Waimea Canyon Rim Trails - A Tower in the Sky
The first time we hiked out along the narrow spine of the Waimea Canyon ridge we had our heads in the clouds. Literally! White vapour swirled around us and the canyon was hidden from view. We tread carefully along the crumbly trail and my adrenaline pumped as the land dropped away on either side of us. Our destination was a pinnacle - a tower - of rock isolated from the canyon walls except for the narrow saddle that led precariously out to it. Although I could not see the canyon far below, I could certainly feel the presence of the 2500ft deep gouge in the earth beneath us. It was a strange and eerie sensation - walking on solid earth high up in the clouds. My heart skipped a beat and I felt the magnificence and magic of the place. It felt as though we were floating on an island in an ocean of sky.
The mists swirled and danced around us and every so often parted to reveal a glimpse of the chasm surrounding us. The breathtaking splendour of the vertical walls that plummeted to the river far below; the striking patterns of ancient lava flows engraved into the rock, cliff-clinging trees emerging from the haze; the sound of waterfalls across the mystery of the valley.
The place was alive with mana (life energy), and I could feel that mana pulsing through my entire being, and that feeling was palpable. How thrilling to step out of the ordinary world and experience a non-ordinary reality that is entirely natural. I felt the cells of my being awakening , coming alive, my mind defragging like a computer emptying out its old files. I began to experience the incessant noise of the mind quieten and a subtle spaciousness settle within my heart. Such is the magic of Hawaii's sacred mountain places.
Perhaps the most captivating aspect of these sacred mountains is the aliveness of the rocks. It is of course the lava rock that has shaped the Hawaiian Islands and Waimea Canyon is a fine example of this. The canyon was formed largely by water erosion running off from the sides of a shield volcano, carving out the ravine into the magnificence that it is today. The land in Hawaii is geologically 'young': it can be clearly seen where giant rivers have left behind deep ravines, but the spiny ridges have not yet been worn down like in older mountain ranges. This creates a distinctly rugged pointedly shape to the mountains in Hawaii. The feature that sets this place apart is the mana that exudes from the rocks and the earth. I think this has to do not only with the geological uniqueness of the place but the relationship that Hawaiian people have with the land and in particular the rocks. It is widely accepted and known throughout the islands that certain rocks should not be disturbed, especially in a heiau (sacred temple). I could certainly feel the consciousness in the earth that we walked on that day - it was alive - and it was having a healing effect on my whole being.
As I was noticing this, I looked over and caught a glimpse of something on the edge of the cliff. I could have sworn I saw the face and body of an ape-like creature. A second glance revealed a large pile of rocks protruding from the cliff edge, that was shaped exactly like a plump gorilla. It seemed to be looking up at us and guarding the place. I said a silent prayer of thanks and respect for the land we walked upon. I felt immediately that this was the right kind of attitude to have when walking in such a sacred place.
We sat upon the widest part of the sacred sky-island, perched high above the river like two eagles - looking, listening and feeling - our instinctual natures ignited and fully alive. As the blanket of white surrounding us began to fade into darkness, it was time to return along the trail to the comfort of our campsite and allow our dream state to fully integrate the magical energy we had experienced.
