Hippo Practice

Less than a week ago, I was chatting on the phone with a dear friend. I was going on and on about the emotional rollercoaster I was on and how one day I was full of forgiveness and love and the next day I was a sobbing and angry mess. My friend than asked me if I heard of Ho’oponopono? Um..nope…the first thing that came to mind was a Hippo named Ho’oponopono. She then sent me a link and as I read through the description I couldn’t stop crying. What I was reading triggered something inside me and it took me several hours just to get through the content. But I started practicing it right away.

Ho'oponopono means to make right. Essentially, it means to make it right with the ancestors, or to make right with the people with whom you have relationships. We believe that the original purpose of Ho'oponopono was to correct the wrongs that had occurred in someone's life including Hala (to miss the thing aimed for, or to err, to disobey) and Hewa (to go overboard or to do something to excess) which were illusions, and even 'Ino (to do harm, implying to do harm to someone with hate in mind), even if accidental.

Upon recognizing those people or things that we have issue with, we simply take a moment and embrace these words:

I love you
I’m sorry
Please forgive me
Thank you

As I said the words over and over, I wasn’t really sure if I believed in what I was doing, I mean, how can I fix things with people that couldn’t even hear or read what I was 'saying'? But, I continued on for an hour or so…reading more on the practice and reciting the words. I slept well that night.

The next day I was pulled into a last minute training session with a co-worker that I had issues with in the past. This is a person that I avoid at all costs as we have such conflicting personalities. I sat down with my co-worker and for about 45 minutes we worked through a problem together. As I was going back to my desk, I raised and eyebrow and realized that it went pretty well. I actually sat in this meeting and at no time did I plot a horrible death for my co-worker. Some sort of peace came over me.

Was Ho’oponopono working for me? I cannot say for sure. This wasn't the person I was seeking to mend fences with or ask for forgiveness or even forgive. But, it's a positive start. I’m still only a few days into this, but I’m feeling calmer and more focused than I have in awhile. I think, if nothing else, this practice is making me more aware of my surroundings and the people around me and how I react to them.

I’ll continue to recite these words and update as I go along.

Happiness