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The Meaning of Ho’oponopono

First of all, Ho’oponopono may be thought as conflict resolution, restoring spiritual alignment, to make right.

If you look in the Hawaiian dictionary, the definition of pono, it takes almost half the page to translate.

Pono means to be correct, in harmony, spiritual alignment.  To be well.

Pono is being healthy.  In integrity.  Staying in balance.  It encompasses all things we want to have and need in all of our bodies: spiritual, mental, emotional and physical.

If you put Ho’o in front of pono, Ho’o gives action. If we don’t take care of things when spirit gives a little knock on of door of our spiritual awareness, messages will travel on.  If we ignore the message in our mental awareness, it will make its way all the way to the physical body. By the time it gets to the physical body then sometimes it’s going to take more work. It’s going to take more Ho’o to get that pono.

The Hawaiian perspective is that nothing happens by accident. There is no coincidence. Everything happens for a reason.

Struggles are not about whether something is out of alignment.  Conflict is not about having to work to clean up the mess.

Ho’oponopono is the ability to mahalo, thank, all of those lessons and challenges that have come. To look back and understand it took those challenges in order to get to where we are. It’s not damaged. It’s all perfect.

Sometimes we just need those things that are uncomfortable to give us an opportunity to move in the direction of making what is already right and perfect more right.

Ho’oponopono makes right, more right.

I had this student in class who had a huge amount of difficulties with her ex-partner. Especially surrounding communicating about the children. They had been through a grueling child custody battle and now, two years into their arrangement things were not getting any easier.

Every time they spoke on the phone it was like she was going into battle. She felt like she was always under attack. She made a decision. Every time she had to get on the phone with him to make arrangements for the children, she would put a protective bubble around herself.

“How’s that going?”, I asked.  “Does it seems like he is any less angry?  Less aggressive?

She confessed that actually it didn’t seem to make much difference.  She couldn’t control his behavior, but the bubble was something she felt she could do to protect herself. 

“Well, how many times throughout history have you heard of someone putting up a wall and the enemy retreating?”, I asked.

Right, exactly.

Putting up a wall of protection is a strategy of war.

If you put up a wall, the enemy is prompted to take destructive action.  Battering rams.  Fireballs. Attack.

My question to her, “Instead of this extensive protection ritual, what would happen if you filled your heart with Aloha and also sent him Aloha?  Not just when you’re on the phone but at many times throughout the day.  Just think on him and if you can’t speak to him directly, speak to his higher spirit.”

She agreed to try it.

My next advice, “Instead of seeing him as the enemy, and yourself as the victim, why don’t you focus on the light in him that you saw in the beginning? The same light that originally attracted you to him? The light that made you decide to have a family with him?  Have your children with him?  Focus on those parts of him that you loved at one time.”

She decided to give it a go.

A while later, I heard from her once again.  Before the decision to send Aloha, one of the most difficult situations that was a regular occurrence surrounding the kids’ sporting events.  Things had gotten so bad that only one of the parents could attend at a time so they wouldn’t see each other.  The ones that were being hurt the most by this were their kids.

Now, two years later, my student was delighted to say she and her -ex are now sitting together at the games. She’s even there with her new partner.  He’s there with the other woman. They’re able to sit and enjoy their time and their children and they’re able to be civil towards one another.

It all changed because she changed.

It’s like a game of tug of war.  If someone lets go, there’s no more tug of war. Game over. Everyone falls down on the other side. When one person discontinues the dynamic, everything changes.

YOU have the ability to change everything with Ho’oponopono

I am super excited to announce that I am sharing an online Masterclass on Ho’oponopono.

This will be a Four Part series and the first one is FREE. In this webinar you will learn:

  • How to recognize the source of challenges you face in everyday life
  • How to remember that you are true PERFECTION and how to claim this birthright
  • How to restore the power of Forgiveness, Hope, Love and Compassion in your life and relationships
  • How to connect with ancient wisdom to co-create your Dreams in life, love and business

Register for this FREE event by clicking this link:  Ho’oponopono Masterclass.

What specific relationships are you struggling with right now that could use some Ho’oponopono?  Let me know in the comments below.  I’ll use your answers to guide the teachings in my class.

With aloha,

Jeana Iwalani Naluai

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18 thoughts on “The Meaning of Ho’oponopono”

  1. First of all I would like to say awesome blog! I had
    a quick question which I’d like to ask if you don’t mind.
    I was curious to find out how you center yourself and clear your mind prior to writing.
    I have had difficulty clearing my mind in getting my ideas out.

    I truly do enjoy writing however it just seems like the first 10 to 15 minutes are usually
    wasted just trying to figure out how to begin. Any ideas or hints?
    Kudos!

    1. Aloha Joanne, I actually don’t write. I am a story teller. I typically talk story using Rev.com to transcribe my thoughts because frankly, I just can’t write as fast as my brain pours out info. Then it comes back to me and I edit and post. Hope that helps.

  2. Are you Kanaka ‘Ōiwi? If so, where did you receive your training? If not, why are you exploiting and appropriating a culture you are not a part of?

    1. ALoha Kai’oli. Mahalo for your message and taking the time to ready my posts. I am Kanaka, honored to share the lineage teachings of my Kumu. There are many who have given me the kuleana to share these teachings with the greater community including Aunty Mahilani Poepoe, Aunty Margaret Machado, Uncle Abraham Kawai’i and others. I share more about this in another post: https://www.hoomanaspamaui.com/youre-not-hawaiian/ Sending blessings to you.

    2. Ae, I am Kanaka ‘oiwi. I am sharing what my kupuna gave me a kuleana to extend to all people. I learned from 6 lineages of teachers. My first teacher was Aunty Margaret Machado and my primary teacher in my family was Aunty Mahilani White Poepoe. I hope this helps you to understand the why behind my sharing. If you knew either of these women, you would have experienced the deep Aloha that I intend to continue to give a voice to.

  3. Pingback: Lomi Lomi is Loving People - Ho'omana Spa Maui

  4. Ho’oponopono will be an opportunity for me to heal past misunderstandings with my former employer and current government so that I may move on with gainful employment and service to my community.
    Ho’oponopono will also heal a communication impasse with family members.

    1. I think this is a perfect time to release the old misunderstandings and family disputes as we end 2016 and move through the holiday season which is such a family time. When we have been involved in these miscommunications, these interaction are like a web that ensnares us connecting us to the interaction. As we think on these events and allow our emotions to fuel the hurt and suffering, we become further engulfed in the web and the mana-energy we offer it only strengthens it’s hold on us. When we release others with mercy (despite whatever happened, the offense is already forgiven), we release ourselves from the snares of emotional trauma so we can move forward in greater ease and harmony.

  5. I am getting ready to visit family for the holidays for a month. My hope is to be able to interact from NOW, instead of from wounds of the past, old patterns of interactions, familiar, regressive, low vibration stuff. To be able to ground in, and release tension in the moment it arises, without attaching to and wallowing in that disempowered place of wounded victim. Being back in the midwest will also afford the possibility to connect with my last love, who recently returned from the peace corp. Wisdom for this matter of the heart. Do not react from ‘then’, but from now. Powerfully and grounded in love and gratitude.
    Mahalo Jeana

    1. Aloha Katrina, I think the response to the last comment may be helpful for you to read as you head home to loved ones and old loves. I agree that this is a wonderful opportunity to paint an new masterpiece in more alignment with the beautiful light that I have witnessed emerging and expanding within you on this incredible journey of life. Sending love to you to empower the NOW!!!

    1. No’ono’opono is our Hawaiian value of positive outcome thinking. Envision the businesses that most resonate with who and where you are in the present. It is important to put your energies into a garden that can thrive. Draw your focus towards the positive outcome for your businesses or a select the business that inspirers you and bring focused attention and intention towards it’s growth. Businesses sometimes have a life-span and the ones that continue sometimes need a little massaging to refresh and renew their energy once again. Hope this helps.

  6. My issue is not with me and anyone else really but a situation in my family where my two oldest nephews are not speaking to their mother and younger brothers and sisters and vice versa. It is heartbreaking to watch because they used to all be so close.

    1. This kind of family struggle can be so heart wrenching to witness and so hurtful as well. This would be a perfect time to hold space for all parties to come together through envisioning harmonious interactions for all. Pour light around this situation, share if the opportunity arises, from a memory of the time of closeness so that this energetic can be imbedded into their awareness. Sometimes shining the light of past harmony can outweigh the hurt an trauma of the present. I have witnessed the power of this and great healing as a result of reminding people of a connection and the feelings of love that once surrounded that connection. Each person has their own PERFECT lesson on this journey. Sending intention for healing and resolution.

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