Ho’oponopono

Contributed by Jñanagni Kula

Jñanagni kula members recently participated in a ho’oponopono ceremony facilitated by our kula sister Sumanasa. The translation of Ho’oponopono is “making things right”. It’s an energetic clearing of the Heart. After our ceremony, the participants wanted to share their experience with the rest of the kula:

“The ho’oponopono was a valuable experience for me because I discovered that I have a lifetime pattern of not feeling safe to speak up for myself. This allowed me to speak for myself and bring up things that I did not even know were bothering me so much.”

“Just showing up for the ho’oponopono cultivated vulnerability and sincere desire to change. The perfect opportunity to open our hearts. Thanks to all who participated.”

“This ho’oponopono really highlighted for me how valuable a process this is. I can really see how much we could all benefit individually and collectively from regularly practicing this way. I felt that, even with a small group and without major conflicts among the people present, we were able to touch on and release much tension around individual challenges and modest interpersonal tightness, as well as make headway on several areas with clear kula wide significance. I think we are very lucky to have Sumanasa’s services at our disposal to deftly shed light on energetic blockages and guide people in the direction of acceptance and release. The love, patience and wisdom offered by everyone who attended created a really soft, sweet space in which it was comfortable to bring fears and negative feelings out into the light.”

“As a first timer, I was most impressed by the palpable sensation of being supported and loved by the energy of the kula body. I found this experience of release to be so healing and valuable. I cherish my time with the kula, but this was a level of humanity, openness and caring that I felt so blessed to be a part of. I am so grateful for the maturity, honesty and open reflection I found in that circle.”

“My ho’oponopono experience was quite profound – I found myself keenly, deeply, compassionately listening listening listening as the stones were identified in other hearts’ through their own bumbling awareness, and then finely isolated with the expert guidance of our facilitator Sumanasa – with her guidance, participants were able to surgically identify the ’stone in the heart’ and then carefully with deep breathing, release the stone with a collective sigh. Gradually I got over my need to just defensively apologize for anything and everything and I found I actually wanted to get rid of my ’stones’…or blocks that were keeping me from thriving in the kula more fully. What I had previously thought was a whole ’story’ and would take hours to get through or else actually cause me to leave the kula, became a relatively simple and understandable issue of maturity and grace. The entire circle present really helped me whittle away at my confusion and left me feeling really good, light and full of love. Truly, it strengthened my faith and devotion on the many many levels. It was a hard ceremony, one that really requires participants to be fully present and the rewards are absolutely incredibly tremendously valuable.”

“Ho’oponopono reinforced for me how powerful the kula body is in supporting our individual and collective transformation. This heart-opening ceremony left me feeling honored to be part of a community that is willing to, courageously and compassionately, walk this unpredictable road together.”

“I felt the ho’oponopono was a powerful healing and transformational experience, not just for those in attendance, but for the whole kula. Each of the topics came up as an instance of a specific heart blockage that one person was feeling in that moment, but also it was clear that the energy channels were being opened and cleared for the whole community. It was a tremendous opportunity for everyone there to examine how each of these challenges shows up in their life and in their heart, even if it wasn’t exactly the same as the main topic.  Certainly everyone there benefited from each discussion, and one would expect that these cleansings will also benefit the kula as a whole.”

“As with most kula events, I knew better than to set expectations for the ho’oponopono. With something unfamiliar or new to me (in this lifetime!), I try to bring my curiosity and respect, usually leaving changed for the better in my vision and state of being. I first learned about ho’oponpono as part of a hawaiian dance halau. Around the same time, I heard about “Zero Limits” by Joe Vitale and Dr. Hew Len, of a therapist in Hawaii who cured a complete ward of criminally insane patients–without ever seeing any of them. The psychologist would study an inmate’s chart and then look within himself to see how he created that person’s illness. As he improved himself, the patient improved. Now I’m not calling anyone criminally insane, but certainly we can all relate to the disconnect between our perceived reality and the world around us. Inexperienced but desperate, I then applied ho’oponopono to a volatile family situation as the members did not want mediation by a stranger. I can say that it is a profoundly different experience when a ho’oponopono is experienced by practitioners and an intentional community. There is synchronicity and power. At the kula ho’oponopono, I tried to come up with a stone to release, but found that another person’s sharing would dissolve it or at least the “idea” I had about having a stone. My best comparison to the experience is group therapy, but imagine 10 therapists and one patient at a time. The ho’oponopono created focus and space, clarity and openness to express verbally and in person the tangles we weave internally. I left in wonder with our humanity, the dance and beauty of opening up to ALL of it. It’s hard work, but sharing the load lightens it, and a tantric view respects all of it, the stones, the stone keeping, the release, and the path with potentially more stones on it.”

“Every time I go to a ho’oponopono I remember how much I love it. I leave feeling more open, expansive, and light every time. It reminds me of two things. One, it is much easier for me to contract rather than expand so I must keep working on dropping my “stones” and expanding. This takes constant attention and vigilance and ho’oponopono is a great tool for this reminder.  Two, I am always reminded of Rudi’s saying “there’s more to the elephant than you can see.” This means that I can never know the whole story behind why someone is acting a certain way.  Through ho’oponopono I am reminded that everyone has their struggles and my compassion naturally begins to extend out. On another note, I thought Sumanasa did a wonderful job of facilitating and I encourage everyone to come check out ho’oponopono for themselves.”

“Ho’oponopono is a gift that allows community to share intimacy through honest communication, listening, and supporting of one other. I love it because so often we do not make time to be this transparent with one another, and that is a problem. Tension builds and we break down. This ceremony is for mending and healing. It is beyond essential for us as a kula to embrace and utilize this as a regular practice and not be afraid of it. Nothing is more important than making time for this ceremony! I look forward to many more to come.”

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Ho’oponopono is performed with the members of a community (kula) sitting in a circle. Within this circle also resides a facilitator. Each participant begins by looking deep within themselves to identify any “stone” or mental/emotional blockage that may exist between themselves and another in the group. Now is the opportunity to express any limiting emotion or thoughts, about another kula member or past situation, that they may have been carrying around. One kula member then names such contraction aloud, and respectfully confronts the person involved, while taking full responsibility for what is arising within themselves. The two individuals then speak to clear the obstruction between them. After this initial discussion, other members may also offer their thoughts and observations. The facilitator works to keep the participants on track and may help to identify certain themes that are arising, but going unnoticed. Once the two members feel right with each other the entire group takes a deep breath, releasing any residual tension with the sound of “AAAAH”. Each person then revisits their internal heart space and the process is repeated. There is no time length imposed upon the ritual and therefore can last for many hours, until every member feels as much heart clarity as possible. Ho’oponopono is unlike group therapy where one learns how to better communicate and resolve issues with others, nor is the goal of the ceremony to receive the support of the group, although these may be pleasant byproducts. Ho’oponopono is a necessary and natural ritual for spiritual communities to clear karmic limitations that are impeding personal and collective growth.

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