Ho’ponopono 101
Ho’oponopono is very simply but extremely powerful healing technique passed down to us by the ancient Hawaiians. It has been used the Hawaiian priests to solve problems between individuals and tribal groups. Today, we use a modified version of this technique to bring peace to our internal and external realities.
This technique is so powerful, yet so easy. I’m convinced that if everyone in the world were to learn this process, we’d create world peace instantly. I for one have witnessed the sheer magic of how using this process can instantly change my inner emotional landscape while also creating some dramatic changes in the people around me. With this simple internal process, you can change lifelong patterns that stem from your own psyche or ancestral lineage.
The basis of Ho’oponopono is that we all create our own reality and are thus 100% responsible for that reality. Anything that we experience in our external reality is actually a mirror of our internal reality. With Ho’oponopono, instead of blaming or shaming other people or ourselves, we look inwards and find the part inside of us that is just like that other person or thing. We then forgive ourselves and offer love on behalf of ourselves and all our ancestors.
The minute we bring forgiveness into our lives, we open up doorways for divine grace to come in and dissolve any toxicity or negativity. More often than not, doing this process creates what seems like miracles.
The Process:
The process of Ho’oponopono is extremely simple. When you experience any annoyance, irritation, frustration, or other negative emotion towards another person, repeat the following either silently or out loud. You can do it while the person is in front of you or by using a mental picture of the person. The effect is just the same.
Look at the person and say:
I’m so sorry.
I love you.
I forgive myself for anytime my ancestors or myself harmed you or caused you pain. Please forgive me.
Now take a deep breath.
Though incredibly simple, the Ho’oponopono process is very powerful. I use this technique at least a dozen times each day and have found that my outer reality is constantly changing for the better. One example is on a recent flight to California.
Flying these days is a challenging experience to begin with but on this particular flight, I found myself sitting directly in front of a very young baby and her grandmother. As our plane began to take off, the baby behind me began to shriek. At once, my seatmates began to express their irritation or annoyance with the crying baby. The young man to my left kept asking the grandmother to keep it down and he proceeded to complain about the baby to the older woman sitting next to me. She responded with comments about how young children really shouldn’t be allowed to fly and how irresponsible of the parents to allow their baby to disrupt the entire flight. Hearing their discussion, I was in shock at their apparent callousness and general rudeness towards this sweet grandmother and miserable little girl. At first, I got very angry and thought about confronting the two on their intolerance and general lack of respect. However, after I visually berated and insulted them, I caught myself and proceeded to do the Ho’oponopono technique.
Closing my eyes, I pictured both the young man and older woman and said, “I’m so sorry. I love you. I forgive myself for any time that my ancestors or myself have been intolerant and rude to others. I forgive myself for my own intolerance and rudeness towards this baby. I’m so so sorry.”
Within two minutes, their discussion had stopped. Two minutes later, the young man reached across the older woman and introduced himself to me for the first time during the entire flight. I had not said one word out loud. We then proceeded to engage in a very wonderful discussion about art and poetry and parapsychology and he did not make a single comment for the rest of the flight about the baby behind us. As a side note, the baby stopped crying as well.
This is just one instance of how Ho’oponopono can work to create more peace in your internal and external reality. I have had hundreds of instances similar to this one and I’m also baffled by how powerful this process can be.
You can start using it right now with any situation or person that is troubling you. Just look at the person or situation and repeat the phrases I listed above.