The Aloha Spirit

What is the 'Aloha Spirit'? Some great people have offered thoughts on the subject, as follows:

'Aloha' was a recognition of life in another. If there was life there was mana, goodness and wisdom, and if there was goodness and wisdom there was a god-quality. One had to recognize the 'god of life' in another before saying 'Aloha,' but this was easy. Life was everywhere ... Aloha had its own mana. It never left the giver but flowed freely and continuously between giver and receiver. 'Aloha' could not be thoughtlessly or indiscriminately spoken, for it carried its own power. No Hawaiian could greet another with 'Aloha' unless he felt it in his own heart. If he felt anger or hate in his heart he had to cleanse himself before he said 'Aloha'. - Queen Lili'uokalani

In what other land save this one is the commonest form of greeting not "Good day," nor "How d'ye do", but "Love"? That greeting is 'Aloha': love, I love you, my love to you... It is a positive affirmation of the warmth of one's own heart-giving. - Jack London

A beautiful song that captures the Aloha spirit of Hawaii is "These Islands" by Danny Couch. Here are the lyrics:

Have you seen these islands?
Have you seen the beauty of this land?
Do you know it's people,
Brothers, sisters walking hand in hand?
Have you seen the ocean?
Miles and miles of crystal deep blue seas?
Can you smell the flowers
Fill the air with fragrances for free?

This is Aloha
This is Aloha,
This is Aloha,
This land of Hawai’i.

Have you felt the power,
mountain craters throwing lava in the air?
Or it's green swept beauty,
from each island blossoms everywhere.
Have you felt it's spirit,
Ancient God's, their mana still lives here.
You will love these islands,
Nothing in the world can compare.

Colored rainbows stretch across the sky, waterfalls so high,
Mountains make you cry,
You will love these islands, nothing in the world can compare.
If you touch the spirit, then the gift of Love will lead you here.

This is Aloha,
This Is Aloha,
This is Aloha,
This land of Hawai’i.
Have you seen these islands?

Another great song, a long-time favorite of mine is "My Hawaii" as sung by the group Krush:
Oh, Hawaii, My Hawaii
Skies are blue, the seas a thousand years of rain
In Hawaii, waves keep breaking
In each rise and fall, they call on me (or, they call home Kaua'i)

Oh, Hawaii, Island Maui
I’ll return to fantasy and moon
All the people, on these islands
Make it more adored
Than paradise in bloom!

On these islands, called Hawaii
Man awaits to find this dream divine
Oh Hawaii, my Hawaii
I’ll return, to stay and spend my life
All my days, in Hawaii
Oh, Hawaii!


More to come...