Hawaiian Ka Huna massage therapy is also known as Hawaiian kahuna massage therapy, huna massage therapy, Hawaiian kahuna bodywork, Hawaiian Lomi Lomi, Lomi, Heartworks Lomi Lomi, Lomi Lomi Kuplel, Romi Romi, Hawaiian massage, Hawaiian bodywork, Hawaiian masage therapy, Hawaiian temple style, Polynesian massage therapy, temple of your soul bodywork. The Ka Huna massage therapy training at the Academy of Therapeutic Arts calls this massage therapy 'Ka Huna massage foundation level' and 'Ka Huna massage therapy advanced level'.
The word Lomi Lomi translates to mean ‘to knead’, to squeeze’ and ‘to make soft’.
Born in the Islands of the South Pacific Ka Huna massage therapy flourished for thousands of years as a system of personal development, healing and spiritual discipline. This unique massage therapy was deemed to be illegal in 1820 after the missionaries arrived in Hawaii. Much of the practices and teaching of the Kahuna healers actually remained that way up until the late 1980’s. Due to Ka Huna massage being deemed illegal throughout Hawaii over that period of time, the Hawaiian people became accustomed to keeping the practice underground. However, happily over the last 50 years there has been a renewed interest from around the world in the Ka Huna healing, unearthing the richness of its teachings and the beauty of its practices.
There are numerous meanings for the word Ka Huna within the Hawaiian language. The word Ka Huna can be broken down into two other words the first being “Ka” meaning “the light” and “Huna” meaning “secrets”. This doesn’t mean secrets as in keeping secrets; it means the knowledge and wisdom that is beyond what we can see in our everyday lives. Another meaning of the word Kahuna refers to definite groups of people who were experts in all matters pertaining to life and spirituality in the pre-missionary days (please note the difference in spelling, when talking about people it is spelt Kahuna and when talking about philosophy it is spelt Ka Huna). These experts specialized in certain occupations or practices designed according to their individual arts. These ranged from expert builders, medical physicians, massage therapists, etc, etc.
Just as there are numerous meanings to the word Ka Huna, there are also numerous styles of massage throughout the Polynesian Islands. As traditionally the massage has been handed down through families for generations, what you will find is that each area of the Islands has developed its own particular style of the massage. Much the same as there are many different accents to the English language. So everywhere you go it’s a little different in its application although the understanding behind it is very similar.What is Hawaiian Ka Huna Massage?
To try and define Hawaiian Ka Huna massage is like trying to describe what a flower looks smells and feels like to some who has never seen one before. You can only ever really ‘know’ by the experience of holding a flower in your hands and breathing in it lush fragrances and being in awe at its magical beauty. Like the essence of a flower, Hawaiian Ka Huna massage is beyond words, and in that moment of giving and receiving it is beyond being and non-being, pure love. It is a celebration of our humanity; it is the massage of life.
In saying that, I will however give a description of the massage techniques as it is necessary to be able to give people some idea of what the massage entails.
The Hawaiian people view all aspects of the body as one, believing that the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual are all part of the ‘whole self’. What makes Ka Huna massage such a very special style is its combination of movement, dance, rhythm, breath, energy and massage. The practitioner is in constant movement around the massage table, following specific patterns of foot placement and body posture. The arms sweep over the body in long, flowing movements to the pulse of music, creating a very fluid and rhythmical massage, like a bird flying through the sky.
Another characteristic of Hawaiian Ka Huna massage is the application of flowing strokes using forearms, elbows as well as two hands combining body draining, soft and deep tissue massage, under body massage, and energy balancing to form a very dynamic and transformational bodywork.
Hawaiian Ka Huna Bodywork explores: the Huna Philosophy (see the seven principles of Huna page 18), Hawaiian breathing and male/female energy balance. It emphasizes the importance of intent, focus, belief systems, movement and dance within the massage.
The Hawaiian Ka Huna massage therapy has 2 levels, Ka Huna Massage course foundation level and Ka Huna Massage course advanced level.
The Hawaiian Ka Huna massage therapy training foundationl level is a 6 day live in course usually run approximately 90 minutes from Brisbane.
What you will learn:
- Full body Ka Huna massage including face.
- Using the seven principles of Huna in your everyday life and for massage.
- Recognising signs of stress and to develop intuition through body reading.
- Special dances: Flying and stick dance for building energy and developing co-ordination.
- Huna philosophy - meditation for healing, relaxation and balancing.
- Energy flow: how to keep the energy flowing without getting tired and burned out.
- How to create flow throughout the body and reduce tension.
- Developing your own intuitive style.
The Hawaiian Ka Huna massage therapy advanced level is a 4 day live in course usually run approximately 90 minutes from Brisbane.
What you will learn:
- Huna philosophy in more depth
- Learn the beautiful Albatross dance
- Underbody massage
- Hawaiian style gentle deep tissue release, combined with Remedial massage techniques
- Understanding the mind/body relationship and how to balance emotions
- Intuitive body reading
- How to build your bodies mana (energy) through giving massage
- Massage as a form of meditation
- Building your energy
- Using all of your senses to massage
The Academy of Therapeutic Arts is was the first training organisation to receive national recognition for the Ka Huna massage therapy training. This means that once you have completed the subject yuo will receive a nationally recgonised statement of attainment that can also be used within a Certificate IV or Diploma of Massage.
Ka huna Kahuna Massage Therapy training courses are run reguarly, if you would like to know about upcoming course dates go to the Hawaiian Kahuna Massage training course calendar.