Skip to main content

About Hawaiian Lomilomi Massage

“To do Lomilomi is to preserve the health of the people by bringing alignment back to the body, mind, and spirit.”

The ancient art of Hawaiian Lomilomi massage has been practiced throughout the Pacific for thousands of years.  Called by several other names such as:  Polole Lomi, “the gentle hand of the mother”, Oluea Lomi “to harmonize body, mind and spirit” and Oluli Lomi “ignite the life force.”

The history is very scant.  This highly revered art was kept secret within the family unit.  They believed that only a chosen few were capable because of the spiritual knowledge and integrity required. These keepers of the secrets were trained from childhood and called “Kahunas”. In modern day language, we would call them the doctor, herbalist, or simply the experts in their field.

Then with the coming of the missionaries in the early 1800’s all things Hawaiian were denigrated.  The people were taught that their traditional ways were unacceptable.  Ancestral healing practices were driven underground.  In the late 70’s a resurgence of pride was rekindled in what it means to be Hawaiian with the initial voyage of Hokule’a.  The language, music, dance, and traditional healing arts began to be revitalized.

The Hawaiians realized that maintaining balance in all of our relationships (land, water, air, spirit, and family) was the key to health. They looked at things in terms of energy flow, following the premise that an idea or belief can block energy just as much as muscle tension can. Pain in the body is a combination physical emotional and chemical factors.

Lomilomi is a “praying work”. The session starts by connecting with Akua (God) to confirm that God’s love and power is with us and gives thanks for the guidance and balance to be received.

The distinctive movement of traditional Lomilomi is a kneading motion towards the heart, with the thumbs, palms or forearms.  It also has a rhythm and employs the full range of massage movements, including effleurage, petrissage, friction, vibration, percussion, and kneading.
The only way to truly know Hawaiian lomilomi is to experience it, and you will describe the feeling as LOVE.  That is what Lomi Lomi is all  about… LOVE … ALOHA.


My Kumu, teacher & friend


We called her “Auntie”


Hawaiian Lomilomi Massage Instructor, Swami Om, Kealakekua Hawaii