The Fifth Phrase of Ho’oponopono

The fifth phrase of ho’oponopono was first revealed by Dr. Joe Vitale in his advanced ho’oponopono workshop. Joe along with many other speakers presented over a two-day period. A number of different modalities were covered. Although many were concerned with recognisable forms of ho’oponopono some seemed to be more about our dominant narrative (which differs because it accepts the duality of this world and various methods attempting to influence it).

Joe explained that the fifth phrase is ‘I forgives myself’. By this he means that (his) Divinity forgives the entity identified as Joe for all his past errors.

It’s a nice idea, but it doesn’t fit into the Hawaiian model of ho’oponopono. This always assumed that whilst we have identifiable body-minds, these aren’t the end of the story. Indeed, the human body is simply host to our conscious and subconscious minds.

The superconscious is a kind of collective area and is the dwelling place of all of our ancestors, with Divinity (or however you like to think about your ultimate God) in a pure form being situated above them all.

Divinity (to continue the analogy) may be thought of as the clay from which our Superconscious. Consciousness, and Subconscious are all made. These latter three simply being reflected as lower vibrations of what is there.

The ancient Kabbalists believed that there is a world even below these four realms (which like Voldermort in the Harry Potter books) rarely gets spoken about. Sadly, more and more people are getting drawn into that space (with the result that we find unthinkable ideas such as the characters from the Winnie the Pooh books being made into a horror film, and people getting killed remotely by drones).

Horror has always been a fascination for our species, and for this reason, those of us wishing to practice ho’oponopono wisely need to be vigilant.

I have no doubt that the fifth phrase is created out of what feels like good intentions, however I fear that it’s no more than a trick of data seeking to undo the integrity of ho’oponopono.

Divinity is never personal. It’s bound by laws as are we. In truth, the Superconscious (which you can access and ask for guidance) functions quite independently from Conscious you too.

Consciousness has direct access to it, and is therefore able to negotiate. The Superconscious, however, may acquiesce in these negotiations or choose to do its own thing.

You cannot bully it, or force it to do anything it doesn’t not want. It’s also your conduit with Divinity.

So, the very best you can hope for in uttering the ‘fifth phrase’ is that your Superconscious agrees to carry forward your petition that you forgive yourself. You are not Divinity (in any personal sense, never were, and need to get to a state of absolute Zero, or total immersion, to be so).

For this reason, you cannot speak for Divinity (even if as Dr. Hew Len claimed that he could never imagine Divinity holding out on you when you’re sincere). Clearly, stating ‘I forgives myself’ is a mind boggling feat of mental acrobatics that confuses the sorting within ho’oponopono’s elegant model of the psyche.

Moreover, this seemingly innocent confusion borders upon the kind of impersonation which is referred to in the Christian Bible. In it the Devil tests Christ with three temptations.

• • In the first, he appears as a hermit (after Jesus has started fasting) offering him bread to allay his hunger.
  • In the second, he places Jesus on the top of a high building and invites him to jump on the basis that as Christ he will get rescued by angels.
  • Finally, in the third, Jesus is taken atop a high mountain where the Devil offers him dominion over all that he can see (the physical world) in exchange for renouncing God.

We can read a similar story in ‘The Last Temptation of Mara’. In it Siddhartha Buddha is challenged by Mara (an evil spirit intent upon thwarting him).

• • Firstly, Mara sends his daughters. These beautiful women appear and try to distract him from his sitting. These daughters are attempting to tempt him to give up life as it is, for an idealised version that he would like it to be. They are our subconscious habit of being opportunistic, or attracted toward ‘shiny’ objects that we don’t really need.
  • Secondly, Mara sends an army of horrific creatures. These monsters try to scare him into fleeing and giving up. They represent our wish to avoid things we don’t like. These include old age and death.
  • Finally, and thirdly, Mara appears. He tells Siddhartha, “Who are you to investigate this mystery? You’re not worthy to do so!”

The point about these stories is that the temptations (in both cases) are projections from Christ’s and Buddha’s subconscious minds. They are the fears which plague each of us from time to time. Whilst they can motivate us to take action (such as to run away, build a business, or commit suicide) they rarely are the mark of impeccability which can bring us true happiness.

Indeed, they take us closer to that unmentionable realm of which the Kabbalists speak.

Sometimes, I see people posting the fifth phrase on social media as if it’s a badge of entitlement. The fact is, in life there is no entitlement. You and I could be rubbed out in a moment, and knowing this provides us with the power of impeccability that springs us forward.

Personally, I’m content with the four phrases of Dr. Hew Len’s well-known prayer. I’m happy to use Mabel Katz’s advice to ‘use the word love’ whenever unpleasant emotions arise. For more complex matters, I prefer Morrnah Nalamaku Simeona’s longer version of ho’oponopono (she knew how to navigate the fifth world yet not be caught up in it).

*Since this article was originally published, Srinivas B (a ho’oponopono teacher from Mumbai, India has suggested that the fifth phrase should be the name of the Deity whom your religion accepts as Divinity. For example, if you’re a Christian you might say Jesus Christ, or a Muslim might say Allah.