The Ho’oponopono is one of my fave tools because it’s so damn simple. I change it up a little but it stays true to the spirit of the original Hawaiian prayer.
If you’re not familiar with the Ho’oponopono it’s from an ancient Hawaiian prayer and it works because it connects into some very powerful vibrations. Traditionally they are love, forgiveness, repentance and gratitude. For me the combination is one of compassion, witnessing, responsibility and release.
Focus on something you want to let go of – a person, situation or belief and repeat the below. I repeat the first four until I intuitively feel complete and then add in “I release you, and so it is done now” on the last round.
I LOVE YOU. (AND I LOVE ME TOO)
I FORGIVE YOU. (AND I FORGIVE ME TOO)
I’M SORRY. (FOR THE PART I PLAYED)
THANK YOU. (FOR FOR WHAT YOU CAME TO TEACH ME)
(I RELEASE YOU/I LET YOU GO.)
Personally, I don’t find that it matters which order you do the first four in. Mostly because I never remember. Everything in brackets are my additions and optional. Depending on what you’re releasing if can be helpful to add in a little extra to smooth the process.
One of the major sticking points I was seeing with my clients was around I love you/I forgive you. It was challenging to move straight into we are all love when they were still the lingering residue of pain. The simple addition of and I love me too/and I forgive me too feels immediately more inclusive and helps bridge the gap.
My own sticking point was around I’m sorry/thank you, where I was using the prayer to let go of something that had done me wrong. I’d start the prayer and get to I’m sorry and my mind would throw up but you didn’t do anything/it wasn’t your fault. Which brought everything to a grinding halt. Much journaling later I came to the realisation that it came down to responsibility. I wasn’t willing to take responsibility for everything with a blanket I’m sorry but I could take responsibility for my part. Similar story with the thank you. I am not going to thank anyone for hurting me but I can recognise that it was a part of my soul learning and I am grateful for that.
If the bracket additions resonate, go with it. If they don’t, leave them out and stick with the core four.
The Ho’oponopono prayer can be used for anything you want closure around, anything feeling sticky or where you’ve hurt another or they’ve hurt you. And you can send it in any direction of time (childhood but also past lives). There’s nothing you can’t use it for, you can’t use it too much and you can’t accidentally hurt anyone with it as its coded to be aligned with the Law of Grace.
THE SNEAKILY BRILLIANT THING ABOUT THE PRAYER IS THAT ALL THE WORK IS DONE ON YOU.
In your energy, your vibration, your emotional field.
So all those times I struggled with the I’m sorry? Just kept whole situation stuck in my energy field hurting me. Zero effect on the other person (they’ve moved on, which is why forgiveness is actually about you). More on that another time.
For now though Ho’oponopono til your heart’s content.