The archipelago of the Hawaiian Islands is more than just warm weather, beaches, volcanoes, valleys and Polynesian culture. It is the spirit of love, or Aloha. Before my feet hit the āina (Hawaiian for land) I could feel deep within my heart this was the place I needed to be. I had never been to Hawaii before, and I thought, “Why is this land calling me?” and day by day, the feeling would come through strongly. My partner and I decided to pack our bags and head to Hawaii. 

When I arrived on the āina, I instantly knew why my soul called me here at this time. It is because the islands are set on a foundation of Aloha. My soul must have known I needed to be here as the world was collectively going through a time of massive transition. We all know the word Aloha. On the surface, you may think of Aloha as a salutation as it is a typical greeting in Hawaii, but it is much more than that. Aloha is a philosophy that directs a code of conduct and way of life. The concept came from the need for Hawaiians to live in peace and work together, as Hawaii is very distant from most places on the earth. Coming together in harmony and kindness in all relations be it the land, people or animals was a priority, so the Hawaiians adopted this Aloha spirit. Aloha spirit is uniting rather than divisive, and a code of conduct that is so relevant for humanity right now as it transcends race and differences and embraces togetherness and equality.

• Akahai: kindness, expressed with tenderness
• Lōkahi: unity, expressed with harmony
• Olu‘olu: agreeable, expressed with pleasantness
• Ha‘aha‘a: humility, expressed with modesty
• Ahonui: patience, expressed with perseverance. 

Aloha creates a unified atmosphere of Love, Peace, and Compassion. It is a simple prescription of how to live a life where your heart is so full, it is overflowing with the ability to influence others around you with the presence of your highest spirit on behalf of all. I am so grateful to be here living Aloha on this sacred, loving archipelago. In return, I embody that spirit of life everywhere I go. 

Here are some of my favorite ways of creating Aloha spirit every day and anywhere:

• Smile at the people you pass on the street and greet them with a hello. A smile is an act of kindness.
• Share something if you have a surplus. Sharing is an act of unity.
• Need help with something? Ask for it. Sometimes we are terrified to ask for help, but we need to remember we are not alone. Asking for help is an act of humility.
• Pay a compliment. Compliments are acts of pleasantry.
• Sit in observation through meditation, or stand in observation when in line running errands. Observation is an act of patience.

The beauty of Aloha spirit is you can take this philosophy with you wherever you are. After all, I think we can all agree that humanity can use more love, or Aloha spirit.

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Visit Abhaijot at her eco luxury permaculture farm: wai-mana.com

To celebrate the release of our print issue themed LOVE, we reached out to our amazing community to share with us a few thoughts on love. This week we celebrate one of our partners, Shay, founder of Shay’s Warriors, a 501(c)(3) non-profit that was formed in the Coachella Valley to help the cancer survivorship community. Shay was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer in 2016 and Shay’s Warriors was brought to life in hopes of providing a healthy, inspiring, and safe space for all cancer survivors to thrive and connect. Check out our interview with Shay here and learn more about her work below:

Share with us what you love about what you do: I am the Visionary and Founder of Shay’s Warriors Life After Cancer, and in this role I wear many hats. But my favorite hat is being able to sit down and listen to survivors. They trust me at some of their most vulnerable times to help lift them up in prayers, love and light. They also trust me to share their stories that help inspire other cancer survivors. It is an absolute honor to do what I do.

Share with us what you have learned about LOVE: It may sound cliche but my ultimate definition of love comes from 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 LOVE is patient and kind; it does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with truth. If we sti8ck to this everything can be done in love and if you truly understand this you can speak from a place of love in your heart always with a broader outlook on life itself. Because when you have love in your heart and soul there is no room for hate. 

What inspired you to support Yoga Love Magazine? I like to support people’s dreams, especially Women & Latino Owned small businesses. We should support each other to learn, share and connect with our world through stories, photos and so much more.

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Learn more: Shay’s Warrior