How I became a seminar leader - Hedda Feldhoff-Reif

Hedda offers training courses for Lomi Lomi massages.

I first encountered Lomi Lomi massage in 2004. It was a magical experience – I felt touched not only physically, but in my entire being. Gentle, deep, transformative and with the feeling of being more myself. At the time, I never would have thought that I would start teaching Lomi massage more than 10 years later.

My first contact with bodywork was at the age of 22. At that time, I was learning Shiatsu alongside my training as a vegetable gardener. In this context, I took part in a “Seiki” seminar with Akinobu Kishi – an advanced Shiatsu teacher from Japan who, after 25 years of Shiatsu, abandoned all concepts and instead of touching, “only” opened up a healing space. This made a deep impression on me at the time. I felt how my body was able to spontaneously release energy in this space and regulate itself, becoming “healthier” without any external touch. During a break, I asked him if he knew Fukuoka, a Japanese man who described a new type of agriculture in his book “The Great Way Has No Gate,” which inspired me at the time. A type of horticulture that attempts to imitate nature in its fullness and intervene as little as possible—a “do-nothing agriculture,” which did not really mean doing nothing. Kishi said to me enthusiastically at the time that yes, he knew him and that Fukuoka was basically doing exactly the same thing as he was in the field of bodywork.

It was clear to me at the time that I couldn't learn from Kishi because I lacked his 25 years of perception training.

At that time, Shiatsu was practiced exclusively on the floor (as was Lomi originally). Not very practical for my awkward 179 cm height. When I encountered Lomi massage on a massage table, I knew immediately: I definitely want to learn this! I had various teachers until I came across Lomi Lomi Oluea through Uta Scheven from Munich. A Lomi style developed by Daniel Fowler, which gave me the feeling of coming into contact with something very substantial.

Daniel began learning Lomi massage in 1983 and emigrated from the mainland US to Maui, Hawaii, in 1989 to study Lomi in greater depth and be in contact with authentic teachers. Deeply moved by what he learned, he wanted to pass on some of this authentic knowledge. This was also because, as he said, a lot of “fancy Lomi,” based mainly on flowery fantasies, had been passed on to the Western world.

To this day, we remain companions, united by our search for the source of knowledge.

In 2009, I started my own business offering Lomi massages. I had a small practice room at home and also worked in a family hotel, where I offered wellness massages. I practiced here for over 9 years, repeatedly took courses with Daniel and Uta, and delved deeper and deeper into the art of the “sacred touch of Aloha.” One day, someone asked me if I could teach what I was doing. I hadn't even thought of that idea yet. I had also signed an agreement that I would not teach this style of Lomi without my teacher's permission. Daniel wanted to prevent the knowledge he had gathered from being diluted. Eventually, the next person asked me, and it happened more and more often, but each time I referred them to my highly esteemed teacher Uta Scheven, who had Daniel's permission.

Two years later, Uta Scheven herself suggested expanding the LomiLomi Oluea massage training program. In consultation with Daniel, Uta met with three advanced Lomi students and we added photos to the scripts, which still form the basis of the basic training today. Along with four other students, I received Daniel's “blessing” to teach basic courses in LomiLomi Oluea. Four years later, Christine Stuhlinger and I received the copyright to Daniel's materials and permission to teach advanced courses as well.

My first official course started with three participants! Teaching massage wasn't difficult for me, but I had to learn how to deal with groups and all the processes that were triggered by massage. My courses grew very slowly – but no matter how many participants I had, I never canceled a course. 

At some point, I said to my husband, “I'd like to have a class with 10 participants.” My husband replied, “Honey, I'll do that for you.”

The next course had 10 participants! My husband works in marketing and had promoted my website. Since then, my husband has been helping me with my “visibility” and now also with the organization. Over the years, more and more courses developed and Christine Stuhlinger, who, like me, was enthusiastic about my husband's marketing skills, said to us... “Please organize this for me too.”

My initial courses have now developed into a school and I collaborate with more than eight instructors, all of whom possess special skills and teach “holistic bodywork” in addition to LomiLomi Oluea.

I still teach basic courses (and other courses as well). Even after more than nine years of teaching, I continue to learn something new every time. And I am still touched by how deeply this bodywork can affect you if you are willing to engage with it.

After more than 15 years of practice, I am beginning to feel this more deeply – and here a healing space opens up where healing can simply happen through “not acting” and the “sacred touch of Aloha.”