Lomi Lomi: Massage in Hawaiian
Lomi Lomi Nui, the "unique big kneading"
Like the gentle kicks of a comfortably resting cat, the hands feel like they're on my back. With delightful rhythm, they move up and down. Exotic flowers, fragrant oils, tropical warmth and soft clam horn sounds around me. So it is easy to switch off, forget everyday life.
Exotic is the traditional Hawaiian massage, the Lomi Lomi Nui, the "unique big kneading", so the dry German translation. Later I learn that "Lomi" in the island language, which is only twelve letters long, also means "touching the velvet paws of a satisfied cat". That fits. But it is not just kneaded. The therapists oil, dance, sing and pray too. No relaxation offer for the lunch break. A two- to three-hour immersion in another world that appeals to all the senses, maybe even a spiritual experience - depending on the quality of the user and assuming you're ready to get involved.
Lomi Lomi Nui lets energies flow
"Originally, this massage was in the body work of the shaman, the Kahunas, part of a holistic transitional ritual, which should cleanse and prepare for new beginnings in life," explains Brinkfriede Sackenheim from Grünendeich near Hamburg. During her intensive training in Hawaii, the woman with the down-to-earth North German name was deeply immersed in the secrets of Lomi Lomi Nui. The touch is more than a massage, it should connect body and mind.
When tensions and blockages in the body are released, all energies can flow freely again. Then, according to the huna doctrine (Huna = mystery), the Hawaiian traditional philosophy of life, mental space also widens and it becomes possible to say goodbye to unfavorable thought patterns and bad habits. J ke kala - "May you fully let go, find relaxation and complete freedom," says a Hawaiian healing prayer.
Experienced Lomi-Lomi therapists know over 100 different massage strokes to carefully penetrate to the deep-lying muscles and connective tissue layers and thus specifically promote this letting go. No treatment is the same as another. The masseuse prances lightly around the lounger, in the step of the tropical frigatebird, as they say. She uses her hands and forearms intuitively individually. The touches are constantly changing: sometimes they are small and circling, sometimes long and flowing, sometimes tender, sometimes powerful, sometimes fast, sometimes slow as in slow motion. In any case, special attention is paid to the back. He stands for the Huna doctrine for the future. He should therefore be free from blockages and as relaxed as possible.
The joints on the arms and legs are turned back and forth, loosened. For me, the hip joints are too tight. A sign that I still do not release enough. I should breathe deeply. Slowly the joints become more mobile. Like a baby, I am grabbed, rocked and turned on my back. Then the face, neck, shoulder and, above all, the belly, in the Kahuna's opinion feelings and memories have their place, off.
Lightness and joie de vivre, which were born to us all in the cradle, should reawaken this body work. Relaxing, harmonizing and revitalizing it always works. The "Aloha Spirit", the loving and positive spirit of Hawaii, jumps over. Satisfied and comfortable, I sit in the end, wrapped in sheets, and listen to the final prayer of the therapist. The massage could have an effect, I get to farewell with on the way. I should pay attention to my dreams ...
Lomi Lomi Nui: Good to know
Lomi Lomi Nui is not a treatment for serious conditions. But it helps with fatigue and tension of any kind and can alleviate stress-related symptoms such as sleep disorders, fears, headache and back pain. Anyone with special physical or mental problems should inform the therapist in advance.
Hawaiian massages take two to three hours and cost between 100 and 150 euros. They are now offered in many spas, spa facilities and hotels. However, these are often also offers that have little to do with the original Huna doctrine.
Those who value this spiritual aspect should look for therapists who specialize in this bodywork. Further information and addresses at www.huna.org.
