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The Book of Ho'oponopono

The Hawaiian Practice of Forgiveness and Healing

Published by Destiny Books
Distributed by Simon & Schuster

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About The Book

A simple practice to heal your past and cleanse negative memories to live a more peaceful and harmonious life

• Details how to apply Ho'oponopono to deal with traumatic past events, destructive thought patterns, family dynamics, daily annoyances, or any other disagreeable event in your life, from traffic jams to relationship break-ups

• Draws on the new science of epigenetics and quantum physics to explain how Ho'oponopono works

• Explains how the trauma of past events can cloud your perceptions and reveals how to break free from the weight of your memories

Based on an ancestral Hawaiian shamanic ritual, the healing practice of Ho'oponopono teaches you to cleanse your consciousness of negative memories, unconscious fears, and dysfunctional programming and grant yourself forgiveness, peace, and love. The process is deceptively simple--first you must recognize your own responsibility for creating the events in your life, then you are ready to apply the mantra of Ho'oponopono: I’m sorry, Forgive me, Thank you, I love you. Repeated several times over a dedicated interval, the negativity is replaced with inner peace, love, and harmony--and, as the stories in this book show, sometimes even miracles take place.

In this step-by-step guide, the authors explain how to apply Ho'oponopono to traumatic past events, destructive thought patterns, family dynamics, daily annoyances, or any other disagreeable event in your life, from traffic jams to relationship break-ups. Drawing on quantum physics and epigenetics, they explore how Ho'oponopono works--how thoughts and consciousness can affect the expression of your DNA, the materialization of your goals, and the behavior of those around you. They explain how negative thought patterns and memories unconsciously guide your life and draw more negativity to you, perpetuating the cycle of bad events and clouding your recollection of the past. By apologizing to yourself, your memory, and the event in question, you can forgive yourself, heal your memories, and cleanse your perceptions. By reconciling with yourself, you open your heart to love for your experiences, yourself, and others and bring harmony to your mind, body, and the world around you.

Excerpt

Chapter 2

From the Psychological World to Quantum Reality

Luc Bodin, M.D.

The Shamanic Roots of Ho‘oponopono


The new is always inside and never outside, everything is within you, not outside of you.
--Gitta Mallasz, Talking with Angels

Shamanism has been practiced on our planet for several millennia. Some claim that shamanism’s origins are to be found in Siberia or Central Asia. But shamanism was practiced widely in Europe as well. The majority of prehistoric caverns were once the site of ceremonies in which shamanic journeys were undertaken regularly. The druids, in their day, were great shamans. In Greece, Plato speaks of holy priests who used techniques that allowed them to travel outside of their bodies.

A path of oral transmission, shamanism has vanished from some parts of the world, but it still thrives among certain peoples such as the Mongols, the native peoples of North and South America, and the aborigines of Australia.

Shamanism is closely connected to animist thought, which sees all the elements of nature--such as plants, rocks, wind, and rain--as endowed with life force and thus worthy of the highest respect.

The shaman creates the connection between the human world and the world of the spirits. He travels into the world of the invisible in search of the answers to the questions that concern his tribe (Where should we set up our camp? Where should we hunt?) or simply an individual of his community such as questions concerning illness or family relations.

The Origins of Ho‘oponopono

Originally, Ho‘oponopono was a ritual used by the peoples of the Hawaiian islands to resolve community problems. This ritual served as a procedure for reconciliation. It consisted of gathering all the members of the tribe together so they could share their problems and conflicts. Once this had been done, each individual asked forgiveness for the inappropriate and even erroneous thoughts they had put out that were the cause of the problem.

In these earlier times, Ho‘oponopono was organized by the shamans. It was part of the approach that advocated respect for the “spirits” and was also connected to the divine. From this perspective, the thoughts emitted and actions performed by human beings, if they were the fruits of erroneous memories, could also disrupt the world of the spirits. They also posed a risk of summoning--or creating--troublemaking spirits. Ho‘oponopono was therefore used as a reconciliation technique among members of the village, but it also ensured that the tribe remained in perfect harmony with the world around them, thus earning the good graces of the nature spirits.

Modern Ho‘oponopono

Over time, this ritual became somewhat neglected. It would not be until the late twentieth century when a Hawaiian shaman, Morrnah Nalamaku Simeona, revised this ritual to appeal to more modern tastes. She was a kahuna lapa’au, a healer and secret keeper (kahuna means “secret keeper” and lapa’au means “healer”).

Morrnah explains: “We are the accumulation of all our experiences, which amounts to saying that we are burdened with our past.” The memory created by each experience is stored in the form of a thought in the etheric body, which is the subtle body closest to the physical body.

Inspired by the ancient ritual, she came up with a new protocol that could be practiced alone without the assistance of anyone else. This method consists of saying the following phrase: “I’m sorry, forgive me, thank you, I love you.” This appeals to the divine Higher Power to heal disruptive thoughts and memories. It can therefore be best described as a process of reconciliation with yourself by virtue of love energy.

Ho‘oponopono tells us that we are the creators of all that surrounds us and by changing our thoughts we are able to make the life we are living harmonious. This is not so very far from the shamanic viewpoint. In fact, the ancestors believed that the erroneous thoughts of individuals had a deleterious effect on the spirits that lived in their close proximity and that these spirits would consequently send them unpleasant situations in return. Conversely, by thinking positively and erasing erroneous memories, these same individuals would restore harmonious relations with the spirits of the invisible world, who would then shower them with their favors.

The Formation of the Human Being

Ho‘oponopono makes it possible to restore balance between the outside world (visible and invisible) and the inner
world. As it happens, what we might call “self identity” is made up of four elements:

unihipili or subconscious mind, which stores the memories of past experiences and emotions;

uhane or conscious mind, which corresponds with our reason and intelligence;

aumalua or higher self (soul), which resides in a higher dimension;

• spark or divine intelligence, where inspiration and identity are created.

The ideal state exists when these four parts are equally balanced. It is interesting to note that contemporary medicine is of the same opinion concerning the conscious and the unconscious (it of course has nothing to say about the soul or divine spark), which must be in balance for the mental health of an individual.

The purpose of Ho‘oponopono is to re-create the equilibrium between the four parts of your identity, so that you may reconnect with your divine spark (or inner God) and recover your inner peace. For Morrnah Nalamaku Simeona, peace begins with the self. She went on to say: “We are only here to bring peace into our lives, and if we bring peace into our lives, everything around us will find its proper place, rhythm, and peace.”

According to the shamanic vision, Ho‘oponopono makes it possible to recover one’s inner and outer equilibrium and restore balance to the self and with the spirits of nature.

Human beings are weighed down by their past. When they are feeling stress or fear, they should look within. They will see that the cause of their discomfort comes from an erroneous memory--a fear, value, or belief that simply needs to be cleansed with the words of Ho‘oponopono.

About The Authors

Luc Bodin, M.D., is a doctor specializing in holistic medicine. The author of several health books, he presents workshops and trainings on energy treatments in Paris and southern France.

Nathalie Bodin Lamboy is a feng shui expert with additional training in energetic and psycho-energetic practices. She lives in France.

Jean Graciet is a practitioner in neuro-linguistic programming and Ericksonian hypnosis and specializes in the study of the meaning of symptoms and diseases. Along with his wife, he teaches workshops on Ho'oponopono. He lives in France.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Destiny Books (March 18, 2016)
  • Length: 160 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781620555101

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Raves and Reviews

“Ho‘oponopono is an important practice of compassion, forgiveness, and gratitude, both for our relationships and for ourselves. Drawing on its rich history, Bodin, Lamboy, and Graciet explore--with depth and insight--the many layers of this powerful tool for mediation and healing. Their book gives us a compelling approach to cultivating this practice in our everyday lives.”

– Baird Hersey, musician and author of The Practice of Nada Yoga

“Nowhere has the Hawaiian healing practice of Ho‘oponopono been explored as extensively as within this book. The authors give us a thorough guide to humble our way of life to accord with the way things truly are, through the life practice of forgiveness that ultimately leads to the peace and love we all deeply yearn for. Drawing not only from this ancient Hawaiian tradition but also from modern science, this book gives us the tools to live a more authentic life through facing our accumulated karma that obstructs our innate freedom.”

– Jason Gregory, author of Enlightenment Now and The Science and Practice of Humility

“Blessed are the ones who free future generations of irrational fear. The inherent power of forgiveness can mean our very survival. The Book of Ho‘oponopono tells you how to be free of the ropes of fear and grief and attachment to old and unworkable ways. In this book, learn and marvel at the impact on relationships and mental health by saying to yourself, ‘I’m sorry, forgive me, thank you, I love you.’ The authors, each in their own specialties, ground the mystical with science and guide the reader in the gentle Hawaiian way of soft breezes and blue surf to increasingly take charge of the past, past lives, and even unknown issues--to be free of memories and beliefs that can be like storm clouds hiding us from our true island self.”

– Garnette Arledge, coauthor of Wise Secrets of Aloha: Learn and Live the Sacred Art of Lomilom

“What a great book about this ancestral Hawaiian shamanic ritual. Ho’oponopono is a very simple process where you first recognize your own responsibility for creating everything in your life and then apply these words: “I’m sorry, forgive me, thank you, I love you.” This is repeated several times over a period of time until you feel the situation has been “cleansed.” What is great about this book is that it not only gives the history of the practice and a very clear explanation of how to use it in your daily life, it also connects this with quantum physics, DNA, epigenetics, Feng Shui, and the law of attraction. The book is written in a warm and welcoming way and use of this technique is sure to open one’s heart to forgiveness, love, and peace.”

– New Spirit Journal, Krysta Gibson, April 2016

“Nine little words that can make miracles! That’s what this book is about. It’s an ancient Hawaiian shamanic ritual that was adapted to suit contemporary life forty years ago and has been gaining popularity ever since. With steady application, order is restored to both the inner and outer environments and fears and negative memories are transmuted into love.” “The simplicity of this life skill is deceptive. The authors have gone to great lengths to clearly explain the science, spiritual philosophy, and shamanic (esoteric) practice which explains how and why it works. There are inspiring stories to illustrate the healing that can occur. From traumatic events to every day annoyances, the authors demonstrate how using the technique releases negative thought forms, past and present, in order to make room for harmony and love. With consistent use, the intellect gives way to the intuition of the heart, healing and cleansing the stored information in the subconscious and allowing a reconciliation with our inner selves. Let your customers know that it is easy to understand and apply, and that the technique has a solid track record of success.”

– Retailing Insight, Anna Jedrziewski, May 2016

“Essential to Huna, the traditional Hawaiian healing and spiritual shamanism, is Ho’oponopono, a practice used in a community to establish harmony and restore order among individuals and society. The aim of Ho’oponopono is to free ourselves of memories, values and beliefs that prevent our attunement with our inner divine self. It’s an alchemical approach that transmutes fears into pure love and peace. It is as simple as recognizing our own responsibility for creating events in our life and then saying the mantra, “I’m sorry, forgive me, thank you, I love you.” This is a simple but effective strategy for soul healing.”

– Nexus Magazine, August 2016

“This is a wonderful book to help cleanse any emotional baggage and learn to be free in the now. There is no reason to let trauma hold you back from a future of happiness. Learn these simple techniques and rise to emotional freedom. Manifest your dreams by releasing the past.”

– The Life Connection

“While I was reading the book, I tried the Ho’oponopono technique for myself, and found it to be very effective. I’ve since added it to my own spiritual practice, and I love how it is so simple and portable, yet the effects can be seen almost immediately, both within my own psyche and in the changes in my outer-world experience. Read this book, and then try it for yourself!”

– Facing North

“I found this book very peaceful to read and the techniques easy to apply, with a sense of gratitude towards the authors for providing me with new tools to live in clarity and harmony.”

– New Dawn

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