True well-being begins when you stop performing for the world and start aligning with your purpose.
Ke’oni Hanalei knows what it means to lose yourself and find your way back. A descendant of a kahuna, he shares how reconnecting with his origins and embracing his kia kahi (purpose) changed everything. His journey from addiction and incarceration to a life rooted in plant medicine and ancestral wisdom shows the power of alignment.
What does it mean to truly listen—to nature, to your lineage, to yourself? Ke’oni reflects on the lessons passed down through a thousand generations, the sacred practice of foraging with consent, and why purpose is not something you chase but something you embody. He challenges the idea of possession, offering a perspective where love and wisdom are meant to be shared instead of withheld.
In this first part of their conversation, host Abby Starr and Ke’oni Hanalei invite you to pause and reflect. Are you living in alignment with your purpose or are you performing for the world?
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Introduction
01:14 Ke’oni Hanalei
02:15 Kahuna Legacy and Plant Medicine
03:18 Cultural Exchange: Chicago and Maui
03:53 Meaning of Pōhala and Hawaiian Language
04:16 Traditional Plant Harvesting Methods
07:57 Asexual Ferns and Pre-Polynesian Culture
10:05 Ke’oni’s Lineage and Family Influence
13:54 Ke’oni’s Purpose (Kia Kahi) and Technology
17:16 Ke’oni’s Daily Energy and Purpose
21:09 Ke’oni’s Journey from Addiction to Purpose
27:02 Vision of Grandmother and Life Transformation
29:22 Embracing Aloha and Highest Vibration
30:56 Self-Reflective Love (Aloha Ma)
31:59 Transformation and Living a Joyful Life
33:00 Closing
33:44 Quickfire Questions
Links
Connect with Ke’oni Hanalei:
Website: https://www.pohala.net/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pohala_hawaiian_botanicals/
Source & Self:
Website: https://source-self.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sourceandself
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sourceandself
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sourceandselfboxes
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