The Magic Button of the Mind: Navigating Life with Ho’oponopono

Do you remember when you got your first bicycle? It was probably colourful, with sturdy wheels and a bright little bell. You, of course, had no idea how it worked. All you knew was that by pedaling and steering, you could go wherever you wanted. Now, imagine if that bike had a magic button. A button that could clean away any mud, fix any punctures, and even ease the memory of a fall.

Well, such a button doesn’t exist for bicycles. But something very similar exists for our minds. It’s called Ho’oponopono, an ancient Hawaiian practice of reconciliation and forgiveness. The wisdom behind it is simple yet profound: in life, our minds collect dirt, much like the bicycle. But this ‘dirt’ isn’t visible. It’s the sadness from a family argument or the worry for a sick relative. Ho’oponopono is like that magic button. It helps us ‘clean’ this emotional dirt.

Now, let’s hop on a thought train for a moment. Picture the Universe as a giant bowl of soup, filled with ingredients we call particles, or, if you’re a bit more scientific, ‘strings’. These strings vibrate, and different vibrations create everything we see and feel. It’s like the notes of a piano – each string makes a unique sound, but together, they make beautiful music.

In Ho’oponopono, we’re all connected by similar ‘strings’. These strings carry our feelings, thoughts, and memories, like invisible bridges between us. When something happens to someone we care about, it tugs on our ‘string’, and we feel it too. Like feeling sad when a friend is hurt, or happy when they score a goal.

But sometimes, these feelings can be heavy, like a rucksack filled with rocks. What if we could press a button to make that rucksack lighter? In Ho’oponopono, this button is a simple phrase: “I’m sorry. Please forgive me. Thank you. I love you.”

Let’s say you’ve had a big fight with your sibling. You’re angry, upset, maybe even a bit hurt. These feelings are like thick mud on your mind’s bicycle. But by saying this special phrase, even just to yourself, you can start to clean the mud away.

• “I’m sorry” – for any hurt you might have caused.
• “Please forgive me” – for anything wrong you might have done.
• “Thank you” – for the love and lessons learned.
• “I love you” – because no argument can change that fact.

The same goes for when someone you love is sick. You can’t take away their pain, but you can clean your own worry and sadness.

In the end, Ho’oponopono is about accepting that we can’t control everything. We can’t stop our bikes from getting muddy, but we can clean them up, ready for the next ride. Just like that, we can’t stop people from getting sick or arguments from happening, but we can control our reactions.

And remember, it’s not about the exact words, but the feelings they represent. If the special phrase feels too long, you can always shorten it. Even just saying “Love” is enough.

So, whenever you feel like your mind’s bicycle is getting a bit too muddy, remember your magic button. Say your special phrase, and watch as the dirt starts to disappear. Because just like riding a bike, life is a lot easier when you’re not carrying around unnecessary weight.