Ho'oponopono
Having a moment of peace to reflect on one’s feelings within an increasingly busy routine does not always require a quiet place, a few minutes off, or total disconnection from the outside world.
Amazing as this idea may seem, there is a technique for making your daily life less stressful through mental and spiritual cleansing without the need for religious teachings or yoga postures. Her name is ho’oponopono.
In this post, you will better understand what this very different word means and find out how it is able to provide more lightness to your life! Are you curious? So come on!.
What is Ho’oponopono?
The word “ho’o” means “cause” in Hawaiian, while “ponopono” means “perfection”. The term “ho’oponopono” can be translated as “correct a mistake” or “make it right”.
It is a practice that does not require much teaching, but it is powerful for purifying one’s body and getting rid of bad memories or feelings that hold the mind in a negative tune.
The term became known from an experience lived by the therapist and teacher, Ihaleakala Hew Len. As unbelievable as the story may seem, this man has managed to cure an entire pavilion of mentally ill criminals in Hawaii without even talking or interacting with any of them.
By analyzing each patient’s records, the therapist applied the ho’oponopono keywords, and the repetition of the technique changed his mood. Consequently, the mental activity of the detainees also changed.
The results were so surprising that, in short, it can be said that Len was able to heal the prisoners as he was healing himself.
How the technique works
The technique assumes that everything we know as “reality” is experienced individually by our mind. What you feel, hear, see and even the things or people you know are influenced by your inner self.
As such, everything around you involves your participation, as you are responsible for what you think and feel. Have you noticed that we ourselves can often be our worst enemies? This is because each thought can activate a mechanism that recreates a (albeit illusory) world of problems.
The main purpose of ho’oponopono is to seek the cure of these problems through forgiveness. Not necessarily the forgiveness of others, but especially that of oneself.
This is done with the understanding that what happens to you doesn’t matter, but what you do with what happened is what really matters. If your mind and thoughts have caused you problems, they are also able to solve them.
The traditional version of ho’oponopono consists of four main phrases:
1. I’m sorry
2. forgive me;
3. I love you
4. I am grateful.
They all seek to guide the practitioner through these four sentimental steps: repentance, forgiveness, love, and gratitude.
Simply repeating these words can trigger the release of blockages, negative memories, and traumas so that you can take more control over your own body and life.
In short, it can be said that ho’oponopono is a problem-solving process that must happen entirely within you.
Ho’oponopono Benefits
The advantages of frequent ho’oponopono practice are numerous, and they are found in all fields of life. The main ones are:
Regeneration of cellular memories
Have you ever had the feeling of reliving a traumatic situation several times, like watching a movie playing in your head?
This is because all our pains, worries and fears are generated and stored in our cellular memory. Ho’oponopono acts in this area as a cleansing, neutralizing memories of suffering and uncomfortable sensations.
Protagonism of life itself
At first, the idea of responsibility and obligation to answer for one’s actions may seem very rigid, but over time, you may be surprised at how independent and proactive you are.
By abandoning the sense of powerlessness linked to the idea that suffering is caused only by external and uncontrollable factors, it is possible to transform your beliefs and not have a victimistic stance, increasing the sense of personal power.
Emotional stability
With the release of negative energies, emotional balance is privileged as the blocks of self-realization, happiness and fulfillment disappear, making room for new insights and inner peace.
In addition, the ho’oponopono practitioner gains the freedom not to obey negative memories. This can make you a calmer, more positive person in the face of adversity and problems in your path.
Healthier Relationships
Whenever we engage in some misunderstanding or conflict, we tend to think that only the others are wrong.
Ho’oponopono helps to deconstruct this passive posture so that the practitioner can understand that he is also part of the problem, and when he changes, his relationships change (for the better, of course!)
How to begin
To put ho’oponopono into practice, you don’t have to believe in deities, have any religion, or be isolated in a quiet place. Just say (mentally or out loud): I’m sorry. Forgive me. I love you. I am grateful.
You may already begin to experience feelings of compassion, new inner sensations, or a simple relaxation of mind as soon as you finish speaking all the words for the first time. When the energy that was blocked begins to be released by the cells, it is also common for practitioners to feel like yawning or sighing.