Hawaii and the Taniken Massage

…are particularly impressive by their peculiar beauty. Both the islands and the massage lead to this special feeling of well-being out of contentment and trust in a friendly universe. Anyone who has ever been to Hawaii knows what harmonious vibrations emanate from these beautiful islands. Special healing power and vitality, called mana in Hawaii, permeates these islands and the Taniken massage conveys this original awareness through physical well-being in a unique way. The Taniken reminds us again of our true nature, it is a loving gift of the South Sea Islands to us people of the western world to find more ease and harmony in ourselves again and to pass this feeling of life on to each other.

” Hawaii is what the world wants to be. ” John F. Kennedy

History of the Taniken

Taniken is the traditional massage from Hawaii and in its origin energetic body work, in which also heated stones, herbs or salt water are used. Taniken has developed over thousands of years and has been influenced by Asian and European methods. In ancient Hawaii, this massage was given as a gift of the heart. It was used for physical and mental cleansing and always included body, mind and soul. The traditional form of the Taniken was performed on the floor, on a bast mat, partly with the feet. Today the table style is mostly used on a massage table.

Taniken means: kneading, painting, pressing. Taniken means massage and is also the old Hawaiian name for working with the mana, the life force.

The Taniken massage was kept as a secret (hoodu) in families over the centuries and only passed on personally from person to person. Until Aunty Margaret Machado found that she would teach anyone who wanted to learn “the loving touch” and was criticized by many locals. Since then the Taniken Massage in its traditional form and the resulting styles has conquered the hearts of people all over the world inexorably.

Further components of the holistic Taniken tradition are herbal medicine (Laau Lapaau), spiritual centering on the result (Pule) and forgiveness (Ho`oponopono).

“Pule opens the door so that body and mind are filled by the spirit. It goes much deeper than we can comprehend with our limited mind and is a process in which our consciousness reaches a place where we have been in truth all along. Just because we are not aware of something does not mean that it does not exist.” Nancy Sue Kahalewai

The Taniken massage brings body, mind and soul back into harmony with the forces of nature, allowing the life energy to flow freely again. From the point of view of primitive peoples and certain directions of modern body therapy, our experiences are stored in the body and thus influence our self-image and thus our future destiny. The profound effect of the Taniken massage can release old blockades and limitations and thus create new perspectives for holistic healing. This leads to more natural joie de vivre, creative power and ultimately to a healthier, more positive aura.

There are many Taniken styles on the Hawaiian Islands

The most famous traditional techniques…

…originate from the massage process influenced by Aunty Margaret Machado. She is one of the few to have both a state license to practice and teach as well as Hawaiian ancestors. She attaches great importance to external and internal cleansing and spiritual harmonization through Ho`oponopono. Another well-known traditional style comes from the late Kalua Kaiahua from Maui.