Beach Walk 642R – Memorial Day in the Pacific

We originally filmed this episode for Memorial Day in 2006. But it clearly stands out as a timeless message, and represents the true magic of Beach Walks. It is all completely unscripted, no shot list, we just showed up and worked as fast as we could before the sun set. Sometimes, you know the universe is on your side.

This is one of our favorite and most powerful episodes, though you won’t be finding us at the beach. Today’s show was filmed at the Hawaii Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. 50,000 leis were donated, and over 100 young Boy Scouts (thanks for the correction Mark) placed a lei and a flag on each gravestone. I was quite stirred to be in the presence of death while smelling the sweet scent of plumeria lei. Though most of those buried here are from modern wars, this “punchbowl” of an ancient volcano was the site of Hawaiian aliÊ»i burials and human sacrifice of those who violated the kapu or taboos.

Dedicated to my dad and my friend Eric, who’s done two tours in Iraq.

Hawaiian word:
Pūowaina: hill of sacrifice
Kaua: war
Kapu: taboo
Maluhia: peace

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Beach Walk 611R – It’s All Good

This Beach Walks replay debuted in August 2006.

“There was an awesome swell in town, so I decided to grab some surf footage. And I couldn’t stop until the light faded and the sea mist fogged my lens. The water was filled with people playing in the waves with all kinds of fun toys!”

Show highlights: Outrigger canoes catching waves (Lanikai and Kailua); stand-up paddling surfer; Anissa, Dave, Johnnie, and Temujin; Lexi hunting for a Snickers bar for Johnnie.

Hawaiian word:
Wa’a: canoe

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Beach Walk 609R – Walk with Me and Dream

Today is a replay of one of my favorite Beach Walks episodes – originally Beach Walk 150.

Please join me for a few Sun Salutations or Surya Namaskar to greet this day. As I stretched into the first back bend with my eyes open to heaven, I saw a waning full moon directly overhead in the deep blue sky. It reminded me of our connection across the many miles of land, sea, and sky. And I smiled at that.

Yoga means “union” so this seemed a natural, reinforcing event. Frequent visitors to Beach Walks will remember Show 116 with my friend Shaina Noll. You can hear one my my favorite songs from Shaina, “Dream” in today’s show. This moving meditation was also inspired by Jen and Kent’s Know Your Dreaming. Mahalo nui loa to all of you beautiful souls.

Today’s special show music is Dream by Shaina Noll.
Darest thou now oh soul; walk with me into the unknown.
You can buy the song Dream on iTunes here.

Hawaiian word:
Pilina: union

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Beach Walk 602R – Magic in the Mundane

Most all religions and also a big chunk of the new age movement imply or implore that we follow a strict regimen of behaviors in order to be happy, to have grace shine upon us, to get those parking spaces, and to live happily ever after.

I don’t buy it. I think happiness can be found by finding pleasure in the small things, the little mundane aspects of life that themselves are gems of pleasure. By focusing too much on the big things, or holding out happiness until [fill in the blank here], we miss the pleasures in the now.

This is classic #2 vs #1 stuff. The #2 is only impressed by the new, the large, the grand. The #1 can learn to find contentment just about anywhere.

For Lexi, every toss of her ball appears just as wonderful and compelling as the previous, or the next!

P.S. Shane and Rox are traveling this week so please enjoy some of our Beach Walks Classic Episodes! This was originally aired as Episode 206.

Hawaiian word:
Hoʻokalakupua: magic

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Beach Walk 601R – Making Up Stories

Amanda Congdon and Andrew Baron are experiencing some public disagreements regarding their video blog, Rocketboom.

Gut feelings and instinct are great tools…except when they turn out to be wrong! And especially after engaging in a course of (mis)guided action. (It can sometimes be the sneaky work of the #2 personality – see show #102 for an explanation). So here’s a catchy little concept I learned to help me step back from the brink of getting emotionally invested in situations before I know the facts:
# Making up stories
# Pretending they’re true
# Having feelings about them
# Acting on those feelings

It’s human nature to want to speculate and to have opinions. But consciousness is the opportunity to stop there, claim one’s feelings as personal and subjective, and sit with all the discomfort that accompanies them without having to pretend that the hunches and feelings are facts. You can watch a wrenching example in The End of the Affair with Ralph Fiennes and Julianne Moore, where he made up stories, pretended they were true, and the ending is tragic.

Spread da aloha.

P.S. Shane and Rox are traveling this week so please enjoy some of our Beach Walks Classic Episodes! This was originally aired as Episode #134 and there are some good comments on that page.

Hawaiian word:
Hoʻomeamea: pretend

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