The hoʻoponopono Way of Life: A Practice in mindfulness
Aloha! Mindfulness continues to be the buzzword these days that is capturing the interest of many people from all walks of life. Consciously choosing to pay attention to how the body feels helps us to be aware of our beliefs and/or thoughts activated in the moment. Mindfulness teaches us that we are the creators in our world, not mere observers. We can consciously choose our focus in life at any given moment. Are your thoughts focused on the past, present, or future? The hoʻoponopono way of life teaches mindfulness in the daily practice of doing the “breath of ha” (life force) meditation. Paying attention to this life force within us and feeling the body’s rhythms of the breath will calm, ground, and center us in the present moment. We then experience the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual benefits that create what we refer to as a sense of well-being in life. This state of consciousness/being frees us from suffering. It supports forward movement and right action in life.
I believe mindfulness is activated by one’s intention and desire. It has an impact on the quality of our lives. It is a daily choice that grows our spiritual awareness and determines the quality of our day-to-day experiences. It is both action and non-action. It is a heightened sense of awareness that creates a feeling of harmony and balance within us that has influence over our response to what is happening in our outer world. It helps us to be responsive rather than reactive.
There are many ways to develop and practice mindfulness in our lives. My personal experience in developing mindfulness has unfolded over the past 30 some years living, sharing, and teaching the hoʻoponopono way of life. It is a passion for me that, as some say, “I can feel it in my bones.” It has helped me to heal from both lupus and cancer in my earlier years. Many people who choose to live the hoʻoponopono way of life have experienced healings. It does require mindfulness; we learn to discipline the mind.
The word pono can be interpreted to mean centered in harmony and grounded in truth. Pono is also about doing the “right” thing, that is making choices that are in alignment with who you truly are. Do you know who you truly are? Our Hawaiʻian ancestors, believed that all life is pure energy and that includes us. Yes, we are pure creative energy with a soul spirit. Our ancestors understood universal principles, spiritual laws and how they facilitate harmonious existence between all life forms and the natural elements that support life in the universe. I believe these laws are coded in our DNA. When we make choices in life that are out of alignment with who we truly are then we can hoʻoponopono, to correct, to bring into balance and harmony. This process involves the responsibility to communicate, understand, accept, forgive, and release. A five-step mindfulness practice that creates a sense of lokahi, that is having a peaceful mind and heart, which is of great value in my Hawaiʻian culture as is in most cultures. Mindfulness is one way we experience a sense of lokahi in life.
When we choose to live the hoʻopnopono way of life, mindfulness becomes a daily practice. We learn to discipline the mind by making conscious choices throughout the day. We are choosing harmony over chaos, peace over conflict, forgiveness over pain, happiness over grief, understanding over ignorance, wellness over illness, and love over fear. We embrace the spiritual nature of our being and its oneness with the earth and beyond. We honor our human nature to err when learning lessons that help us to grow and evolve. We allow the forgiveness process to bring forward the human compassion and love that exist in each of us. Learning and teaching children mindfulness is essential. It is a survival skill on the planet today.
Please explore my website https://donnavida.net to learn more about this peaceful and healing way of life. Many blessings and aloha. Mahalo! E’o