Ho'oponopono

People often struggle on the path of forgiveness, whether for themselves or others. Maybe it is easier to forgive others for their little wrongs, but it is tougher to forgive ourselves. Everyone knows this somewhere in their minds, but Hawaiians found a solution for it. Dr Ihaleakala Hew Len, a Hawaiian therapist, cured an entire ward of criminally insane patients without even seeing them with an applied theory of the ancient Hawaiian practice of reconciliation and forgiveness called Ho’oponopono.

Ho’oponopono (pronounced HO-oh-Po-no-Po-no) is a Hawaiian word that roughly translates to correction or set right. It is a zen concept. “Pono”, in native Hawaiian, means balance, in the sense of life. It assumes that when things are in balance, nothing is off, so to speak.

Chanting the Ho’oponopono prayer is a way to cleanse your mind of guilt, shame, ill will, and feelings that keep the mind in the loop of negative thinking. It is a resonant way of getting out of this loop, in time penetrating our inner monologue.

Give it a try yourself!

Repeat out loud or in your mind these words- 

I’m sorry, please forgive me. Thank you, I love you.

As you do this, close your eyes and sit with your legs crossed in the most peaceful and quiet part of your house or room- almost like how we meditate.

Repeating these few words, which seem so general, hold more power than you would think. These little words are what make up a relation. “Thank you for being with me”, “I’m sorry I did something that hurt you”- “I love you and wish to never part from you from this day on”, are just some phrases that everyone wants to hear (and listen to on repeat because who doesn’t like Pride and Prejudice 2005 dialogues over and over). 

This prayer, when practiced enough every day, can have a psychological effect on your mind. What we say affects us. Positive thinking will eventually take over your mind once you keep repeating it with dedication. It helps build self-confidence and self-respect as you forgive yourself. Showing some mercy to yourself is not as bad as you think. In a way, it is a way to a guaranteed insight into the art of forgiving yourself and others.

Part of the reason why this prayer works is that you need to acknowledge your mistakes and apologize first. It is a universal need to have others acknowledge our feelings and emotions. Ho’oponopono is a way to acknowledge the wrongdoings, realize that they exist, and apologize for them. Then, you accept yourself with your flaws with “Thank you, I love you.” It is a step towards self-love and understanding yourself better.

A lot of people make the mistake of thinking that forgiveness is equal to total absolution of their wrongdoings. It can be peaceful for some time, but ultimately the theory is futile for them as it ignores the feelings that were hurting because of the troubles caused. True forgiveness is making space for feelings of guilt and shame. You can be forgiven, but you cannot go on thinking that nothing like that ever happened. It is a part of yourself and you should learn from them as you ask for forgiveness.

Only by forgiving, moving on from it, can you help yourself get rid of such feelings that cause you mental unrest. Ho’oponopono is a way to tackle the past doings of your life and lead it with dignity as you learn from your mistakes.