Posted by Lani on August 29, 2000 at 01:22:54:
Aloha,
I just thought you might be interested in this post I just made in another ml:
Aloha,
You know, the more I study for my Kahuna I Ke Umu Ki (Priest of the Firewalk) initiation, it becomes deeper and more
significant, and strange.
Strange that I didn't know that much about it.
Just, really, Max writings on it, and when I walked on a firebed under Tony Robbins.
Probably three things stand out the most:
1. The ancient historicity of it. It predates all modern religions.
2. "Firewalk" is just a euphemism or idiom standing for (in Huna's case) the effects of the goddess "Wahinenuiho`alani", after
whom I was named.
Yet what is she really? During the firewalk this is a presence of something which if successfully invoked, and then not resisted,
judges the people for their, um, lokahi, internal integrity and submission to the goddess there. It isn't a willful submission, e.g.,
one doesn't say, "Oh yes great goddess of the Moon, I submit to you". No not at all. It is more like falling into the warm arms of
your lover on a cold day.
But what really is "Wahinenuiho`alani"? Who knows? There is a calling by a Priest or Kahuna (by any other name), and there
there is a feeling of warmth and protection.
This inoa is just a handle to get a grip on the experience, although for me, she is wonderful. This Great woman who sets fire to
the sky, this goddess of the Moon.
3. There different styles of it. In America, very practically, it is done on glowing wood embers, which are cleaned up at the end
and nothing is left to mark it, except in the experiences of the Firewalkers themselves.
In Japan, The Shinto style uses wood with high flames.
In India, it is done on charcoal.
All over the way of the fire is a literal path.
But for the Christians in Greece, it is done only on the days of the Saints Helen and Constantine. They dance in the fire. And the
firebed is made round.
In Polynesia and Huna, it is actually usually done Umu style, where there may not be any fire at all, just large stones heated
white hot.
Oops! There's 4: I always thought that the Firewalk had something to do with fire. I wasn't a priest of the sentient fire, how
could I know.
In my initiation in a few month's time, to test my ability to invoke the goddess Wahinenuiho`alani, I will do fourteen Firewalks,
only seven of which will be done on actual fire.
In another, whilst under the influence, I will be required to break rocks with my bare hands.
On another day, a metal bar will be placed at the small "v" at the base of my neck. I will push on the metal with that spot on my
body, the most lethal spot anyone has. Until the bar bends in half.
On another, I will be expected to place the razor sharp point of a hunting arrow's broadhead on the same spot, and pushing
on that arrow with that spot, bend or break the arrow.
On another, I will be expected to place a 5" "pin" on the top of my left hand. Then push it completely through my hand, and I
must be able to do this without pain or blood, which I will be able to do if I am submissive to the presence of
Wahinenuiho`alani.
And on another I will be expected to walk across a path of broken glass shards, without getting cut.
And I may have forgotten some. Plus, as I said, another seven firewalks over fire.
Now, that's what I call a religious competence boot camp!
Of all those things, only two really scare me: walking on broken glass shards and pushing the pin through my hand.
How could it possibly be possible to push a nail through your hand? Without blood? Without pain? And (hopefully) without
infection?
I am a Kahuna Huna, so I was trained by Kahuna Huna Nui Max Freedom Long to attribute the force to the goddess
Wahinenuiho`alani. But the others there?
There is this religious truth from another firewalker:
""Good-bye, mom and dad. I love you," I said. I turned around andWHHHOOOOOSHHHH, I traveled instantly out from the
earth at stupendous speed through a tunnel of light. When I reached the far end of that tunnel Jesus was standing there. He
welcomed me to heaven. He was smiling. He held his hand out to me as he welcomed me. His face radiated with an
overwhelming brilliance. His eyes shined like the sun. I was awe-struck by his radiance and his magnificence. Words can't
describe the feelings I experienced in his presence. The doctors told my mother they didn't think I would live. I was in a coma
for four days. Miraculously, I came out of that coma and survived the shooting.
If you believe in Jesus your whole life, then you'll meet him face to face some day after you pass out of this dimension. If you
have some other spiritual teacher or guru who is your connection to God they will present themselves to you. You'll know who
they are. If you're a Buddhist, Buddha will greet you. If you're a Mohammedan, Mohammed will greet you. Whoever or
whatever your connection to God is, that's who will meet you. You'll have no doubt in your mind.
When I was in the spirit, nothing needed to be said by verbal communication. All was communicated by telepathy. I don't
remember hearing a sound for as long as I was out of my body.
When you're in the spirit, nothing is verbal. Nothing can be heard with your ears because everything is communicated by
spirit vibrations. All my memories and impressions associated with my
near-death experience are just beautiful. It was all love, painlessness and perfection. I had a feeling of being loved,
protected and cared for in a safe place. Having an out-of-body experience like that made me realize there's more to
this universe than meets the eye."
Boy. that was a great description of the Dreamworld (what some Christians call: Paradise), wasn't it?
The goddess Wahinenuiho`alani is always on our side. She doesn't mind being Jesus or Mohammed, or Miriam, etc.
Or, if your POV is different from mine, then maybe for you Jesus pretends to be the goddess of the fire.
If so, that's fine by me.
All that matters to the benefit of faith is that when a Kahuna invokes the sentience of the fire, the fire becomes sentient. Then the
haumana must submit himself to the sentience, which he may identify as his or her God.
The he walks over the fire or broken glass, etc. And if found worthy by his God, will walk unharmed.
But even the 10% or so who are burned, ar normally just bitten (burned) a little bit. Just enough to nudge them into greater
purity.
Although it happens, there are very few people who need hospitalization, or die from their wounds.
(But there are those few whose interior "Kingdom" is so lokahi`ole (out of harmony with his life) that he should never walk.)
--
-Lani