A Practice of Restoration
A Mission Moment share by Humble Haven’s Founder, Suzanne Burns
I love you
I’m sorry
Please forgive me
Thank you
“These four phrases—or, as I like to call them, mantras—comprise the Ho'oponopono meditation. Ho’oponopono, which can translate to mean “to set things right” is a healing practice that originates in Hawaii. Traditionally it was a group or person-to-person practice used for forgiveness and reconciliation. The practice was popularized by Dr. Ihaleakala Hew Len who shared Ho’oponopono as taught by Morrnah Nalamaku Simeona. Simeona presented the practice as one for the self, emphasizing the ability of repeating the four phrases as acknowledgement of the relationship between you and the divinity and our personal responsibility that is ever present in relationships.
Dr. Hew Len was a clinical psychologist who adopted the Ho’oponopono practice when working with criminal mentally ill patients in a Hawaii State Hospital. He would repeat the four mantras while reviewing the patient case files with the intention of healing parts of himself in connection to the patients. Over time the condition of the patients improved, many being rehabilitated and released.
The practice of Ho’oponopono, as taught by Simeona and Dr. Hew Len, intersects with the yoga practice at its emphasis on healing aspects of the self and the ripple effect that carries into relationships with others.
When Ho’oponopono was first taught to me by my yoga teacher, Albina Rippy, her breakdown of the four mantras and their intentions made it a life-changing, impactful practice.
I love you - This mantra connects us to the divine. If divinity is not something that resonates with you personally, approach it as the energy that connects you individually to all living beings.
I’m sorry - This mantra acknowledges that as a living being your energy has an impact on our shared energy field
Please forgive me - Forgiveness is for self and by saying this mantra we are not asking for forgiveness about a specific thing or from a specific person. When you ask for forgiveness here, forgiveness is granted.
Thank you - This mantra possesses the energy of gratitude which is a means of moving forward.
Over the years, when sharing Ho’oponopono, the mantra that typically causes the most hesitation is ‘I’m sorry’. This is especially true when someone holds a specific person or relationship in mind while repeating the mantra, as they may become attached to specific actions. While the words ‘I’m sorry’ can be powerful in conversation with another person, connecting them to specific actions during the practice of Ho’oponopono is not necessary. Instead, we can embrace ‘I’m sorry’ as a way of acknowledging that, as living beings, we are energy and therefore have an impact on the shared energy field with others. In this practice, it is not necessary to fully understand how we affect this shared energy field to say the words ‘I’m sorry.’
Personally this time of year brings forward many memories, ones that elicit a broad range of emotions. The Ho’oponopono practice is deeply comforting for me during these times (and many) and if comfort, peace, or restoration is something you crave as well, I encourage you to give it a try. “
- Suzanne Burns
Practice:
Find a comfortable position and place to sit or lie down
Begin by noticing and connecting with your breath
Once connected to the breath follow it specifically in and out of spaces in and around your heart
Allow someone to come to mind - this may be a person who challenges you or you has been on your mind for any given reason
Hold this person in your heart and mind and repeat - I love you, I’m sorry, Please forgive me, Thank you
Repeat this practice for as long as you are able
Stay connected with your breath and come back to it as a way to stay grounded in the present moment