Ho’oponopono is a Huna practice to make thing right between two people or groups of people. I’m going to describe where the practice comes from and one way to do it. Then I’m going to ask you for your thoughts on applying it to one particular situation. This is a contribution I’m asking you to give to the community of readers here on the We All Have Souls website.

Background Concepts

Huna is a way of living that comes from the Hawaiian Islands. I first read about Huna in a set of books by Max Freedom Long. This description comes more directly from Linda Semrau, LMHC [http://www.lindasemrautherapy.com] who spoke at the 2016 Fairy and Human Relations Congress [http://www.fairycongress.com/].

We have to start with the world of Huna. It is not like our normal physical reality, and it is not much like any of the worlds of soul reality that people in the West usually walk in. To understand what this is all about, you will need to drop some assumptions of your ability to do things and make choices.

In Huna we do not generate experiences. It’s more like we remember them. As we walk through life in the Huna world, we are remembering the future. That can be a confusing idea.

One way to understand it is that it is the inverse of ancestor work and cleaning up bloodlines. In that work we are acting on the past. We are changing what has already happened. In Huna the future is already there. We are just remembering what it will be.

Those who know me well will be waiting for me to say, “There is no time.” Consider it done. I’ll write more to explain that someday. For now, ancestor work and Ho’oponopono are two examples of standing in the now and working with other places on our timeline.

In Ho’oponopono the goal is to clean up relationships. When we come to a place and time where the relationship is not right, it is no accident.

I need to switch from “we” to “I” to make this clear. I put myself in a situation that isn’t working. It’s nobody’s fault but mine. I’m it. I made the mess and it’s my job to clean it up. There’s nobody here to work on this but me.

Your turn. If you find yourself in a place where something isn’t right, you put yourself there. It’s nobody’s fault but yours. You are it. You made the mess and it’s your job to clean it up. There’s nobody here to work on this but you.

Sometimes you and I work on cleaning up things at the same time. But even if one of us doesn’t, it’s still your responsibility and it’s still my responsibility to do it.

I hope the concepts of remembering the future and responsibility are clear. Otherwise, Ho’oponopono makes absolutely no sense.

You can test your understanding of the concepts by seeing how you react to this thought, “What’s best for one person is best for all.” I’m told that in the Huna world this is an absolute truth with no exceptions. If you have trouble with that statement, as I sometimes do, try thinking about it in the context of ancestor work. Then flip your timeline to remember the future.

Basic Technique

The basic technique is actually quite simple. You repeat four phrases: I’m sorry. Please forgive me. I love you. Thank you. There is no particular order to the phrases. You just pick the phrase that works for what you are feeling in the now of the healing. Whatever shows up for you, including your own resistance, is what you say these phrases about. In clock time you can expect it to take several minutes to clear up the misunderstanding.

There is a question about whether to say these phrases aloud or to yourself. Linda suggests usually saying them to yourself. There are times when saying them aloud seems to both Linda and me like it is more effective.

There is also a question about who you are saying these phrases to. I think I want to direct them at the relationship. Specifically I want to phrase them for the person I am having the conflict with, even if I am saying them to myself. Linda says that the conversation is with the Divine. She says you should be working with your God to clean up the troubling aspects of yourself. Regardless of who you direct the phrases to, you definitely want to ask the Divine for inspiration in figuring out what to say.

Let’s take a look at each of the phrases.

I’m sorry.

What do we have to be sorry for? Here are some thoughts: I got to this place where there is a misunderstanding or conflict. I did not see a cleaner way to get here. I was unaware or asleep.

The Huna practitioners say I did not do this consciously, but my unconscious knew what was going on. My unconscious knew this problematic pattern and did not fix it.

When something isn’t working, I take responsibility for the problem.

Please forgive me.

What can we ask to be forgiven for? Some possibilities: I was unaware of what I did to hurt or trouble you. I didn’t realize what I was doing. I could have done better. I could have cleaned up this pattern before we ever met.

I love you.

The Huna point of view is that the essence of God is love. When we say I love you, we move toward God. They speak of the new pattern of this age as Aloha. It translates as many things, including love.

I see saying, “I love you,” as recognizing and connecting with the spark of the creator in the other person. Along with all the other possibilities for love, we recognize each other as part of the divine. Then we love that in each of us.

Thank you.

Saying thank you is how each part of the healing is sealed. For me it’s like this: I recognize the change, I welcome the change, and I acknowledge accepting the new way I am. I do this with gratitude.

Related concepts

There is a post called A Time to Not Forgive that looks at when your should not forgive. It’s relevant to understanding how you need to feel when you are asking for forgiveness. Basically, you need to understand what you have done and be truly sorry that you have hurt another being.

Application

Now it’s your turn. I want you to imagine you are giving a presentation on your particular vision of soul reality. Someone stands up and says, “This is all bullshit. It’s just wishing and delusion.”

There are many ways to go in an encounter like this, but I’m looking for your thoughts on the Huna path. Here are some questions: What do you say out loud and what do you say to yourself? What are you sorry about? What do you ask forgiveness for? Who do you thank? Who do you say I love you to?

Please add a comment. Let me know what you would do. I’ve tried to do Ho’oponopono on this moment, but I’m still struggling with the concept. I’m sorry I’m not better at it. I am sorry that my need to hear your thoughts is an imposition on your time and makes you uncomfortable. I hope you will forgive me. I will understand your decision if you decide not to write. Thank you.

I love you,
Tom