This ancient Hawaiian philosophy will change your life and make the world a better place

Let's talk about "aloha"

Aloha is a way of life.
(Image credit: Colin Anderson/Blend Images/Corbis)

The world seems kind of depressing these days, doesn't it? Implosion in the Middle East. Xenophobia in the West. Greed, terrorism, climate change, terrifying viruses, the 2016 presidential race. It's enough to make you want to pull the covers over your head and never get out of bed. To which I say, aloha.

During tough times like these, humanity could benefit from this ancient Hawaiian philosophy. Now, most mainland Americans think "aloha" means "hello," "goodbye," or sometimes "love," and all of that is true. But it also means much, much more. The late Haleaka Iolani Pule, a Hawaiian historian and healer, called aloha the "symbiotic relationship and an acknowledgement of that relationship you have with everything in the universe around you, and recognizing exactly what your space within that is."

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Leslie Turnbull

Leslie Turnbull is a Harvard-educated anthropologist with over 20 years' experience as a development officer and consultant. She cares for three children, two dogs, and one husband. When not sticking her nose into other peoples' business, she enjoys surfing, cooking, and writing (often bad) poetry.