Hoʻoponopono Makes Things Right
Weekend Of Healing In Turruk Focus on Forgiveness
Forgiveness.
It’s a beautiful word that I do hope brings you a visceral reaction.
Forget about your mind, feel the word in your heart.
Have forgiveness radiate from there.
The words of forgiveness may come from your lips easily but there is more depth to the action than simply saying “Sorry”. By taking responsibility for your actions and the actions of others you can transform your pain and sorrow into growth and love.
Change, deep meditation, and soulful learning can bring forgiveness, compassion, and peace. I have also just discovered something powerful that can be a shortcut to some amazing healing.
Hoʻoponopono
This traditional practice of reconciliation and forgiveness translates into English as ‘correction’ and has never been on my radar. As is usual in my life, things seem to fall into my consciousness or lifestream when they are needed. Forgiveness is always needed and many of us find it hard to get around our brains and into our hearts to make that change or correction. The heart and soul are truly where this work is done.
Hoʻoponopono comes from the traditions and indigenous people from Hawaii.
The paradigm and the colonised world we live in have removed these instinctual, community, family-based practices from our world. As I learn more about Indigenous practices, I know that these types of healing and ceremonies will heal the world, the planet, and all our relations.
Initiatives Of Change/Australia are an organisation that brings cultures and people together who are committed to the transformation of society through changes in human motives and behaviour, starting with our own. This weekend was all about forgiveness and letting go of personal and collective pain.
Saturday we had a session that started with a smoking ceremony and then we gathered with the following Indigenous people to share stories of culture and sorrow and joy and life.
Four speakers - Kumu Pa’a Kawika Foster, Uncle Shane Charles, Ash Dargan and Warren Mason —will lead the truth-telling yarning circle where the themes of forgiveness, healing, and reconciliation will be explored.
Kumu Pa’a Kawika traces over fifty generations of ancestral connection to Indigenous people in Molokai Hawaii. Kawika will introduce the traditional practice of Ho'oponopono; described as a ‘process of making right through the power of forgiveness’
Uncle Shane Charles, a Yorta Yorta, Wurundjeri, Boon Wurrung man, First Peoples Assembly of Victoria member and cultural advisor at IofCA will share a vision of healing through a Traditional Owners perspective.
Ash Dargan, a Larrakia Salt Water man from Darwin, living in Wurundjeri lands and a prolific musician will share stories and protocols for deep listening.
Warren Mason, a Yuwaalaray man living in Tasmania and founder of Tin Camp Studios will reflect upon his songwriting journey exploring a lifelong theme of ‘Healing Scars’.
Also on the panel were:
Ruth Langford-Yorta Yorta song woman and storyteller from Tasmania
Aunty Merm (Merilyn Duff)
Tears, laughter, and a wave of energy that can only be described as a tsunami of emotion filled the room. Everyone in attendance felt it. You could almost hold it in the palm of your hand. You knew it was in your heart. The sound of the yadaki made us tremble.
With the failure of the Referendum for a Voice to Parliament here in Australia, many are still bruised, shaken, lost, and broken by the racist views and outcome of the vote. There was a continuation of healing today via community and spirit.
On Sunday, the 24th of March, 20 people gathered for a session of traditional healing work with Kumu Pa'a Kawika Foster.
Hoʻoponopono
We gathered in a circle, a safe container for all of us, to share what we needed to make right We spoke about our pain, our blockages, and the trauma that existed. One by one we shared and Kawika guided us to a place where we could forgive, forget and work on restoring our equilibrium with love.
Deep healing was done for everyone, and many tears were shed as we either listened or told our truths. I was told a session of Hoʻoponopono was not done until it was done, and everyone had a chance to share and heal. As we progressed, I could see the 6 hours set aside for this experience was not going to work.
We ended up being in Hoʻoponopono for almost 12 hours.
Yes, it was a marathon, but there was never a time when I looked at the clock and thought when will this end? Everyone was deeply engaged and we all supported each other with our ears and listened and when there were breaks we shared more and hugged and filled more of the room with love.
I do not carry much excess baggage. I try to be the community, connection, and love dude and know that pain exists, but I attempt to rectify it when it arises. My struggle, which I can share (but everyone else’s is sacred) is about the lack of communication between myself and my son and my brother. My path of forgiveness and prayer to spirit has been going on for a few years now. Even though mine had been addressed and somewhat healed by my intention, Hoʻoponopono made it clear to me that I had made the proper steps and that prayer would continue.
Although I can only speak for myself, it was apparent each person was finding some enlightenment in the words of others. I learned more about my partner and I thought I knew everything about my love. Although I did it when we closed the circle, I cannot thank each person enough for their time and dedication to the process of healing.
To top it off, our deeply talented facilitator Kawika, thrilled all of us with his attention to detail and off-the-chart skills of listening. He interpreted each story and broke it down for each participant so they could find a way to make things right for themselves. Most importantly, he gave ideas and direction on how to move forward with the other parties that were involved.
Over the years I have learned much about acceptance and removing any judgment from my life. Much of what I heard and experienced this Sunday in this oasis in Toorak solidified my beliefs. I believe if we operate from our heart and with love we can solve most of what is happening in our lives and the world. As always, we have the power.
Hoʻoponopono is a beautiful process. A ceremony that each individual will hopefully find what I have experienced. Less than 24 hours later I feel vibrant, alive, and filled with the knowledge that we two-legged types are so very different.
But so very much the same in what we travel through with our fellow humans.
Fill your heart with love. Fill your soul with beauty. Share it around.
You know as well as I do that our time here is precious.
Do it all with love and let your light shine.
A man saw a snake burning to death and decided to take it out of the fire. When he did, the snake bit him causing excruciating pain. The man dropped the snake, and the reptile fell right back into the fire.
So, the man looked around and found a metal pole and used it to take the snake out of the fire, saving its life.
Someone who was watching approached the man and said: “That snake bit you. Why are you still trying to save it?”
The man replied: “The nature of the snake is to bite, but that's not going to change my nature, which is to help.”
Do not change your nature simply because someone harms you. Do not lose your good heart…. but learn to take precautions.
Helping those who are hurting may bite.. they may not be receptive. But don’t change the amazing person that you are.
Hurting people hurt people... But healed people heal people too.♥️
Thank you!