Ho’oponopono
(ho-o-pono-pono) is the ancient Hawaiian practice
of reconciliation and forgiveness.
Dr. Ihaleakala Hew Len, a Hawaiian
psychiatrist is believed to have cured the
entire population of a prison’s mental
ward without ever meeting a single
inmate face to face. Instead, Dr. Hew Len,
performed a process he called “cleaning”
as he sat in his office and reviewed each
of the inmates’ medical charts.
Dr Hew Len’s process, evolved from
the ancient Hawaiian spiritual tradition
of Ho’oponopono, which consists of
mindfully repeating four simple phrases:
I’m sorry.
Please forgive me.
Thank you.
I love you.
It doesn’t matter how you say them, it only
matters that you say them sincerely, from your
heart. You can chant all four together as a
mantra, or repeat a single phrase in response to
whatever thought comes into your head.
It’s pretty Simple really.
Begin by simply repeating the four phrases
together: I’m sorry. Please forgive me. Thank
you. I love you.
Repeat them as you go about your daily tasks.
Allow this mantra to replace the random babble
of your ordinary thoughts. Try it out over the
next few weeks and watch how it helps you to
open up and be happier.
I’m starting to feel pretty darn good, but how
does it work?
“I’m Sorry. Please Forgive Me.”
It’s so easy to replay a fight you had with
someone, or relive a time when you felt hurt,
criticised or blamed for something you may not
have done. When you refocus by repeating, “I’m
sorry. Please forgive me,” from your heart until
you feel a sense of peace, you will sense an
easing of the problem, as sense of peace and
hey even joy.
“Thank You. I Love You.”
If you really want forgiveness, peace will enter
– and when it does you can say “Thank you. I
love you.” Your thanks is for the gift of seeing
the negative thought, and for the relief that
came when you chose to apologize for it. Your
love is appreciation for choosing to let go of the
negative thought.
According to the teachings of Ho’oponopono,
you are responsible for everything that you
experience. Everything you see, think, notice,
hear and feel is a creation of your own mind.
Have you become upset? Are you irritated?
Pressured? Annoyed? Sad? Accept that
you are reacting to nothing but memories
from your past. The good news is that using
Ho’oponopono you can apologize and ask
forgiveness, over and over and over again, until
you start feeling OK again.
And now for the Good News
Your “thank you” will grow more and more joyful
the more that you practice it. More of your time
will be spent in positivity and fun.
In a word, you become happier. And isn’t that,
after all, what each of us truly wants?
~MF