Shortly after David Gaynes moved to the Big Island in 2007, he met a young yoga teacher who said she was relocating to the mainland to find work. Gaynes expressed his surprise, noting the Big Island is known as a haven for rejuvenating body, mind and spirit.

“;She said that might be true, but clients weren't finding her,”; Gaynes recalled. “;I subsequently discovered her story was common; there were many other gifted people on the island who could not make ends meet by doing their healing work. I saw the opportunity to build a bridge between them and visitors who were seeking authentic, enriching Hawaiian healing experiences.”;

Thus, Wellness with Aloha was born. Gaynes, the company's founder, describes it as a spiritual and cultural concierge service that connects visitors with a wide range of wellness practitioners and modalities. Dozens of options can be combined to create a customized personal growth journey lasting anywhere from a few hours to several weeks.

Prior to settling on the Big Island, Gaynes lived in numerous locales on the mainland, including California, Oregon, Arizona, Washington state, Idaho, Indiana and Illinois. “;No other place I've seen has the Big Island's loving people, rich culture and beautiful land and spirit,”; he said. “;I live at the edge of Waipio Valley, which is among the most sacred places in Hawaii. It's often called the Valley of Kings because many alii (royalty) lived there in ancient times. Taro is still planted and harvested there in the old way, and burial sites can be found at every turn in the path. Waipio is considered the piko (center) of the Big Island, so I feel it's really important to follow a pono (correct, proper) tourism model.”;

Wellness with Aloha offers visitors the opportunity to meet native Hawaiians where they live and practice traditional healing arts. “;The Big Island nurtures the soul,”; Gaynes said. “;Having the ability to connect with the land in its pristine state is what makes that possible. Our eco-oriented experiences ensure the land stays undisturbed and encourages people to keep it that way.”;

Through Wellness with Aloha, visitors gain access to areas with powerful healing energy that are far off the usual tourist beat. That said, safety is a given. “;We have researched every site,”; Gaynes said, “;and we will never send guests to a place that we know nothing about.”;

Among the options are Hawaiian blessings; swims with dolphins; tours to significant cultural and natural sites; lomilomi massage in a garden, by the ocean or beside cliffs; and private hula lessons, slack key guitar concerts and talk-story sessions with kupuna (elders).

You can spend time with a Hawaiian family in Waipio Valley, tending their taro patches and catching a glimpse of their simple but rewarding life. You can walk the grounds of a heiau (temple) with kahuna (keepers of the ancient knowledge) and learn about the akua (gods), sacred rituals and other spiritual matters. You can linger at Kilauea Volcano, reputedly the home of Pele, the fiery volcano goddess.

“;What I offer that no one else does are experiences with respected kupuna (elders) and kahuna who normally do not interact with visitors,”; Gaynes said. “;They have been kind enough to open a window to their special world to me. The personal trust they have in me not to exploit them, their culture or the land is what enables me to arrange one-of-a-kind Hawaiian experiences for travelers.”;

It's curious that a malihini (newcomer) with a background in futures trading, screenwriting and software development has embraced things Hawaiian with such passion—and, perhaps even more so, that the usually guarded and tight-knit community of local cultural experts not only has opened up to him, but partnered with him. All this, however, makes perfect sense to Gaynes.

“;Wellness with Aloha is intended to be a model of cultural, ecological and economic sustainability,”; he said. “;My philosophy about life is closely aligned with Hawaiian beliefs, which means it's essential for my business to be based on respect for the people and the land. Our guests tell us stories of life-changing transformations that they have felt with all their senses.”;

Gaynes remembered the visit last year of a grief-stricken woman from the East Coast who had lost her son to cystic fibrosis. Although she had never been to the Big Island before, she felt moved to go there to scatter his ashes.

With the assistance of Wellness with Aloha, she was able to participate in a three-hour ceremony with two kahuna at the rim of smoldering Kilauea Caldera. As the kahuna chanted, prayed and presented gifts of leis, fruit and flowers to Pele, the woman's pain melted into peace. She returned home no longer bearing a heavy burden of sorrow.

In this way, much good can come through healers with powerful gifts. Gaynes also hopes the younger generation will see them making a living from practicing their culture and be inspired to do so themselves.

“;If that happens, the Hawaiian healing arts will always be preserved and perpetuated,”; he said. “;It would also secure Hawaii's place as a library of culture, healing and wisdom.”;

Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi is a Honolulu-based freelance writer whose travel features for the Star-Bulletin have won multiple Society of American Travel Writers awards.