About Us | ハナリマスタッフ
Eri Mahealani Virden
Owner, Lomilomi Practitioner, LMT, Aromatherapist, Lomilomi Instructor
Eri’s love for Hawaii started at an early age. A native of Nagoya, Japan, her family traveled often to Hawaii, and Eri remembers falling in love with the islands, the culture, and everything Hawaiian from the age of 9, deepening with every trip here.
Eri’s youth included a rich educational background, both scholastically as well as in the healing realm. Eri credits two teachers who made the greatest impact on her in this way. The first of these was Ms. Saburi, who taught Eri through demonstration and observation, the ability to bring forth healing using energy. Her dad, also, shared with Eri his gift of this understanding of healing energy through his own spirituality.
Eri’s studied dance, through ballet, from a very early age. This grace served her later when she began to study hula with Hawaiian kumu who traveled to Japan. Her poise and love of Hawaiian music and hula led her to a coveted spot in a competing halau in the Big Island’s Merrie Monarch Festival in the year 2000. In 2007, Eri will return to the Merrie Monarch stage with her hula sisters and Kumu Kapua Dalire as a Hawaii resident, and she is truly excited.
Lomilomi and Hawaiian healing arts became a profound interest after successfully completing and becoming certified in a rigorous course of study in aromatherapy, anatomy and physiology in Japan. She enrolled in Long Life Lomilomi under Kumu Dane Silva in Pahoa, Hawaii, and studied with him for several years. This led to the opening of her own lomilomi and aromatherapy clinic in Nagoya, which she successfully ran for over four years. At a Hawaiian Lomilomi Association conference in Kona, Hawaii, 3 years ago, Eri met her husband to be, and the course of her life changed remarkably.
After marriage to David Keoni Virden, Eri moved to Hawaii, and along with David, assisted her mother-in-law Brenda teach lomilomi workshops both at Hawaii Healing Arts College and other locations. This harmonious venture led to the combining of a higher vision of expressing her love of lomilomi and assisting in others’ healing with her new Hawaii family. She enrolled in HHAC and got her Hawaii massage license, as well as earned her Kumu Lomi status with HLA, and now shares her many gifts at Lomilomi Hana Lima. One of these gifts is her use of listening skills, which awakens her intuition and allows her to express her loving compassion.
Eri’s dream for the future is to expand this vision of healing and teaching and then start a family of her own.
Brenda Mohalapua Ignacio
Kumu Lomi, Lomilomi Practioner, LMT, Kahu
A native of the Big Island of Hawaii, Brenda was taught from birth the connection of the spirit of love in all things, especially nature. Formal training in the strict manner of hula opened her heart and mind to her inner dance and expression. It was through dancing the hula that Brenda became aware of her hands and the impact they held.
Guided and encouraged by kupuna to return to early life influences and to use her hands toward her purpose, Brenda turned seriously to extensive study with masters in the Hawaiian healing arts. The most influential of these was Hannah “Nana” Veary. Charged with sharing the rich history and philosophy of various aspects of this loving work, her passion is not only in being an authentic practitioner of lomilomi massage; it is also in empowering students and individuals to awaken to and appreciate their own awareness of the healing power within. Foremost in her practice is her ability to hear and feel others at a soul level, and to treat them with unconditional love.
Brenda is a Hawaii state licensed massage therapist and a Hawaii DOE licensed instructor. Prior to joining her family in the establishment of Lomilomi Hana Lima, Brenda was a co-founder of Hawaii Healing Arts College in Kailua, establishing and teaching the lomilomi program there. A former director of the Hawaiian Lomilomi Association, she is a credentialed Approved Instructor of this governing organization. Also a Kahu, (a Hawaii state licensed minister,) she loves to perform weddings and other Hawaiian blessings. As a Kahu and a Kumu, she shares many years’ experience in being a practitioner and instructor of Hawaiian healing arts, which she considers to be an integral part of Hawaii’s culture. She believes that through prayer, compassion, forgiveness, acknowledgement and humility, the body can and will heal itself.
Brenda has appeared in three films by film producer John Kalani Zak on Hawaiian healing: “Hawaiian Healing,” “Hawaiian Meditation” and “Pule Wailele,” all of which are educational and inspiring. She is honored to join with some of her beloved kupuna and kumu in sharing Hawaii’s rich past and present.
Brenda’s other passions are hula dancing, learning, creative endeavors and above all, her family.
David Keoni Virden
General Manager, Lomilomi Practitioner
David Keoni Virden fully entered the world of Hawaiian healing arts after having been a part of the John Kalani Zak production “Hawaiian Healing,” a film that won high acclaim at the 2003 Hawaii International Film Festival.
During an interview for this film with kupuna Aunty Mary Fragas and others, David was deeply moved, and answered a call to delve more into the healing arts of his island home. He then studied with his mother Kumu Brenda, and not only quickly grasped the philosophy, history, and techniques of lomilomi, but showed innate gifts that led to his becoming an assistant instructor in her classes. His love of connection with kupuna and students made him invaluable in capturing magical moments both in teaching and also in assisting at conferences. During one of these conferences in Kona, he was charged with filming the conference attendees, and it was then that his camera captured not only a beautiful attendee, but his future wife as well, his cherished Eri.
At this conference, Aunty Margaret Machado held David’s hand and beckoned to his Kumu mother, a former student of hers, to approach so she could impart these words: “Mohalapua, teach this boy this work.” It was this encouragement and David’s thirst for more and diversified instruction in lomilomi that led him to study with Alva Andrews, who encouraged him to take the Hawaiian martial art of lua, as well as the techniques of lomilomi that developed from lua. Learning from this master also empowered David and healed early life experiences through Alva’s unconditional love and belief in him as a practitioner and as a man.
Among interests and hobbies, David lists collecting, both music and art. He has always been active in and enjoyed sports such as baseball, soccer, and volleyball, and now adds golf to that list. He very much enjoys his full time career as a member of Hawaiian Airlines, and loves to travel and serve people of all walks of life. Another hobby is his love of and interaction with his two nieces, Mikaela and Sofia.
His interest and passion in lomilomi stems from his belief that in each individual is a truth that healing comes from within; that one’s thoughts and choices can alter one’s path to living a full and healthy life. He loves “partnering” with another in awakening this truth through pure intention and the knowledge that he uses in bringing this forth. His excitement to be a part of his wife’s purpose deepens his resolve to focus with her on a life goal for them, for others, and for the family that they will bring into their wonderful union.
Laura Bach Buzzell
LMT, Lomilomi Practitioner
Laura has been a licensed massage therapist in Hawaii for several years, and is a Certified Professional Member of ABMP (Associated Bodywork of Massage Professionals.)
She first began her training in the ancient art of lomilomi massage therapy with Kumu Brenda Mohalapua Ignacio in 2002, at Hawaii Healing Arts College in Kailua. Subsequent to that, Laura attended Hawaiian Lomilomi Association conferences with Kumu Brenda in 2003 and 2004, greatly increasing her training with other master teachers.
Laura believes that through Kumu Brenda’s teachings, that she has found that the beauty of lomilomi truly lies in the seeds of ho’oponopono, or forgiveness, of one’s self, and of one’s past. Through pule, or prayer, positive intention and Akua’s guidance, Laura blessedly nurtures each client’s individuality. She enjoys working with warm pohaku (stones) warm towels and the use of aromatherapy to assist in transforming the physical body back to its homeostatic, productive state. Laura herself feels very nurtured as part of the Lomilomi Hana Lima ohana, and enjoys the ever-present learning environment, as she believes we learn from one another and every client, every day.
Outside of her professional massage career, Laura has a keen interest in the performing arts. She studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts, (LAMDA) and pursued her craft in New York city for 5 years. Laura has appeared in many productions on Honolulu stages and was recently honored with a “PO’OKELA” Award for her ensemble performance in Enchanted April. Hula and slack key guitar playing are other interests that she has studied and enjoys.
Allegra Lu’ukia Thompson
LMT, Lomilomi Practitioner
Allegra’s passion for the healing arts comes from a keen interest in “reading the body” and attaining excellence as a bodyworker. She feels that in understanding the body she can judge the body’s responsiveness and use her skills to manifest her intention of making a profound difference.
Although an LMT and 2006 graduate of Hawaii Healing Arts College, Allegra continues her education and study of kinesiology and sports medicine. She received her Associates Degree in Health and Fitness and became an ACE certified Personal Trainer.
The most influential person in Allegra’s life and her career choice was her grandfather, “Sunny” Henry Thompson. He was very active in naturopathic and Hawaiian healing arts. Although he studied western medicine throughout the world, he practiced both, leaning more often to natural healing. One of her best recalled quotes from her grandfather is “these days doctors treat their patient’s symptoms and not their patient. Doctors should focus on the person in front of them, not their education.” This spurred Allegra’s resolve to find a way to help people heal without drugs and/or intimidating equipment and to help people find their own power within to heal. This, she says, is what led her to practice her art at Lomilomi Hana Lima.
Her initial lomilomi training was with Kumu Lomi Mileka Robins of Halau Ka Wai Ola, where she learned primarily Aunty Margaret Machado’s philosophy and style of lomi.
Allegra also works at Damien Memorial High School as an assistant to the Athletic Department’s Certified Athletic Trainer, furthering her education in sports massage, deep tissue, manipulation, stretching, etc.
Her interests are many, and include paddling and coaching for Ka Mamalahoe Canoe Club, setting up core conditioning programs for youth and adults.