Ho'oponopono

Meditations were a part of the massage training and I found them extremely beneficial.  There is a shift that happens within me when I can connect with the silence, my breathe, and/or the words of the guided visualizations.  I attempt to include it as a daily practice but am not always successful.  There were different approaches to the meditations provided by the different instructors where some included music and guided instructions, and others were silent where we focused on our breathe and whatever was coming up for us.  Most often we were given an opportunity to share afterwards, but this certainly was optional.  One in particular, I use when I have strong feelings that I want to release around an issue, person or situation.  It is called Ho'opononono
.  Ho'oponopono is ancient Hawaiian word that means to 'make right'.

From the website of:   www.hooponoponohelp.com/

Ho'oponopono (Ho oponopono, Hooponopono) is a process for solving problems. But ho'oponopono does more than just solve problems - it's a means for getting aligned with existence. This might sound complicated or "out there" and maybe it is, but ho'oponopono isn't necessarily easy to put into a neat little package. The truth is, ho'oponopono is both simple and complex. Most important of all, ho'oponopono (ho oponopono, hooponopono) is a big help.


If you were looking for the key aspect of ho'oponopono, it's probably this: everything comes from you. Within ho'oponopono this is often referred to as 100% responsibility, and it means that every problem you experience is happening because of you. It's a safe bet that ho'oponopono wasn't intended to win popularity contests, because telling someone they are responsible for every problem that's experienced is a sure way to meet up with some strong resistance and also rejection. 


Ho'oponopono can be applied through different processes. Mentally saying 'I love you, I'm sorry, please forgive me, thank you' is a ho'oponopono process.



I use this simple version even in passing when something comes up that I know has triggered something for me, especially around family issues and relationships.  It works for me.  It is a process for forgiveness, myself included for myself and toward others.  A different version is provided below by an alternate website.

From the website of:  www.ancienthuna.com/ho-oponopono.htm


THEORY: We carry inside us as parts of the Unconscious Mind, all the significant people in our lives. (These parts of us often look very much like Carl Jung's archetypes.) Ho'oponopono makes it "all right" with them. The process of Ho'oponopono is to align with and clean up our genealogy as well as to clean up our relationships with other people in our lives.


The Process of Ho'oponopono:
Bring to mind anyone with whom you do not feel total alignment or support, etc.
In your mind's eye, construct a small stage below you
Imagine an infinite source of love and healing flowing from a source above the top of your head (from your Higher Self), and open up the top of your head, and let the source of love and healing flow down inside your body, fill up the body, and overflow out your heart to heal up the person on the stage. Be sure it is all right for you to heal the person and that they accept the healing.
When the healing is complete, have a discussion with the person and forgive them, and have them forgive you.
Next, let go of the person, and see them floating away. As they do, cut the aka cord that connects the two of you (if appropriate). If you are healing in a current primary relationship, then assimilate the person inside you.
Do this with every person in your life with whom you are incomplete, or not aligned.
The final test is, can you see the person or think of them without feeling any negative emotions. If you do feel negative emotions when you do, then do the process again.


As someone else described, Ho'oponopono is where all problems begin as thought; all thoughts are imbued with memories' memories of persons, places or things.  When you do Ho'oponopono, Divinity takes the painful thought and neutralizes it.  You don't have to know what the problem is, just notice any problem or feeling that you are experiencing mentally, physically or emotionally. Once you notice, your responsibility is to immediately begin to clean, to say the mantra of:  "I am sorry.  Please Forgive me.  Thank you.  I love you."


If you are inclined towards meditation, and are new to this ancient technique, give it a try and see if it resonates with you.  It did with me.  In gratitude...

Spiritual and physical health - Nomadics

Even from the beginning stages of learning Swedish massage, self care on a spiritual and physical level was incorporated into the program.  We had some wonderful meditations provided by the massage instructor which usually transitioned us back into classroom mode after lunch, or a way to end a long day of studying and practicing massage techniques.   As well, we began learning exercises called Nomadics.  These exercises certainly were supportive of our own personal physical health and allowed for release of habitual holding patterns, etc.  Some of the exercises are quite simple but have great impact especially when used consistently over time.  Advanced exercises were shown, suggested and offered by DVDs as well if we wanted to further study Nomadics.  


Nomadics was created by Martin Gray and his story is certainly of interest.

www.sacredsites.com/martin_gray/index.html

Quoted from Martin Gray's website:

NOMADICS are a unique synthesis of athletic and dance exercises, physical therapy techniques, and meditation practices from around the world. A truly comprehensive exercise system consisting of four distinct movement forms, Nomadics effectively develops each of the five fundamental movement dynamics. In addition to their physical benefits, the Nomadics exercises also have a psycho-spiritual effect. Research findings in the fields of somatic psychology and psychoneuroimmunology indicate that training the body for strength, flexibility, endurance, coordination, and balance simultaneously develops those same qualities in the mind. In other words, psychology may be accessed through physiology. Utilizing the Nomadics movement-meditations, we can work on our minds by working on our bodies.
         

Personally, I had used Feldenkrais exercises for years to deal with my own neck and back issues.   These exercises are so beneficial and supportive on multiple levels.  However, as we started Nomadics I realized that these exercises were just as supportive and beneficial.  Whenever possible, I suggest these exercises to friends and clients.  I, also use them myself, especially when the pain in my body or spirit has returned.