May 23, 2020

The past few days have been energetically and emotionally quite an intense experience. Although I live on Kaua’i which is one of the most beautiful and remote islands on earth and I am very blessed to go through this unprecedented time with Eunjung, I felt vulnerable, lonely and sad with phases of grief and darkness. I felt I didn’t belong anywhere and disconnected from my essence and my spiritual source.

For the past few days, the sky was mostly grey and it rained on and off as I went deeper into the void within. Besides feeling sorrowful about the loss of my father and two grandparents, probably some part of me was connecting to the sadness and despair of people around me on the island and perhaps around the world.

This week, I learned that due to Covid-19 sadly Kaua’i has an unemployment rate of almost 35% (!) and that there have been several suicides here on the island. Last week, I met a security guard in our neighborhood who told me that it has been really tough since one of his relatives took her life recently.

In my book Hawaiian Rebirth, I write about how to embrace emotions. In recent years, so much attention has been paid to the pursuit of happiness that negative emotions have been identified as unhealthy. Emotions are not, however, inherently negative or positive.

They’re just a part of human existence, and sometimes uncomfortable feelings can serve as a catalyst for important change. When it comes to emotions, what we first perceive as negative can have a lot of value and can help us to move closer to our life’s purpose.

Some years ago, I read an article asserting that there is an upside to what we perceive as negative emotions, that it can motivate us to change. Sadness and grief, for example, come in response to real or potential loss.

Whatever the source of our sadness, it signals that restoration, retreat and time for ourselves is needed. Experiencing sadness and grief can have positive effects in our lives too.

For example, it can make us more empathetic to other’s struggles. When learn how to accept and embrace these emotions in the ‘now’ moment, deep healing and transformation can happen.

It was on a new moon weekend in May 2008 when I came to Kaua’i for the first time and had an incredible healing experience. I arrived with severe flu symptoms and got completely healed within a day.

So today on this new moon 12 years later, it is my intention and heart prayer to hold a vision for an abundant, whole, compassionate and peaceful life to return to all of us and all living beings on the planet and Gaia herself.

Finally yesterday, the sun returned to shine its light on the gorgeous island, and I came to understand that it was another cycle of releasing emotional debris I’ve been carrying since I was very young. You may relate to these phases of emotional and spiritual detox where a great deal of tension and blockages can be released.

So with the bright sun rays back, Eunjung and I spent some resting time at one of our favorite beaches on the island yesterday afternoon. We took a refreshing shower below a natural spring and dipped in the turquoise ocean. We lay next to volcanic rocks and felt so rejuvenated afterward.

I believe more powerfully than ever that it is time now for all of us to embrace our emotions and take a leap in our consciousness to a new paradigm to reclaim our dreams and power within as conscious co-creators.