What is “Honu Mana”?
Well, it’s a long story and I would love to share it. Here’s the short version first.
I thought the name should be unique, interesting and Hawaiian. I didn’t necessarily want it to be easy and memorable, which would’ve been better for marketing purposes. But I prefer less foot traffic since I decided to practice out of my home. I tossed around some Hawaiian words, and what the words meant to me. I considered my cultural background and inspirations, then came up with, “Honu Mana Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork”. It’s pretty long, I know, but for many reasons that are less important to talk about at this time. The terms Honu Mana, however, mean so much more than “just a name”.
Honu Mana is the spirit of the Hawaiian green sea turtle. Sea turtles are a spiritual symbol of the Hawaiian culture and the longest living reptile of the planet. Turtles in general have always been a fascination of mine since I can remember. Having learned about these incredible animals through the years, I’ve grown to appreciate and respect them. My thoughts, feelings, & intentions as a massage therapist, made me think of these incredible beings. Which I will explain later. The lives of the turtles reminded me of my upbringing, my Hawaiian heritage, my journey from where I came from and who I am. And so, the Honu became my representative for my massage business.
The Honu is my inspiration, but my inspiration into the world of healing originated from an old photo album. The photo album belonged to a Japanese man who developed his style of massage in Hawaii. His photographs showed his determination, knowledge of the human body and perseverance to helping all who were afflicted with pain and deformities. This album showed “before and after” photographs of changes to his patient’s bodies. Not just physical improvements, but in their facial expressions as well. One can only imagine how much their lives have changed and improved after being treated by him. Not only did he light up their expressions, but these photos brought a smile to my spirit as well.
As you know by now, Honu is Hawaiian for the Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle, but less mentioned is Mana. Mana is Hawaiian for Spiritual energy and healing. I felt this was fitting, even though I soon discovered that Honu Mana is not a very original name. It’s quite common for many businesses in Hawaii. I decided to stick with it anyway. However, I can definitely say that the name “Honu Mana” IS unique in Southeast Arizona.
That’s the short version. Here’s what Honu Mana means to me and how it coordinates with my practice. I did some research to see if there’s an easier way to explain the depth of it. Well, I found so much that was so coincidental that I couldn’t keep it simple. It ALL applies and I just gotta share! So, I’ll take this opportunity to share a longer version than I anticipated. Let’s start with the term “Honu”.
I came upon a paragraph on the internet. It stated that Honu-Lulu is said to be the original term for the honu, translated as “sheltered turtle”. Within the same paragraph, is the translation for Hon-o-lulu, which means “sheltered bay”. It’s ironic to me that these translations are together in the same paragraph. I adore the honu and my birthplace IS Honolulu. It was a strange and random paragraph that didn’t have any other content. I’ll just chalk it up as “synchronicity” that this was presented to me. I don’t know (shoulder shrug). One thing I will consider, is that the turtle’s shell is its shelter and protection. Honolulu’s shelter is referring to the abundant reefs that serves as protection to the many species of coral and fish. This information is saying to me that the honu is the symbol of protection and preservation. I see our human structure in the same way. Our bodies are encased to protect and preserve everything that’s inside.
I searched for more about honu in my mom’s collection of Hawaiian books. I came upon “Hawaiian Legends”. There’s a chapter that told a story of the turtles being the first to guide the Polynesians to the Hawaiian Islands. Making the sea turtle a symbol of the Navigator that is able to find its way home many times over. Speaking of synchronicities, I was born in Hawaii, but I wasn’t raised there. Yet, I always refer to Hawaii as home, even though I grew up in Arizona. In my childhood, I had a turtle that lived in my back yard. I rarely saw him strolling in the yard, but I did see him every other year or so. It seemed as though when I’d seen the turtle, I went home to Hawaii. Even after I left my parents’ house, I had a turtle come into my life again. Of-course, I returned to Hawaii. Is it me? Or is the turtle pointing this Hawaiian Arizona desert rat back to Hawaii? It seems to have done so, many times! When I didn’t have the turtle anymore and I hadn’t seen one for years, I also hadn’t been home for just as long. In addition, every time I’ve gone to Hawaii, even without making an effort to see them, I’ve seen the Honu swimming in the ocean. Which is a beautiful way to be greeted. I ask myself, am I being guided? Is the sea turtle my Aumakua (family ancestor)? If this is so, I’m grateful for Aumakua and for my mom’s love of books. At this point, I am comfortable to embrace the term, honu.
How does it relate to my business? The honu is the last remaining reptile indigenous to the Hawaiian Islands and is viewed as a symbol of Endurance and Longevity. This is my wish for my clients and also for my business. On another note, the turtle species has survived for over 150 million years! Needless to say, these guys deserve to be the symbol of Wisdom in this perspective as well. My business promotes health with the premise of wisdom, longevity and endurance. Very much like the life of the honu.
On a side note: Compared to many animals, including the humans, we are all a mere flash of existence to the honu. Although honu can live for up to 100 years, they are on the endangered species list and are protected by the state and federal laws. If you ever see a honu in the wild, please protect them and admire these beautiful creatures from a distance. The population is slowly on the rise, and I pray that they continue to live long and prosper. May the species continue to evolve for another million years.
Let’s talk about “Mana”. The Hawaiian culture believes that Spirit (mana) is gained through pono (right actions). Mana can also be lost through pono too (most likely, the “wrong” actions). This sounds much like the “law of attraction”. The way we move through life, whether with positive or negative intentions, is what we attract to ourselves. Leading with a true heart that is filled with loving and positive mana is the light force that facilitates healing.
Another side note: Mana exists in objects, places and in people. It’s a sacred life energy that had been researched since the early 20th century. In 1904, Marcel Mauss and Henri Hubert wrote the” Outline of a General Theory of Magic” in which they gave '“mana” a universal dimension. Mauss believed the effectiveness of things which corroborates their actions without annihilating them. A concept of encompassing a magical power that was once found everywhere. The Universal energy! This concept is beautifully characterized in the movie, “Avatar”. How the Na’vi worshiped the Tree of Souls and the sacredness of interconnectedness of everything, every place and everyone. How the “interconnectedness” effects our family, our society and our planet. That’s “Mana”!
I have a fleeting thought and it is this. The human body is scientifically, crazy magical within itself! We just need to move our brain towards the right attitude (good pono), to get its magic moving and achieve whatever results we set our goals to. This for a positive mind, positive body and a positive spirit.
So here it is…. A natural spiritual energy of the sea turtle. The spirit of navigation that guided me home many times and continues to do so. The honu is the symbol of wisdom, longevity, and endurance. Honu Mana represents my intent to help others heal, to guide them “home” (inward) towards self-awareness, self-healing and self-protection. This is “Honu Mana”. ~
Photo by Sarah Lee @hisarahlee