‘Mythology is like a game of Chinese Whispers. What goes in at one end of the human circle is rarely what emerges at the other end’
While we are not in the Mythology industry, our purpose is to ‘pass on’ ancient knowledge, practices and skills through our teachings at our workshops. Teachers that have been apprenticed in the Traditional way ensure that the purity and accuracy is maintained, to preserve its original context. It has always been that way with our particular style ‘Traditional Old Style Hawaiian Lomi Lomi’.
As you may know Dawn was trained by her master Sherman Dudoit as an apprentice over a period of around 4 years one-on-one before it was deemed that she had gleaned all the possible knowledge from her master and that she was ready to carry the responsibility of the lineage moving forward and ready to teach.
Where there is Light, darkness cannot exist. Introduce the Light… you are a Lighthouse.
– Sherman Dudoit
Why was she trained in this way and why Dawn?
Sherman was trained as an apprentice by his master one-on-one, before his master stepped away and left Sherman as the lineage holder and the only teacher of the secrets he had learnt in strict accordance.
Before starting her apprenticeship Dawn had already learnt different styles of massage in workshops settings, this includes Heartworks and Kahuna Body Work, progressing through the different levels and acquiring skills and techniques. She had met Sherman a number of times in workshops settings and unbeknown to her Sherman had been searching for many years for an apprentice that he could pass all the knowledge onto, as he found the responsibility heavy with his health issues and wished to step away from teaching and responsibility.
We think it best to come from Sherman in his own words:
“When I first met Dawn in Australia in 2002, I knew… this is the one… but not yet. Much needed to happen before she or I were ready. In 2005 I consented to one more training in Hawaii. It was a very large group of students from all over the world. Many previous students came again to study with me in this last training, and well, there was Dawn, all the way from Australia. Now it was time, and it began, there in its source, Hawaii. Since then, she has apprenticed with me effortlessly, smooth and direct transmission. Dawn carries with her all the essential qualities needed, absolute dedication, humility, patience, tremendous empathy and compassion, natural gifts of the hands and heart, and a willingness to serve beyond limits. This is selfless service.”
“The proof of her genuine ability is that without advertisement, more work comes to her than she can possibly handle. This is always the surest sign of one touched by God for service.”
Is Authentic teachings your thing?
We love massage!! All types, different styles and why wouldn’t you…
Some people get a calling to work in bodywork… some smaller amount of people want to learn Hawaiian style massage… and an even smaller number of people feel they need to learn a truly authentically accurate traditional massage. If you are the later then you may not feel fulfilled after completing your workshop or course elsewhere.
With the expanding number of teachers of Lomi Lomi here in Australia, it is very worthwhile to consider what is being taught and by whom and if you are that kind of a person that needs the accuracy and tradition of the strokes, method and knowledge of a Traditional Hawaiian Lomi Lomi teacher / kumu.
If a qualified Lomi Lomi Teacher themselves did not learn in a strict and long serving apprenticeship from a Kahu or Kumu (teacher) and have not received the blessing from a traditional teacher for them to teach others, how are they supposed to pass on the teachings correctly? If they themselves had not been taught in strict accordance and only in a workshop setting? They are of course able to teach their own style as an interpretation of the original but it is very unlikely that it could be exact and pure.
We are sure that these teachers and schools offer amazing teachings and experiences and that they offer the possibility to learn a great Hawaiian style massage, but there is a difference…
Has anything changed?
Almost all of the current teachers of Lomi Lomi in Australia have learnt and acquired their knowledge and skill in a workshop environment over a number of days. The latest teacher training can be achieved in as little 8 or 9 days.
So how traditional are these teachings?
If the 1st line of teachers did not learn in a strict way and used their own version and definition to teach to the 2nd line of teachers, and then the 2nd line of teachers use their own version and definition to teach others and so on. We feel it is only certain that the original knowledge will be changed due to the passing of knowledge, with potentially different interpretation, strokes and losing and adding some others. By the time it has been passed multiple times it is without question that the core and purity would have been lost in some way due to the nature of Chinese whispers or we can say ‘information was lost in translation’ or maybe ‘a chain of misinterpretations’
We feel that it is important for some to consider the ‘Chinese whispers’ effect when considering learning any new skill.
It’s your choice…
As a potential student looking for a way of being of service and working with their hands and heart, they would naturally consider which school is the right step in their journey. In Australia and particularly on the East Coast there are an increasing number of potentially interesting options, if you are looking to learn Hawaiian or Hawaiian style massage. Each school is promoting through lots of social media, reels, stories and adverts which in turn we hope will bring more awareness of Lomi Lomi to increasing numbers. More and more people are becoming aware of the possible benefits and how amazing Lomi Lomi massage is to give and receive potentially to clients. We understand from many enquires that with increased possibilities to learn Lomi Lomi and more options than ever it is becoming more challenging for potential students/therapists to decide what is best suited for them personally.
We are often asked is Traditional Old Style Hawaiian Lomi Lomi the same as Heartworks Lomi Lomi?
Yes, it is true that Sherman Dudoit did teach Heartworks Lomi Lomi to students (including Dawn) but also true is that he only taught Traditional Old Style Hawaiian Lomi Lomi to Dawn…
Sherman himself answered this question:
A NEED FOR CLARIFICATION
FROM SHERMAN
“There are many former students who have studied with me in “the Heartworks method”, who have gone on to self-appoint themselves as teachers, without permission. Two students did ask permission, and were given so, but as is the case with all such things, the essential core of this way lost all of its original purity, and sense of honouring the tradition. It is extremely difficult to maintain a strict adherence to old school tradition when it goes mainstream.”
The two teachers that Sherman referred to, one was in Sweden and the other in Australia… These two teachers learnt Lomi Lomi (‘Heartworks’ version) in workshop type environment and setting, not a one-on-one apprenticeship. They were not taught in strict accordance with constant repetition and learning only by touch and therefore only able to teach their ‘own version’ of what they learnt. These teachings have not been thoroughly tested, checked and are not verified for accuracy by the Kahu himself as Traditional. These limited teachings through the two teachers were passed on only to use to train new students that wished to be therapists. As time progresses and things develop, the offerings were extended a few years ago to include teaching teachers (teacher training) with the intention that these next in line (2nd generation) teachers would then operate their own Heartworks based Lomi Lomi schools and teach students for becoming therapists and so on. Again over time it is certain that these 2nd generation teachers have expanded their offerings to include teaching teachers (teacher training) to create a 3rd generation of teachers.
One of the more recent developments is an additional level (level 2) has been added to some ‘Heart works’ teachings, which is not from the original source. It is worth noting that Sherman only ever taught a single level to all others. This new level 2 is self-described as intuitive teachings (intuitive knowledge tends to be approximate – Wikipedia).
Very importantly… We are not stating that Heartworks is not a Hawaiian Style Lomi Lomi Massage but simply pointing out that it is unlikely to be accurate in the traditional sense.
As Sherman wrote about Heartworks:
“This is not meant to detract from what these former students are now teaching, as all things shift and evolve endlessly…only that there is a pressing need to clarify, that since the “Heartworks” method went worldwide, there are a large number of websites claiming that they were students who have studied with me, and given permission to teach, using my name and picture to give credence where it was not given.
When it came time to pass this work on to Dawn, it became clear that there needed to be clarity brought in to an indistinct picture. Therefore the “Heartworks” has simply been taken to its basic roots, “Traditional Old Style Lomi Lomi”, but it is unlikely that it (Heartworks) can be termed as authentic Hawaiian Lomi Lomi Massage.
There is only one…
Traditional Old Style Hawaiian Lomi Lomi has only one teacher, this is how it has been for generations, it therefore removes the risk of ‘Chinese whispers’ as the only teacher has learnt exactly through a long period of training. There is no passing of the knowledge except from teacher to therapist/practitioner and then from therapist to client receiving. Therefore, as a student it is from a verified source directly from our lineage.
Dawn was taught one-on-one with her then Kumu Sherman Dudoit over a 4 year period, this is to ensure that all the knowledge being passed on is as exact as possible, nothing is changed or adapted. The apprentice is the one that must adapt through repetition and understanding. Selection of the apprentice is essential and can be extremely challenging for the person (apprentice, the future potential lineage holder) to find the master and then for them to have necessary characteristics, approach, kind heart and dedicated to being of service and skill, it took in our case many many years of Sherman meeting 1000’s of people he taught in workshops or treated until the one (Dawn Charlton) revealed themselves to him.
This strict selection and training process is then only guaranteed when the Lineage Holder (Kumu) themselves feels it is the right time and all that needed to be learnt has been learnt for the apprentice to become the new Lineage holder. The responsibility of the Lineage and becoming the holder of the secrets is then ritually passed on in the traditional way and method.
This is why our form of Lomi Lomi is Traditional Old Style and therefore has only one teacher to ensure the purity of the teachings being passed onto new students therapists.
To read more, please visit our website where we have more information.
Final Words from Dawn
This modality suits people that wish to learn something that is truly traditional unspoilt, unpolluted and in its purest form. Being a strictly Traditional form, I am not able to change or adapt the way it is and will be, and have no intention to do so, despite the commercial demands and challenges made upon myself as a true lineage holder and my responsibilities. Lineage holders are very different to those that have been allowed or given permission to teach, they hold and are responsible for all the secrets they have been ritually passed.”
– Dawn Charlton
