By Linda Ballou, NABBW’s Adventure Travel Associate No matter what your relationship with the person who brought you into this world—be it good, bad, or indifferent—it is always complicated. My mother’s passing left me with my energies low, immune system weakened, and spirits sagging. The Hawaiian Islands have always been a source of solace and sustenance for me. Memories of crescent white sand beaches wrapping azure seas would not let me go. I went back to the Islands in search of a healing kumu (teacher) who could help me through this difficult time. I found Kumu Dane Silva who practices... Read More

By Linda Ballou, NABBW’s Adventure Travel Associate Floating face up in the Watsu pool at the Kalani Ocean Retreat that is tucked into a remote corner of the Big Island in Hawaii, I drifted in a state of embryonic innocence. Sylvie, my provider, massaged my spine gently and rotated my limbs to release joint tension. This was the first of many experiences on my quest for an Aloha fix that would include traditional lomi-lomi massage; interviewing Kumu Dane Silva, a respected native Hawaiian healer; a swim in a hot pond used for centuries by the ancestors to cleanse body, mind, and spirit; feeling... Read More