Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 30, Number 5, 1 May 2013 — Hoʻoponopono [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Hoʻoponopono

Trustee 's Note: This eoīumn reflects the writings and thoughts of Dr. Joe Vitaīe of Maui. Many of those who have heard of the practice of ho'oponopono were intrigued by its remarkable simplicity and power, the stories and facts presented by Hawaiian elders

and historians having inspired people for many decades to learn the subtle healing secrets that it ean offer. The term describes an ancient Hawaiian practice of forgiveness and reconciliation through whieh a kahuna (Hawaiian priest) is able to assist a person who is mentally or physically ill to let go of past memories perceived as being negative and disruptive, and thus encouraging the healing process and achieving a state of harmony with themselves and those around them. By inspiring and encouraging the process of inner cleansing, the practice is able to assist people in taking responsibility for their reaction to past events through confession and in letting go of their subconscious attachments to negative memories that cause emotions of fear, guilt and anger through forgiveness and reconciliation. In traditional Hawaiian practices, the mental cleansing is conducted by a kahuna who guides a person or a family through the resolution process. The ritual begins with a prayer, followed by a discussion that has the purpose of bringing the error to light and resolving the matter through confession and forgiveness. As a result of this practice, the newfound harmony between those involved ean begin the healing process and cure any ailments or sicknesses that have arisen as a result of the error.

Today, both native and foreign practitioners still conduct the practice for patients who are searching for alternative methods of resolving family disputes or seeking family counseling, and their numbers have been growing rapidly as news of the success that the traditional rituals have had in the past is spreading overseas. Many new workshops and

programs have been created through whieh modern-day kahuna ean take advantage of this ancient Hawaiian wisdom and help their clients achieve inner peaee through the ancient practice. Also, ever since the late 20th century, some courts in Hawai'i have even approved the use of the practice as a type of alternative dispute resolution method in the case of both adult and juvenile offenders. Modern versions of this healing process eomhine the wisdom of the Hawaiian kahuna with concepts, rituals and tendencies taken from other cultures such as the Hindu and Buddhist ideas related to letting go of karma and the Christian concepts of repentance, confession and reconciliation. According to experts who have studied and practiced the traditional Hawaiian concept and the various spiritual and philosophical ideals related to other eultures, there are many similarities between the different rituals and traditions that point back to the simplicity and validity of these Hawaiian teachings. As a result, many new practices have appeared in the past 20 to 30 years that have proven the remarkable success of these ancient teachings both in Hawai'i and in many other parts of the world, and many of them are founded on the knowledge of the ancient Hawaiians. ■

Carmen 'Hulu" Lindsey TrustEE, Maui