Being your true authentic self is a magical feeling.

Recently, I was asked this question:

At work, your wear many different hats. Mentor. Business owner. Therapist. Friend. Boss. Wife. At Ho’omana, you’ve created a real sense of ‘Ohana.  How do you manage to stay real and do it in a graceful way?

My secret?  Amazing mentors.  Aunty Mahilani Poepoe was an incredible gift.  She was incredibly evolved in her spiritual journey.

She embodied the ultimate evolution…unconditional love.

Have you noticed when you meet someone, you are usually wearing some type of mask? In my world, it looks like this…

I’m a teacher.

I have my masters in physical therapy.

I’m a mother.

But that’s not who I really am. 

It’s just who I show up as in the world. Underneath the mask is the true, authentic me.

Just like you’re the authentic You.  That authentic you has tales of trauma, pain and hurt.  Stories you are carrying underneath it all.  Nobody really knows and maybe you wouldn’t dare tell anyone. But it’s there.

When you stand in front of Unconditional Love, it changes you.

Someone who is loving and can see right through you.  See right deep down to all your stuff, and still love you, no matter what. A pure offering of love and support.

It’s like a giant permission slip to just really be your true, authentic self. Wonderful, incredible, beautiful You.

Aunty Mahi was a role model for moving in different circles with grace and humility. To this day, I’m inspired and always working towards that same goal myself. It definitely keeps me in check.

Here at Ho’omana, yes I’m the teacher. I am the owner.  Actually, I prefer to say caretaker of this beautiful, sacred space of Ho’omana. I am the steward of this container for healing to occur.

Even though I stand as a teacher in front of the classroom, I always stand as the witness, willing and ready to learn whatever the Kupuna want to share through me. I am also student to my students and the unique lessons they present to help me grow and expand.

In the spa, I am an employer. We have created the Ahuapua’a, an expanded business model where we are a sustainable community. 

Our business is a canoe. The only reason our canoe is sailing is because of every single person’s contribution within the business. There is no hierarchy here. I am focused on creating a community where everyone feels valued and heard.

At Ho’omana, every person has their place to thrive and share their gifts with the rest of the community. Leader. Grounds person. Housekeeper. Front desk staff. Therapists. Administrators. Each has value.

All of the pieces come together to make a whole, and it’s really important that we support each other.

In this system of Ahupua’a, we are not owner and employees. The owner may have more responsibility, but that doesn’t equate to greater value than anyone else in the community.

This understanding allows us to work together in a way where everybody is respecting one another and feels appreciated.

Are there challenges?  Yes!  It is precisely the moments of difficulty we need to share and live the tools here at Ho’omana that we’ve learned in Ho’oponopono. They help us to quickly overcome any miscommunication or any disharmony. We have a system where we all feel like we are contributing to a sustainable model that feeds us all.

Wearing the mask of Employer doesn’t mean we can demand respect from one another based on hierarchy.  We command respect by behaving in an exemplary way. In humility, we work together towards excellence. We cultivate positive interactions. We ask for one another’s support. In honoring one another moment to moment, we co-create an environment of harmony.

And when we fall out of harmony with one another, we are committed to quickly coming back together.Not just coworkers. Sisters. Brothers. ‘Ohana.

At Ho’omana, there is a sense of belonging.  No matter what we’re going through, if we’re having a hard time we know it. We all feel it, and we support each other in it.

The ability to be authentic where you work…to feel like you’re in ‘ohana and be in community. Priceless.

Sometimes, it feels like, “Oh man, I feel like really emotionally drained today, and I really need support.” It feels so good to know that someone else is willing to step in and serve on your behalf.

Of course we understand the importance of being in integrity when we work on someone. We don’t want one of our sisters or brothers, when they are not feeling pono with themselves to have to work on someone else. This puts the therapist and the client at risk of a unfavorable energetic exchange.

We can be authentic.

We don’t have to suck it in. We can be ourselves and do the work we are called to do.  That’s powerful.

Let go of any labels or all those letters that we have behind our names.  Drop the mask.

“I’m a physical therapist.”

“I’m a licensed massage therapist.”

“I’ve taken this and that and the other training.”

And we can just be in honor of the essence that each one of us has to share. Be human with one another.

Being your true authentic self is a magical feeling. Holding space for someone else as well to be their true and authentic self is a precious gift we all have the capacity to give.

In what part of your life do you want to BE and REVEAL more of your true self? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below.

With aloha,

Jeana Iwalani Naluai

PS: Did you know? We just released our 2018 Lomi Lomi Training calendar. Find your path. Unlock your healing potential. Learn Lomi Lomi massage.  Click here for details.