The trip to the volcano is one of the highlights of the Huna program.  We journeyed to the Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park to walk across one of the volcano craters. The park is just over a 2 hour drive from Kona, an excursion into the interior of the island.  We travelled in small groups of about 6, each with a volunteer driver from the course.

Our van was driven by Chris, and carried Seph (short for Joseph), Ted, Karen, Wendy & I.  All of us were Level One students, except for Seph who was in Level 3.  Seph had also grown up on the island, so we were extremely fortunate to have a built-in tour guide.  His presence, clarity, and humility were testament to the possibilities that the Huna teachings offer.

The volcano was essentially a mountain that now had a crater at the top instead of a peak.  The hike down into the crater, across it, and back up was not for the faint of heart! It was probably close to a 5 mile hike on uneven ground.  Going back up was the most difficult! For those who weren’t up to the physical challenge, there was the option of going into one of the lava tubes. I’m sure a fascinating experience in its own right.

The weather in the park can be variable. Because of the altitude, it may be quite a bit cooler than the shoreline where Kona is located. Yet if the sun is shining, it can be extremely hot inside the crater, as the sun’s rays are absorbed by the lava. It can become like a giant sauna.  The crater itself had no lava flow, although there was one steam vent that was active. I believe this particular volcano has not erupted since the 1980’s.

The crater itself was very interesting.  It kind of looked like heaved asphalt… like a huge paved playing field might look like after an earthquake.  All this hard black lava everywhere, and yet there would be the odd plant growing here and there. You just cannot hold life back!  At one point, we all sat to meditate inside the crater.  This was a time we could connect to Pele, to the Earth and its creative process, or whatever we choose.

After leaving the crater we made a traditional offering to Pele with respect to the incredible power of the volcano. Even the non-native residents of the island have a deep respect for Pele and the volcanoes. In fact, they strongly discouraged anyone from picking up a piece of lava as a souvenir.

On our way home, our van stopped at an active volcano. It was dusk and the beauty of the volcano was astounding. We took photos of those in our vehicle with the volcano in the background, and every picture had many orbs.

One the way back down the mountain, we stopped in a rural area to have a look at the night sky. It was absolutely incredible how many stars visible, and they seemed so close. The Milky Way was spectacular. There was a quarter moon in the sky, and I was surprised that the curve was at the bottom like a bowl. Here in Canada, the quarter moon curves on the side.

My gratitude goes out to for Seph, our incredible guide; to Chris, our driver; and to Ted, Karen & Wendy, whose conversation and presence made the journey even more enjoyable.