E Komo Mai

Welcome to the Hawaiian Rainforest where heavy mists and rains pass through the forest and fields, where the most active volcano on Earth continually creates new lands and ancient plants grow on barren lava fields creating new forests for the future. The rain forests of Hawaii contain some of the most unique and rare species of birds, plants and insects, evolving here in isolation. Also evolved is an ancient culture, an ancient style of living as a part of nature - not separate from the source, but with reverence for all things. It is from this place that we bring forth our flower essences, our treatments and our company Hawaiian Rainforest Naturals.

A message from founder, Melia Goodenow:

Joy Johnson, my mother and co-founder is the creator and maker of all of our essence formulas and together we personally make all of our flower essences. Joy grew up in the cascade mountains of Washington State, where she learned to track wild animals and use the native wild plants for food & healing. Much of her young life was spent roaming the wild forests with family and especially her uncle, a wild life photographer & naturalist. All this time spent in the silence of the forest, listening and learning the importance of nature and how nature provides everything that we need in order to survive. This instilled in her a great love & reverence for nature and for life itself.

Throughout her life she has immersed herself in nature, always drawn to the wild places. Coming to Hawaii when it was still a Territory, she fell in love with the people & the beauty. She soon moved here and began learning and living the Hawaiian ways. I was born shortly thereafter and have been raised in the practices of Hawaiian Spirituality. Joy’s main teacher was Kahuna La'au Lapa'au, Morrnah Simeona (1913-1992) one of Hawaii’s greatest Kahuna and sharers of ancient knowledge. Her main teachings were about Ho’oponopono, restoring aloha & harmony with yourself and your family. She also taught the gathering, storing and use of mana, spiritual energy. In all of her teachings, the key is to be in Present Time. Present Time - a place we call Pono; harmony and connectedness with all things. In this state of Pono is where we make our flower essences, bringing the healing energy of the flowers forward. We strive to maintain Pono in all that we do. We put our integrity and Aloha into all of our products, always remembering to give thanks and to give back to the Earth by taking care of this unique and sacred place.

I am so grateful for my mother and her exceptional life. I am always with her now and learning more and more about connecting with nature and the ways of energy. Lipo Lipo we call it - endless; growing and understanding, like flower essences expanding and healing. She has been a studier of many different native cultures and practices. Studying with Wallace Black Elk, Sun Bear, living with the Spokane Indians and also living in Western Samoa, which is closed to foreigners. She has also been a teacher, teaching elementary school for many years and teaching meditation for over 25 years to numerous people, helping them to connect with their spirit within. Another one of her great teachers was Papa Henry Awae, Kahuna La’au Lapa’au (1906-2000) of Hilo. He was a natural born healer, chosen by his grandmother when he was 5 years old to learn the healing traditions. He treated and healed countless people with his Hawaiian medicines, all from plants and minerals. He always taught us to value ourselves and that healing can not take place if a person does not value themselves. He never charged any money for his services, he gave away all his time and medicine free. This is a practice that my mother continues, “I love to make flower essences because that is my bliss. To me it is complete joy. I give them to the company free, as I promised Papa Awae I would.”

I too have had my Kumu (teachers), studying Hula, Hawaiian Lomilomi massage and also Lā’au Lapa’au: the usage of and healing with Hawaiian plants. In the Western disciplines I have my Bachelor’s of Business Administration with advanced courses in Social Work, studying the diseases of the mind and the emotions. These special forests and wild places here on the Big Island have been some of my greatest teachers. Their wild and wonderful ways have penetrated my heart and mind. Never coming from judgment, always giving love and comfort, and a good hot lecture now and then!

Our emotions determine the quality of our lives - everyday. Our mission is to help people bring their emotions into a state of Pono, harmony with all things. This is the role of our flower essences, to bring people’s awareness into the present moment and release emotional tension caused by past experiences or worrying about the future. This is where they can see things clearly and make better choices for their lives.

It is our sincere desire to honor our Kumu and Kāhuna and continue on their teachings and goals to bless people’s lives through health and pono. We are so grateful for this opportunity to share these gifts from the Hawaiian rain forest with you.

Mahalo, Melia

President & Co-founder

Hawaiian Rainforest Naturals, Inc.

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