Blog : Are you Superstitious?

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10/2/2010 12:31 pm

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11/29/2012 10:17 am

Are you Superstitious?

Yesterday, I arrived home from six wonderful days on the island of Kauai. Kauai is known as the "Garden Island" and that is a fact... it is truly remarkable!

While walking on the beach, I saw the most beautiful rocks in shades of blue, green and orange. After they are there for awhile, with the sun beating down, they turn pure white.

I selected a few to take home. A couple of the pieces had natural holes in them and I thought they would make beautiful candle holders.

I met a man on the beach with whom I discussed the rocks. He told me that it was bad luck to take them. Having gtrown up with Irish superstitious, I quickly placed them back on the beach.

I pulled the following article off a website which I thought was interesting. How superstitious are you?

Many unsuspecting people are understandably tempted to take some beautiful lava rocks home from their Hawaiian vacation as prized keepsakes. But beware: this practice angers 'Pele,' the Hawaiian volcano goddess.

Pele is probably the best known of the legendary Hawaiian demigods. She creates and destroys with fire. Pele has a quick temper, takes offenses seriously, and is very protective of her lava rocks.

Since Pele created the islands with lava and volcanoes, lava rocks are like her flesh or pieces of her being. It’s said that misfortune will befall anyone who removes lava rock away from Hawaii. This caution also applies to black sand, which is pulverized lava rock.

Is the bad luck curse a myth or the truth? I wouldn’t bet against it. There used to be a large display at the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park of lava rocks sent back to Hawaii by visitors who have had bad luck since taking the rocks home. Letters of apology accompanied the rocks begging Pele for forgiveness. Alas, the display became too big to maintain -- even for the Big Island. However, if you would like to return lava rocks you have taken from any Hawaiian Island you can return the rocks to Pele via mail to: Pele, c/o Headquarters, Volcanoes National Park, Volcano, HI 96785.

Our friend, The Big Kahuna, says that the best practice is to leave everything you find in Hawaii in Hawaii. The saying to "Take only pictures; leave only footprints" applies well in Hawaii. Besides, the islands were formed by lava. So, if everyone who left Hawaii took rocks, soon there would be no Hawaii left to visit. The Big Kahuna says: "Take only gifts you are given (like flower leis); and leave only with Aloha."

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