Ano Lani: Ano Honua - A Heavenly Nature, An Earthly Nature: A Spiritual Guide to the Hawaiian Lunar Calendar

I am highly impressed with this book. Been looking for something simple, yet very informative like this, and found it!!!

I really wanted to love this book before I bought it, and I do like some things about it. However, on the back cover of the book, the author promises "a fascinating in-depth perspective of the belief system of the indigenous Hawaiian people..." I read this book in less than an hour. It is more like a quick reference guide. This is my fault, I take responsibility for believing that it could be an "in-depth perspective" when Amazon's description of the book on their website said the book has 84 pages. This is misleading because the book only has 76 pages. 3 of these pages are bibliography and an "about the company" page. So really, this book only has 73 pages. In addition, the margins are abnormally large, and if it was written with normal sized margins, the book might be about 30 pages long. You can't go in-depth with a 30 page book.If a 2nd edition came out with an extra 200 plus pages, I would definitely buy it! The things that I would have liked to see in this book that would offer the reader an "in-depth perspective" would be actual descriptions of the actual rites that were done, the actual prayers that were said, the actual foods that were eaten, etc on the auspicious days to partake in those activities. This book only makes brief lists of those things. For example, on the day of Hua, "kahuna traditionally performed magical rites to promote conception, pregnancy and to increase virility." What were those magical rites?!! I want to know! The author doesn't even tell us what those rites were called, only that they occurred. To give an actual understanding, the author would need to explain the rites and prayers, and give the reader some anecdotes of both ancient and modern occurrences where those rituals were successful. However, I don't have an understanding because I've only been given a simple brief list of what happens on the day of Hua without an explanation. There is no information about the rites or personal stories from the author to help me to connect to this book at a heart or soul level.I will say, that on the very last page of the book, the author's prayer to Hina filled my heart with love. But UGH! I wish I knew what herbs I'm supposed to use with this prayer because the author doesn't tell me what they are! The prayer talks about blessing herbs to take away pain. I'm so curious!!!! What are the herbs? You see what I mean? There's no depth to this book. So much seems to be missing. This book lacks the necessary details for the readers to take the steps for their hearts to be in tune with the gods and to connect with Hawaiian culture.

Wow. An important text that has shifted something inside of me. Sacred information. Must have for followers of the moon and her cycles.

When it comes to books for researching Hawaiian culture, quality is important.This has excellent illustrations and deep insights from a writer who has dedicated his life to preserving his culture and teaching others about it.In a culture that used nature to tell time, this is an essential volume for learning of the moon's importance to Hawaiian culture, farming and spirituality.

Such a good book. If you are into moons and the earth and life

Love using this book as a reference guide it has truly helped me with both gardening and spiritual practice with my ancestors

Mahalo!

A wonderful PRIMARY source from a current practicing kahuna, not some haole filtered interpretation BS. Mahalo for documenting and sharing this invaluable mana'o.