What is Ho'oponopono?

Ho’oponopono is a Hawaiian practice for making things right and living right. Contrary to popular belief, ho’oponopono is NOT a four-line mantra, which it has become known as in the western world.

Ho’oponopono translates to “making right”. Ho’o = to take action.

Pono = living in a right and virtuous way.

A little bit of history and context - Morrnah Nalamaku Simeona (1913-1992) was the first person to bring ho’oponopono to the western world, which she began sharing and teaching in 1976.

What Morrnah taught was her own version that was modified for the western mindset and was influenced by her Christian and philosophical studies. What came out of this was more of a self-help ritual to relieve stress, rather than traditional ho’oponopono which corrects, restores and maintains good relationships among family members and Akua (spirit), by getting to the root cause of the trouble or disharmony.

Two of Morrnahʻs students, Dr Joe Vitale and Dr Hew Len, went on to teach a further abridged version of ho’oponopono, which is the ‘Ho’oponopono prayer’ that is well known today.

Traditionally ho’oponopono was a process that was carried out within the ‘ohana (family) when it was needed to restore balance and harmony, and to seek forgiveness. This process is firmly rooted in the foundations of traditional Hawaiian culture and spirituality – aloha and lōkahi. 

Ho’oponopono can only be carried out with people who are active and willing participants committed to reconciliation, as well as living with aloha and lōkahi.

Aloha is a way of being - living with unconditional love for all people and all things equally, as well as an understanding that everything is connected.

Lōkahi is unity and harmony – which is created between the triad of Kānaka (humankind), Akua + Nā ‘Aumākua (spirit + ancestral guides) and ‘Āina + Moana (land + ocean). Creating and maintaining a balance with these aspects of life is required for internal and external healing, as well as ongoing harmony. 

Traditionally ho’oponopono was facilitated by a Kupuna (Elder) who was respected in the ‘ohana for being a person who was living in pono ways.

Ho’oponopono was also commonly carried out before doing any bodywork (like Lomilomi), as it was understood that disharmony in the body often stems from disharmony in relationships.

Nowadays it’s possible to train to become a Luna Ho’oponopono (a practitioner who facilitates ho’oponopono sessions). A person who is a Luna Ho’oponopono needs to have a firm understanding of aloha and lōkahi and must be living in pono ways in their own life, as well as being pa’a (having an unshakeable foundation).

A Luna Ho’oponopono will use the guidance of Akua and ‘Aumākau in each session, along with Hawaiian wisdom. The person seeking Ho’oponopono must have a belief in spirit (it does not matter what this is called or understood to be) for the session to be carried out. This is because true healing does not come from the human mind or body alone.

During a one-on-one ho’oponopono session, the Luna Ho’oponopono supports the person in uncovering any pōhaku (stones) that are weighing down their bowl of light (their life) and together they remove them. The process involves pule (prayer) and communication, and the person must be willing to take responsibility in their own life by making pono choices and taking actions of aloha.

Ho’oponopono can be carried out with individuals or groups. Everyone involved must be committed to the process and willing to hear each other out, to seek understanding, to forgive and let go, or to huli (shift) to enable harmony to be restored.

A session is complete when the pōhaku have been released. All parties must agree to not speak about the issue again, as when it is done, it is done. This aspect of Ho’oponopono is a radical departure from western talk therapy.

If you would like to learn more about ho’oponopono, this 4 min video of Kumu a’o Ho’oponopono Edith Kanaka’ole sharing some of her wisdom is a great start: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyNX9I6T_TE

We also highly recommend the book NĀNĀ I KE KUMU Helu ‘Ekolu (Look to the source Volume 3) published in 2020, which is about ho’oponopono as a healing practice…

‘We believe that ho’oponopono, a cultural tradition imbued with goodness, strength, resilience, positivity, hope, and aloha, has the power to heal both family and community conflicts and the historical trauma Hawaiians have lived with for more than two centuries and still face today. While we can practice ho’oponopono every day to resolve our differences in a positive manner, it also has vast potential for healing in a broader sense. Ho’oponopono is, as Aunty Lynette says, “a way of life, not just a way to resolve family or personal conflicts”.’ p.75