Ho’oponopono: A Path Away from the Darkness and Toward Healing

The practice of Ho’oponopono, developed by Morrnah Nalamaku Simeona and Dr. Ihaleakala Hew Len, opens doors to a realm of spiritual harmony where self-healing is pivotal. This Hawaiian practice, grounded in forgiveness and reconciliation, provides a roadmap for self-restoration and collective healing, leveraging the potent power of the mind to transform our reality.

We live in a world that is continuously bombarded with news, both offline and online. The ubiquitous nature of news outlets often leaves us feeling overwhelmed, with many news stories painting a picture of a world in turmoil. Such exposure can, and often does, lead to depression. It’s easy to feel helpless when faced with the sheer volume of negative events unfolding around us, most of which we cannot influence.

I witnessed this impact on my psychotherapy clients around forty years ago, which led to my decision to cease all news subscriptions. Though televisions seem to invade our public spaces – restaurants, bars, banks – I’ve managed to remain relatively informed while maintaining a safe emotional distance.

Despite being ‘mute,’ the sensational headlines are hard to ignore. What is worse is understanding the deep psychological impact they carry. When we witness scenes of war, violence, or tragedy, our thoughts inevitably gravitate towards empathizing with the victims and imagining ourselves or our loved ones in similar predicaments. In effect, we subject ourselves to emotional distress over a narrative that is not our own.

Today, the situation is compounded by the constant access to social media channels on our smartphones, sensationalizing news further and feeding our fears. These distressing thoughts, despite not being our personal experiences, become data imprinted onto our psyche and sent out into the universe. And even though we did not create them, they return to us, manifesting in our reality in various ways. This, indeed, is a dangerous predicament.

1. However, hope is not lost. The practice of Ho’oponopono provides a tangible solution to this spiralling dilemma. The first step is to learn to avoid engaging with sensational news stories actively. The less we expose ourselves to such negativity, the lesser the chances of us taking on emotionally harmful narratives.

    

2. The second countermeasure, should any distressing thoughts manage to seep in, is using the Ho’oponopono prayer or even Mabel Katz‘s suggestion of repeating the word ‘love.’ These practices of Ho’oponopono can help clean the negative data from our psyches. By consciously directing our thoughts towards love and forgiveness, we can gradually erase the imprints of distressing narratives.

Implementing these two steps can lead to a significant improvement in our emotional well-being, making us happier, healthier, and more impeccable individuals. Ho’oponopono offers a path towards better mental health and emotional balance, away from the darkness of the outside world’s despair.

In the near future, I plan to start posting optimistic videos dealing with current world events, aiming to provide a healthier alternative to the sensational news media. This is an experiment, and its success remains to be seen. Nevertheless, if you find it challenging to eschew the news completely, these videos might offer a more balanced and uplifting perspective.

So, the spiritual practice of Ho’oponopono, rooted in love, forgiveness, and mental discipline, provides a transformative pathway towards healing and harmony. By aligning our thoughts with love, we can cleanse our psyches of negative imprints, nurturing a healthier and happier existence for ourselves and those around us.