Rethinking Balance

According to ancient Hawaiian legend, powerful female spirits known as Mo’o took the form of basking lizards and would use their seductive power to ensnare men. It was said that they could alter their form so that they would appear as beautiful women with long dark hair, perhaps sitting by the edge of a waterfall. Once they had seduced a human male, they would often drown him so that no other woman could love him.

To the Hawaiians, it was very important to maintain a balance between the worlds of males and females. They referred to this balance as pono, meaning “correctness.” One should not dominate or control the other, as this was not the way of nature. Seeking something that cannot be found in a human relationship, such as the meaning of life and healing for the soul, would qualify as an imbalance and would lead to problems.