Have you heard about the therapist who, with just four simple comments, miraculously healed patients at a Hawaiian state hospital? Someone just informed me about Dr. Ihaleakala Hew Len, a spiritual guru who practised Ho’oponopono, an ancient Hawaiian ceremony. Ho’oponopono, a legendary Hawaiian healing and cleaning process, emphasises self-love as a means of recovery. Dr. Hew Len rummaged through each patient’s paperwork at the mental institution, according to the tale. He muttered a mantra over each file as he went through the records:

I’m in love with you. I apologise for the inconvenience. Please accept my apologies. Thank you very much.

The Methodology

For months, Dr. Hew Len did this over and over. Patients who had previously been shackled were soon able to walk unrestricted. Other patients had their meds taken away. All of the patients were soon healed and reintegrated into society.

Dr. Hew Len’s approach is unique in that he did not require the patients to repeat the phrase themselves. Rather, he felt that, since we all share energy and a connection with one another, we have the power to influence that energy for the better or for the worst. And, by our own behaviours and intentions, we all have the ability to attract healing. So, by acting on the only thing he had control over – himself — his humility led to the healing of those who needed it most.

Ho’oponopono reminds us of a socio-spiritual version of the butterfly effect, or the idea that minor events can have a large impact and function as catalysts for larger events. It’s possible for the pendulum to swing in either positive or negative directions. In a negative sense, there are many ills in the world that can cling to our spirits in some way. If we let them, those issues can truly make us sick physically, emotionally, and mentally, bit by bit and moment by moment. That’s because we live in a world where many people’s lives have been influenced by the suffering of others. By avoiding dealing with and purifying our innermost selves, we are infecting one another.

Simply expressed, Ho’oponopono is based on the understanding that everything that happens to you or that you perceive in the world around you is wholly your creation, and hence your responsibility. Without exception, a hundred percent.

Do you have a tyrant as your boss? You are the one who is in charge. Is it true that your kids don’t do well in school? You are the one who is in charge. There are wars, and you feel horrible about it because you’re a good person and a pacifist? It is your duty to lead the war. You notice how hungry and emaciated, if not starving, children are all over the world? You are responsible for their whims. There are none. The world is literally your world; it is a fabrication of yours. Didn’t you observe, as Dr. Hew Len points out, that whenever you have a difficulty, you are surrounded by other people?

If your mind is capable of harmful ideas and insecurities, it is also capable of resolving them. Ho’oponopono is a Hawaiian strategy for gaining complete control over your life by repeating four sentiments. It all depends on how you approach using the array of powers to clear your conscience.

A four-affirmation mantra:

• I am sorry

• Forgive me

• Thank you

• I love you

When charmed with sentiments and emotions, these four potent affirmations have a lot of healing power. The technique entails openly expressing sentiments and holding space for one another, as well as exchanging unique words and clearing your mind. Ho’oponopono will not bring happiness into your life, but it will assist you in letting go of all negative emotions. It gives you a sense of calm. The healing part, according to Ho’oponopono practitioners, must come from within us. Only the blockages in our conscious brains are responsible for the negativity we experience. Only ‘what we believe our near ones think about us in a subject matter’ causes blocks. The four affirmations can help you cultivate self-love by directing your energies toward healing and reconciliation.

The four basic steps of Ho’oponopono healing are as follows:

1. I’m sorry

The first step in Ho’oponopono healing is to apologise and accept responsibility. ‘Anything bad that has ever happened to me or that I have witnessed is my responsibility.’ Accepting that all of the terrible things in your life began with you is the first step.

2. Forgive me

‘Please forgive me,’ say. It’s a way of asking the cosmos for forgiveness, whether you’ve mistreated someone or not; it’s a cleansing approach for removing negativity. In Ho’oponopono, asking for forgiveness is a healing practise that allows you to move on with your life.

3. Thank you

Keep saying “thank you” over and over. In Ho’oponopono, gratitude to the universe is a fundamental aspect of the healing process. Thank you for all of the forgiveness, for all of the changes within you, and thank you for being who you are. Gratitude is a powerful emotion that needs to be expressed often in order to bring in a breath of fresh air of optimism.

4. I love you.

Say I love you to yourself, God, your body, your sheltering house, and your surrounds. Love is a strong emotion that brings with it layers of warmth and security. In Ho’oponopono, giving love is a caring and affectionate emotion that speeds up the healing process.