Holy Innocents Episcopal Church Labyrinth

Holy Innocents Episcopal Church is located at the south end of Front Street in Lahaina Town, Maui. It has now been destroyed, along with the rest of Lahaina, in the recent wildfire disaster. The church was founded in 1862 by British missionaries. At that time, Hawaii was still independently ruled by its traditional royal family, although the islands were under an informal protectorate relationship with Britain. The church moved to its present location in 1927, by which time Hawaii was a United States territory.

As is common in older Hawaiian buildings, the church is open to the elements to take advantage of any available cooling breeze. The church was open to the public, but no clergy or parishioners seemed to be around on the weekday we visited. However, we probably just didn't see them.

On the south side of the church, there is a little devotional grotto/garden --

And then --

A lovely little Cretan labyrinth is painted on a driveway/parking area. Privacy is provided by fencing. Colourful prayer flags are strung between the trees.

I'm glad we visited 5 years ago when we did. I would have hated to miss this little gem of a labyrinth.

[Photos © Debra She Who Seeks, 2018]

Maui Disaster

I'm heartbroken by the wildfire disaster in Maui -- the rising death toll, people's displacement and loss of homes/businesses/livelihoods, the economic devastation this will mean to Maui for years to come. And then there's the horrible loss of Maui's main tourism hub, Lahaina, with all its history and significance.

I've been to Maui several times over the past 20 years and know the island well. And I've spent so many pleasant and entertaining hours in Lahaina Town at its stores, restaurants, wonderful luau facilities, museums and historic buildings, the Banyan Tree, its annual Halloween festivities (see my posts here and here) and its two labyrinths found at Lahaina churches. It is almost inconceivable that everything, EVERYTHING, is gone now.

I previously blogged about one of Lahaina's labyrinths (here and here), but not yet about the second one. I'm going to post about that labyrinth on Monday, as a tribute to the town and its place in my heart and memories.

The Paia Peace Stupa

Recently, Mitchell of Moving With Mitchell blogged about a beautiful large stupa (Tibetan Buddhist shrine) that he visited near his home in Spain (click here to read). This jogged my memory about a much smaller, but also beautiful, stupa that I have visited in Maui a couple of times. I scrolled through my photo archives and sure enough! I have some photos of it from ten years ago -- pretty crappy photos but still, better than nothing. So here they are!

The Paia Peace Stupa is located on the grounds of the Maui Dharma Center in the upcountry market town of Paia (good shopping and restaurants). The stupa was built to honour the Dalai Lama's 2007 visit to Maui, at which time he consecrated the stupa.

All stupas are painted white and gold and have the same basic shape, meant to evoke the seated Buddha in meditative prayer with his hands clasped over his head. There's usually a string or two of prayer flags around every stupa as well, releasing their prayers as they flutter in the wind.

A statue of the meditating Buddha is also prominently featured in a special portal above the door.

Judging from the size of the people about to enter, you can see just how comparatively small this stupa is.

Inside the stupa, there is a huge, ornate metal prayer wheel taking up about 75% of the interior. Visitors can walk around the prayer wheel, turning it with their hands as they go, releasing its prayers (presumably prayers for peace) into the universe as it rotates. Circumambulation -- the act of walking around a sacred object or idol -- is an integral part of Buddhist devotional practice and is usually incorporated in some way into every stupa. Circumambulation also occurs in other religions like Hinduism, Christianity, Judaism and Islam.

It's a charming spot and always worth a little visit when in the area. Not to mention that you'll be doing your bit for world peace!

[Photos © Debra She Who Seeks, November 2011]

How Can Edmonton Compete With This?

It's an unwritten law that you cannot go to Hawaii without taking a gazillion photos of beautiful sunsets, so here's my favourite shot taken by My Rare One!

We had a wonderful time in Maui soaking up the sun, surf and sand of the island, as well as a hula concert, various unique shops and craft shows, an evening of slack key guitar Hawaiian music and some wonderful restaurant dining.

We also soaked up chocolate milkshakes in this 1950s diner. Gotta love that old timey rock 'n roll which *yikes* is the same vintage we are!

I don't often post photos of us on the blog so in case you haven't seen one before, that is me on the left and My Rare One on the right, looking particularly happy with that milkshake, I must say.

So now that we're back home in wintry Edmonton again, regular blogging resumes next week!

Halloween Aloha!

Happy Halloween, everyone!

We're not spending Halloween in Edmonton this year. No, today we're at the big annual Halloween street festival in the town of Lahaina on the island of Maui!

That's a long way to go for a party, isn't it? So to justify the airfare, we're going to stay in Hawaii for a few more weeks before heading home.

Editorial Note from Debra She Who Seeks --
I'll be back to regular blogging at the beginning of December, but I have it on good authority that my blog will host a Guest Post right before American Thanksgiving in November. A free book giveaway is also rumoured to be involved! So keep your eyes peeled for that!

Editorial Note from Her Royal Highness the Cat --
NO, the Guest Post is NOT going to be written by ME. My shiftless human is NOT going to SUCK ME IN AGAIN to do her WORK for her while she's LAZING ABOUT on holiday! Believe it or not, she's found some OTHER poor sap to fall for that old con this time *shakes head sadly.* People! Will they NEVER learn?

Jesus and the Love Labyrinth

The second labyrinth at the Sacred Garden of Maui is located inside the plant nursery building and is constructed in the traditionally pagan Cretan/Minoan style. The labyrinth consists of white lava stones laid out on a bed of crushed grey gravel.

A labyrinth is a tool used for "walking meditation" because, unlike a maze, there is only a single (unicursal) path to follow. You can never get lost in a labyrinth -- you simply spiral in to its heart-centre and then spiral out again. It is a metaphor for the spiritual journey, as well as for the journey of Life itself.

The inner-focused, contemplative nature of this labyrinth is reinforced by a large, central art print of Jesus portrayed in meditation by Bruce Harman, a visionary artist from California.

To further reinforce this labyrinth's connection to the Prince of Peace, there is found at the centre of this labyrinth six special, naturally-formed lava rocks which spell out:

♡-L-O-V-E-♡

Here's a better view in close-up:

Friday's post will explore the Divine Feminine's presence at the Sacred Garden.

[All photos © Debra She Who Seeks, November 2016]

The Sacred Garden of Maui

I haven't done any posts on labyrinths for a long time! So this month I'm going to tell you about a couple more labyrinths which we walked last November when we were in Maui.

Near the town of Makawao in "upcountry Maui," there is a not-for-profit retreat centre, spiritual shop and plant nursery called the Sacred Garden. Located down a winding rural road, it is notable for having not one, but two, labyrinths on its premises!

The Sacred Garden is jam-packed with beautiful plants and imagery dedicated to love, peace, the Buddha, Jesus and many manifestations of the Divine Feminine, especially Kwan Yin. My posts on Wednesday and Friday will show some of this art.

Outside the plant nursery building in the very lush, tropical side yard is a traditional full-size Chartres Christian labyrinth, made of narrow bricks countersunk into a crushed gravel base. Cement rondels on which to stand are located in the rose heart-centre of the labyrinth. It makes for a very peaceful and meditative labyrinth walking experience.

In Wednesday's post, I'll focus on the Sacred Garden's second labyrinth, which is a pagan Cretan/Minoan one located inside the plant nursery building.

[All photos © Debra She Who Seeks, November 2016]

Anything to Declare?

Returning home from the United States after our recent holiday, we had to go through Canada Customs at Vancouver. When you are out of the country for more than 7 days, you can bring back $800 worth of purchases without paying any Canadian duty or taxes on them.

While on the airplane, I dutifully filled out my declaration paperwork in preparation for landing. I had $800 worth of purchases, if I didn't declare my new tattoo. If I declared it, it would put me at $1100 and I'd have to pay on the excess. Being scrupulously honest (of course!), I declared it.

So in Vancouver I was shunted off to a special line for miscreants who had exceeded their purchase allowances. I had to deal with a (*gulp*) Customs Officer. There she sat in uniform, in a booth behind glass, giving me the evil eye. And she was such a cutie! She reminded me of the adorably chubby RCMP Constable with the baby bear in that viral internet photo of a few years ago --

I probably had the same hangdog look on my face as the baby bear.

"What kinds of purchases did you make in the United States?" She looked up from my paperwork.

"Well, you know," I gestured vaguely in the air, "touristy stuff."

"Like what?" Officer Cutie demanded.

"Oh, knick-knacks, cards, t-shirts, that kind of thing." I was jet-lagged and couldn't for the life of me remember what I had bought.

"I find it very hard to believe that anyone could spend $1100 dollars on items like that." Her voice was frosty and her evil eye grew more accusatory.

"Really?" I was gobsmacked. I thought I had, in fact, shown great shopping restraint while I was in Maui.

Then I remembered what I had been so careful to bring along in my purse.

"Here's an itemized list of all my purchases, with receipts attached, if you want to look at it," I said and handed it to her.

I've always been an organized, OCD kinda gal. I caught Officer Cutie off-guard with my meticulous list, I just know it. She was much friendlier after that.

She read it and said, "Tattoo?"

"Yes, that's what puts me over the limit."

"I've never had anyone declare a tattoo before."

"Well," I said helpfully, "I know that when you go to the States and pay for services like dental work or auto repairs, you have to declare it at the border."

"Yes, or if you get prescription glasses or a boob job," she agreed.

"So I figured I'd better declare my tattoo," I chirped.

Officer Cutie paused.

"I think it's arguable that, unlike those other examples, tattooing does not constitute a service resulting in an enhancement or an improvement, as the legislation requires in order for it to be a declarable item," she said.

It was my turn to pause.

"Well, yes, I suppose you could be right," I reluctantly conceded, remembering how not everyone thinks well of tattoos.

"I'm removing it from your list as a non-declarable item. Now you do not exceed the allowable purchase limit, so no taxes or duty are payable."

She stamped my form and gave me a sweet smile.

I'd like to tell you that I blew her a kiss and said "Thanks, Officer Cutie!" but of course I did nothing of the kind. I just high-tailed it out of there before she changed her mind.

Oh, Did I Not Mention My New Tattoo?

Ooops, I did it again! Yes, I got another tat while I was in Maui!

[Photo by My Rare One,

who still does not really like tattoos at all

but who continues to adjust]

While my first tat was positively packed with personal and spiritual significance, this tattoo, by comparison, is purely decorative and maybe even kinda frivolous. Hell, it's basically one step up from a rainbow unicorn, isn't it?

But who cares, I just lurves it cuz it's purty!

And actually, it does have some symbolism too. Apart from reminding me of beautiful Maui, I had the plumeria flowers inked in purple / mauve / lavender, the traditional coded colour that represents our lesbigay community.

Okay, kids, true confession time now. Getting the second tattoo did hurt much more than the first one. I had to clench my teeth a few times during the tattooing process, I admit it. But even so, the discomfort was still NOTHING compared to the severe menstrual pain which at one time in my life I had to endure on a monthly basis:

Let me conclude with some rhetorical questions, if I may.

Is it wrong of me to yank My Rare One's chain by telling her that this tat is simply the first in what will ultimately be a Full Sleeve? Hahahahahahahaha! Or am I not really kidding?

My Vacation Foodie Post

We enjoyed a lot of wonderful meals in Maui but as far as I'm concerned, these are the Foodie Highlights of our trip --

Look at this cheeky little bugger, helping itself to some guy's breakfast while he was in the bathroom! That's the hazard of open-air restaurants.

Captain America cereal, eh? With "red and blue shield marshmallows" to boot. Oh you crazy Yanks, what will you think of next?

This is the most decadent dessert I've ever seen in my entire life -- the Polynesian Black Pearl dessert at Mama's Fish House near Paia. The black pearl is chocolate mousse nestled in macadamia nuts. The oyster shell is a thin cookie pastry hinged on whipped cream. Beautifully patterned caramel and chocolate sauce surround and set off the bottom shell. This work of art was almost too exquisite to eat!

ALMOST.

[Photo #1 and #3 by My Rare One; photo #2 by Debra She Who Seeks]

Aloha, I'm Back!

Well, here we are back again in the Land of Ice and Snow after our holiday in Maui.

We go to Maui every time My Rare One has a Significant Birthday because she swears that "birthdays are painless in Hawaii." And hoo boy, was this birthday a doozy!

My Rare One has now reached the milestone age which entitles her to receive Free Government Money every month -- otherwise known as the Old Age Pension. And if that terminology is not bad enough, it also means she is now officially a Senior Citizen.

NOOOOOOOOO!

It took a lotta crying towels to deal with this birthday!

Plus a lotta sun, sand, surf and snorkeling.

Luckily no jellyfish were encountered except at the aquarium.

We avoided sharks too, although unfortunately a tiger shark did bite another woman at our beach.

Seriously though, My Rare One took this birthday in stride. She's still a young kickass chick, goddammit!

[All photos by My Rare One]

Lahaina Keiki Halloween Parade

Last year on Halloween, My Rare One and I were in the town of Lahaina on the west coast of Maui. Every October 31st, Lahaina throws a huge Halloween party. The town's main drag, Front Street, is closed to traffic and opened to costumed revellers. Once school is out at 4:00 p.m., the Keiki (Kids) Halloween Parade begins. Here are some of my photos -- I hope you enjoy them!

What's a parade without a marching band? Nice banana, dude, but those drummers are a real Scream!

Here's the whole M & M family -- yum!

What a cute little blue fairy! But what the hell is her Mom wearing on her feet?

Who you gonna call? Jeez, the entire cast of Ghostbusters showed up.

Remember these two crazy aliens from Sesame Street? A ringing telephone would terrify them, if I recall correctly.

Some local witches and a small Count Dracula . . .

. . . and several bees with their beekeepers following close behind.

At night, Front Street turns into one huge adult street party. Lahaina swells to about 20-30,000 people for that big costume bash. But the Keiki Parade wore us out so we didn't stay longer, but drove back to our condo in Kihei instead. Gettin' old, eh?

[All photos by Debra She Who Seeks]