Hawaiian Lomilomi Massage: On The Table of Transformation
By Christabeth Ingold, LMT
“LOVE Prevails All Trauma” is what one of my Hawaiian teachers, Kahuna Harry Uhane Jim, always says. He even made bumper stickers that he gives out at his trainings!
What does this mean? It means that love is the holder and healer. It’s the space where we come to lie down our hurts, worries, and traumas for deeper healing. When we enter that space and those hurts are SEEN, they are given an opportunity to heal. LOVE is the greatest force, and even if we aren’t feeling love, it is always there.
When offering lomilomi, we create the space for clients with love. Through the Hawaiian healing lens we lead with love and the support beam to that which is forgiveness. Forgiving ourselves and others leads to our freedom–and when we are free much more is possible for expansion and our own wellness.
Before I continue, I want to honor and share gratitude for the Hawaiian teachers and ancestors–it is because of them graciously opening their hands to share this healing modality with the world that it is becoming more known. It is because of them, we have this gift at our fingertips (figuratively and literally;), and may we always honor the teachings of all of the indigenous ones–thank you Uncle Harry. My other teacher is a white man who spent years learning directly from other Hawaiian teachers, specifically Sherman Dudoit who is spirit side. He was given the blessing to share Hawaiian healing–thank you Kumu Wayne Keolohi Powell.
Lomilomi isn’t only a massage technique, for its roots are in ancient Hawaiian shamanism. It addresses the energetic and spiritual self alongside the physical self. I think of the body as a portal to all the other parts of who we are, what we are holding in the body, and through the portal of a full body massage we address all the layers of ourselves.
I am not a Hawaiian scholar by any means, and when we see a word repeated 2x in the Hawaiian language the intention behind it means business. Lomilomi translates into different meanings as a lot of Hawaiian words do, and we can simply say massage here. So it’s not just massage–it’s “massage massage” so it’s serious about delivering some good healing!
How did lomi come to be, you ask?
Like many ancient cultures, the Hawaians knew how important it was to address the whole body for healing including bodywork. Each family had their own lineage of lomi that was passed down, therefore creating a plethora of lomi styles. It was also used for when warriors came home from fighting. For example, bone setting is a style of lomi to help reset the bones for healing.
Some delicious styles I practice are:
Heartworks Style Lomilomi: using the hands as an extension of the heart in long and short free strokes from head to toe like the waves washing over you
Temple Style Lomilomi: starting with a chant as I offer longer, deeper work in the body with more forearm work and some similar strokes to Heartworks woven in
Bone Washing: gently clearing calcifications and stored memories from the bones
Clearing the Rivers: cleansing and opening your energy channels
Ho'oponopono: forgiveness prayer
Creating Space: gently moving and shaking out the joints to...create space;)
Breathwork: THE most important part of Lomilomi, called the Ha breath
Laulima: softly laying the hands on the body to bring in love
Po'o: beautiful and relaxing head massage
I start every session with an in depth check in about how your heart center is feeling, and how your body is doing. When you first get cozied up on the table, we open this practice with honoring the ancestors and your intention for your session along with some nourishing breaths. This is setting the stage for the work. Then, you are invited to let go as the spirit of Aloha–love–takes over and guides the session.
This is the space where time ceases to exist and both transcendence and embodiment take place.
Typically, I follow Heartworks and/or Temple styles because these are two full body massage sequences. I weave in pieces of the other styles including traditional massage therapy to curate a personalized session for you. This is part of what makes my bodywork practice integrative and holistic. I’ve been practicing lomilomi since 2015, I still can’t get enough of offering this medicine!
Wave by wave, we are called into the space of love over and over again. We are called back home to ourselves and our infinite power. We are called back to our healing, and we are led by the ancestors of our bloodlines and of Hawaii. On the table of transformation the energy gently yet profoundly moves through your system, and as my teachers would say “the session isn’t over yet” as the energy of lomilomi will continue to unfold post session.
I invite you to come get on the table for a beautiful experience and opportunity to allow the healing lomilomi waves to wash over you. Whether it’s for deeper healing, emotional release, reconnecting to yourself and body (so many people come to feel back in their body!), to feel grounded, or to simply relax your nervous system this is the space for it.
There can be layers to our healing, and may love prevail our traumas and hold us closely until we see our wholeness.
Christabeth offers Lomi Lomi, as well as astrological and Akashic Records readings, at CLINIC Tuesdays and Thursdays 3- 9pm. Book with her here!