Blog

This is the perfect weekend with Christmas, Boxing Day and more celebrations coming. Many Americans are not familiar with the history of Boxing Day, but it is perhaps second only in importance to celebrating the birth of Jesus. The tradition of Boxing Day may be traced back to the early Christian era when the rich…

The pace of modern life can leave us disconnected—from the earth, from each other, and from ourselves. At Kona Cloud Forest Sanctuary, we believe the forest offers a pathway home to clarity, calm, and deep presence. We’re passionate about bridging the divide between humans and nature, so that every person can tap into their innate…

By Norman Bezona All kinds of nuts and dried fruit are popular at Christmas, but no nut is so popular as the Macadamia. Some folks on the mainland think Macadamia nut trees are native to Hawaii, but here we know it is an Australian tree that we adopted as our own. We use the nut…

At Kona Cloud Forest Sanctuary, our sound baths weave together nature and vibration — using carefully chosen instruments that invite deep relaxation, restoration, and connection with the land. Below are some of the key instruments our sound bath practitioners use, along with their origins, traditional uses, and what they bring to a forest-immersed sound healing…

Gift-giving can be an act of love—for both the receiver and the planet. This season, instead of buying items destined for drawers or landfills, choose gifts with intention, longevity, and impact. At Kona Cloud Forest Sanctuary, we believe that the most powerful gifts are the ones that support wellbeing, connection, and earth-care. Here are five…

The holidays don’t need to mean plastic garlands, glitter, or waste. This season, let your home reflect the beauty of the natural world—simple, sustainable, and deeply intentional. At Kona Cloud Forest Sanctuary, we believe the most meaningful decorations are the ones made by hand, sourced from nature, and returned gently to the earth when the…

By Norman Bezona Poinsettias with bracts of red, yellow, white and more are available at nurseries and garden centers now.Photo courtesy of Voltaire Moise Although we have been seeing Christmas decorations in some stores, the Christmas Holidays don’t seem real until our Thanksgiving leftovers are thoroughly digested. The Poinsettia and its close relative, Euphorbia leucocephala…

High above the beaches of Kailua-Kona is a place where the ocean breeze turns to mist. One of Hawai‘i’s most quietly extraordinary places lies on the slopes of Mount Hualalai: the Kona Cloud Forest Sanctuary. While most visitors to Kona head straight for the water, few realize that the lush canopy rising above the town…

Hawai‘i sanctuary recognized for setting new standards in environmental and community leadership   KAILUA-KONA, HAWAI‘I — The Kona Cloud Forest Sanctuary (KCFS) has been awarded the Better Business Bureau (BBB) Foundation’s 2025 Torch Award for Ethics, recognizing its leadership in values-driven business practices, environmental stewardship, and community impact. The BBB Foundation Torch Award for Ethics…

Most of us breathe around 20,000 times a day — yet rarely pause to notice how each inhale and exhale shapes our inner state. Breath is more than oxygen exchange; it’s a dial that tunes your brain chemistry and nervous system in real time. In this blog, we’ll explore three different ways of breathing —…

By Norman Bezona Living Norfolk pines for Christmas may be found at some nurseries now. It seems too early to think about Christmas, but since living trees are in short supply, grab one while you can.Photo courtesy of Voltaire Moise Halloween, All Saints Day and Day of the Dead are over for this year, but…

Every inch of Hawai‘i began as liquid fire — molten rock rising from deep within the Earth’s mantle, spilling into the sea, and hardening into land. The Big Island is still alive in this process — constantly reshaping itself through eruptions that birth two primary types of lava: pāhoehoe and ‘a‘ā. Though both come from…