The meaning of aloha varies from person to person. Depending on who you ask, you're bound to get some very different answers.
Jeana Iwalani Naluai
My kumu (teacher), Jeana Iwalani Naluai of Ho'omana Spa Maui, conducted a beautiful experiment in which she asked all ages of local non-Hawaiians, Hawaiians, tourists and Malihini – transplants to Hawaii – what aloha meant to them. These are some of the answers she found:
Aloha is...
"to be in the presence"
"the breath of light"
"to venerate"
"the experience of being welcomed"
"just a way of life"
"to love yourself and others"
"like a bubble of kindness"
(Naluai, 2018)
Aloha is love
To me, aloha is love. This is something I've always felt and experienced with aloha. I also feel that love could be defined in just as many (if not the same) ways. Aloha is powerful and we have the ability to bring its essence to our hometowns, our everyday lives, the workplace, and our family and communities. I believe the spirit of aloha is one of the most beautiful forces on the planet.
What does Aloha mean to you?
Go check out Jeana's blog post, the inspiration of this post. She goes into depth about this subject and elaborates on her brilliant aloha study.
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Sources
Naluai, Jeana. “The meaning of Aloha.” Jan. 2018, www.hoomanaspamaui.com/the-meaning-of-aloha/
