A superstition held by many Hawaiians is that one will be cursed with bad luck if anything from the Volcanoes Park area is removed. The belief extends to lava rocks on all of the other Islands, too. Pele is said to be possessive of her children. In fact, visitors who ignore this warning and take pieces of lava mail back the rocks to the Park every day. They often include their tales of woe. They express guilt at their wrongdoing and ask for forgiveness so that their bad luck will cease. We found exactly the same thing happening in the park around the great stone monolith Uluru when we were in Australia.
I received permission to remove a lovely mauve and yellow lava stone from within Pele’s domain. It quite happily assists me with healing sessions at times. My conclusion is that if we honor the gifts of the earth, no harm can befall us. And I also feel that one’s beliefs certainly impact the reality that one creates!
I always ask permission before I remove anything from any site. Since I use these items in healing sessions, I almost always hear a resounding “yes” to my request to remove an object. I once got a firm “no” about removing stones from Boynton Canyon in Sedona, and this I honored respectfully. So during that hike I offered prayers, while nothing was taken. Some of the land in the canyon has been torn up for Enchantment, an exclusive resort. The major negative energy that I felt in Boynton Canyon that day was actually from many of the people who brought it with them as they hiked and inwardly felt anger and discord from the intrusion of the resort. We can add dissonance to any area if we do not enter with permission, and carry balance and love in our hearts.
Our first stop within Volcanoe Park’s boundaries was at its elaborate, enjoyable and educational Visitor's Center. I was amazed to learn that the original Visitors Center had to be completely rebuilt in a new location in 1989 after it was totally destroyed by lava. The Park’s sulfur and steam vents and especially its lava flows change constantly, nearly daily, and each visit to the Island brings amazing new conditions which can be accessed through the USGS. Usually lava enters directly into the ocean from one or more flows, though during our time at the park the ocean flow was in an inaccessible area.
We viewed a movie in the Visitor's Center which richly illustrated the activity of the Park’s volcanic activity. Kilauea is probably the most studied and well documented volcano on earth. The film also included a very brief image of a striking painting of Pele. It really caught my attention; the image of her face emerging from flaming lava captivated me. We actually came back later in the day and watched the movie again, and after considerable searching and assistance from the staff, we found a print of the image among the numerous pieces of art for sale at the Center. It now graces and protects our home in Sedona. Pele’s energy accompanied me on my exploration of her fiery world.
HAWAII: VOLCANOES PARK FERN
We drove around the huge Kilauea crater on Crater Rim Drive and marveled at the ever-present volcanic activity at every turn. Steam pours out of the ground with great fury. Sulfuric gases bathe the earth and tinge it yellow. Barren landscapes sprout hopeful and stunted plants and shrubs. Multicolored minerals stain myriad rocks and boulders with muted rainbow hues; the landscape painted from a palette of true earth colors.
Visitors are required to watch out for hazards on their own, very unlike many parks in the mainland where people are summarily kept out of dangerous areas. We visited Thurston Lava Tube whose entrance is veiled by huge branching ferns that feel very primordial. The tube is the shell of a fast moving lava flow whose outer edges cooled and solidified as its inner-most molten center continued flowing toward the ocean many miles ahead. The left branch is well lit and open to the public. A gate on the right leads to an unlit, though accessible section. The darkness in this tube was astounding when we turned off our flashlights. We toned and the sounds we made were absorbed instantly by the lava walls around us. The energy was not like anything I had ever felt. It was a little scary and very volatile. Sharp lava edges surrounded us, and we carefully and gratefully made our way back out into the sunlight. Our time spent in the tube gave new meaning to the phrase “in the bowels of the earth”.
On the edge of the caldera, many Hawaiian people have prayerfully left offerings to Pele. The most common gifts are flowers, along with other objects personally wrapped in Ti plant leaves. We prayed our prayers in the presence of these offerings, and felt the great Goddess Pele receive them. We placed a lei on the ground to honor her Spirit, and to thank her from our hearts.
The volcano energy seemed very familiar and comfortable to me, even amidst the volatility of the area. Steam and sulfurous gasses represent the earth’s great cleansing energy, and along with lava and fire and explosions keep the inner core of the earth in balance. Being in the presence of this energy felt like being in connection with the lungs of the planet, which occasionally need great coughs and sneezes to keep the airways clear. We enjoyed saying “Bless You” to the planet.
We had a lovely dinner in the Volcanoes Park Lodge, and then made our way back toward Kona. We stopped at the southern tip of the Island and were blessed with amazing views of the coastline. It has a reputation for being a UFO sighting spot, but they didn't say hello to us as we passed through. We slept well that evening, in great anticipation of our morning boat trip out to see the dolphins! I felt that a close encounter with them was only a few hours away. next page >>
