too, all those lovely colours 🙂 Those leaves…
Author
So glad you liked my photos Rachel! I didn’t take very many as it was a surprisingly busy time, but there is so much beauty to capture… Hawai’i definitely needs to be on Shahrooz’s travel bucket list!
thank you Malini, lovely words to the beautiful place your experiencing!
Author
Thank you for sharing this experience with me Leana! x