I recently heard a wonderful interview of Dr Hew Len on “News for the Soul.”
Below are the notes I made on the interview which better helped me understand Ho’oponopono.
By Saul Maraney
Johannesburg, South Africa
| If Dr Hew Len Was Able To Clear Out a Criminally Insane Ward Without Therapy, Then How Can We Impact Our Personal Lives Using The Powerful Problem Solving Process Of Ho’oponopono? Dr Hew Len worked at the Hawaii State hospital in the high security ward for the criminally insane from 1983 to 1987, where he cured and entire ward of criminally mentally ill patients using the simple ancient Hawaiian healing method of Ho’oponopono. During that time, Dr Hew Len didn’t do any therapy on the patients. He would walk through the ward, and review the patient’s files, not for the purpose of therapy but to see what there was there for him to clean up. So if Dr Hew Len didn’t work on the patients, how was it that he was able to cure the entire ward of criminally mentally ill patients? Dr Hew Len always kept in mind that everyone, including the patients in that ward were all really creations of The Divine. And in being so, they were all perfect beings with perfect minds in that they all were an exact replication of The Divine; represented by the Void and Infinite. Given that information: What is a problem? According to Ho’oponopono, a problem is a memory replaying in the subconscious mind. When Dr Hew Len did Ho’oponopono in the hospital, he would ask himself: “What is going on in me that I experience the hospital / situation in such a way?” – Being that Dr Hew Len knew that in essence he was perfect, and that the criminals in essence were also perfect – he asked himself: “What is this problem going on?” Dr Hew Len used the following analogy to explain was the problem was: “Imagine the mind is like a canvas, and on that canvas of the mind is painted a stain, and that stain is a memory.” – “The stain is left there on the sub-conscious mind, and when it gets triggered, it replays a past experience.” So a problem is a memory replaying a past experience. Ho’oponopono is an appeal to The Divinity to cancel the memories that replay as problems. And as Dr Hew Len would move through the ward, he would ask himself: “What is going on in me that I am experiencing these problems?” Dr Hew Len would continuously clean the memories in his sub-conscious mind that would come up as he went through each patient’s file, looking within himself at what came up, and what he needed to let go of. When Dr Hew Len arrived at the hospital every one of the seclusion rooms were occupied with violent patients, but as he let go the memories and feelings in him, within a year and a half, all of the seclusion rooms had been shut down, and patients were starting to be able to take care of themselves. Knowing that all memories are shared, Dr Hew Len worked on whatever was going on in him that he experienced as the criminals being the way they were. As Dr Hew Len asked Divinity to erase those memories, he got clear, the patients got better, and over the four years that he was at the hospital, many of the patients went home, and eventually the ward was actually shut down. As Dr Hew Len incessantly did his cleaning on whatever was going on in him, the shared memory he had with the patients, that he experienced as problems in the ward, they got cancelled in him, he got clear, and the patients in the ward stayed for much shorter periods of time. Dr Hew Len points out that that a major problem with therapists is that they keep thinking that they are in practice to save people, when actually; they are in practice to get clear themselves. Dr Hew Len says that as we heal the memories that we share with other people, those people get cancelled, and people just get better. Before Dr Hew Len came on board in that ward, the psychologists would last for approximately one month, and then they would be quit. But Dr Hew Len just worked on himself, and whatever was going on in him before he went in each day to the ward, while he was there, and after he left each day. He constantly worked on the common data that he shared with the patients and that he experienced as problems. About a year later, people started asking: “What is going on that the ward is so quiet?” It was because Dr Hew Len was only interested in being 100% responsible for whatever was going on in his life. He was only interested in being clear so that his life was peaceful, with less stress and less confusion. And today, that ward is no longer in use. Dr Hew Len points out that the bottom line is that whenever there is a problem that we notice, we are always there. So Dr Hew Len constantly asked The Divinity to make amends for whatever he had in the common, and that he was experiencing as problems with the patients in that ward. Dr Hew Len says that the only reason that he exists is because “peace begins with me”, and although he still stumbles a lot, that is what he practices. Research shows that at any given moment, there are more than 11 million bits of information going on, and yet, we are only aware of 15 bits of them. And those are the bits that we make judgments on. But we do not know what is going on. So we say to The Divinity: “If there is something going on in me that I am experiencing people in a certain way, I would like to let go of them.” By letting go, we change the world in us, and that in turn causes the whole world to change. Being 100% responsible is a tough road to travel, because the intellect is so insistent. Whenever a problem comes us, our intellect always looks for someone or something to blame. We keep looking outside of ourselves for the source of our problems. But the source is always inside us. Dr Hew Len’s teacher, Morrnah Simeona taught that: “We are only here to bring peace to our own life, and if we bring peace to our own life, everything around us will find its own place, its own rhythm and peace”, and that is what Ho’oponopono is all about. Whenever Dr Hew Len deals with the clients that email him from all over the world, he only looks within himself, and asks himself: “What is going on in me that they should express / experience this problem?” He asks himself: “What is it in me that I have to cancel?” He points out that he does not know what to cancel in him, but The Divinity in him, who created him and knows everything does. Dr Hew Len appeals to that Source in him to cancel whatever is going on in him that he experiences as problems. Dr Hew Len says that Ho’oponopono teaches us not to be intrusive in other people’s lives, and give them advice, but when we experience other people as problems, we must ourselves: “What is going on in me that I am experiencing this?” Dr Hew Len makes the point that the mind never understands things as they are, but rather gets a replication of it. He says that the mind has a model of the way things work, but that is not what is really going on, because if the mind really knew what was going on, it would not experience problems. Dr Hew Len continued by saying that decisions are made for us before we ever decide them, because there are millions of unconscious memories going on in our sub-conscious minds all the time, and that these memories make decisions for us. And since we are not aware of the memories, we need to talk to Divinity who is aware of them, and is the only one who can cancel them. So moment by moment, as we practice the Ho’oponopono process, we are canceling the memories in our sub-conscious mind by saying to The Divine: “I don’t know why I am experiencing this, but if I have a common problem with other people, I would like to make amends for it.” It is imperative to realize that the person who practices the Ho’oponopono process is not doing the healing, rather the Ho’oponopono is the process of allowing The Divinity who created everything and knows everything, to cancel the memories that we experience as problems. What we are doing with the Ho’oponopono cleaning is putting everything back into its natural order. Dr Hew Len says that if we are prepared to be 100% responsible first, and get 100% at peace with ourselves, everything else will get into perfect alignment with themselves and The Divinity. The Ho’oponopono process only takes one person: - “Peace begins with me, and no one else.” At that hospital in Hawaii, because Dr Hew Len cleaned himself, everyone got well and as he did the Ho’oponopono process, patients were able to take care of themselves. Dr Hew Len says that what everyone wants is to be in tune with themselves, and only when they are, will they be able to fulfill the destiny for which they came. Dr Hew Len stresses that we need to be clear that the mind is perfect. – What is not perfect is the data and memories that our mind carries, and with Ho’oponopono, that is what we are working on. We are working on canceling common memories. Whenever Dr Hew Len talks to people, he only looks for the common memory that they share, that he may not even be aware of (remember, our conscious mind is only aware of 15 bits of information out of 11 million bits). And it only takes one person prepared to be 100% responsible to erase the shared memory. Ho’oponopono is only about looking at ourselves by cleaning the garbage we share in common with other people that creates problems for us. Dr Hew Len said that he enjoys when people are being rude to him, because he knows that it is the data which is causing them to be that way, and he is looking for data to erase, and the best data to erase is bad data. The definition of Ho’oponopono is to correct and error, and the error is corrected by saying: “I Love You”, “I’m sorry”, “Please forgive me” and “Thank You” to The Divine, in order to allow The Divinity to void and cancel the data (memories in the sub-conscious mind) that we experience as problems. By doing the different Ho’oponopono processes, I am asking The Divinity to cancel programs (memories) in me, so that they too get cancelled in other people. I only need to look at what is going on in me, which I have in common with other people. I am willing to be 100% responsible, because I can only depend on myself to bring peace to my own life, because that is my responsibility. Dr Hew Len says that if we are not doing our cleaning all the time, then someone who is already unhappy may show up in our existence, and that may cause us to be stuck with their grief. If someone shows up angry in my experience, I take 100% responsibility by asking myself: “What is going on in me, that I need to let go of, that this experience is coming up?” I look at what is the problem (memories) in me that is causing this situation that I can have cancelled by The Divinity? I need to always be cleaning, because I want to prevent any problems from surfacing, if it is correct that they are prevented. However, Dr Hew Len points out that some problems have to show up. Why? That is something that only The Divinity knows, but the Ho’oponopono process is about preventing. Ho’oponopono is about letting go and trusting, because outcomes are the job of the intellect, and according to Dr Hew Len, intentions are what kills people. Dr Hew Len says that all expectations are just memories replaying, and that nothing in life happens by accident. It is The Divinity who is orchestrating events, and our job is to be at peace. Dr Hew Len said that if we insist on setting goals we need to be constantly cleaning so that we will be willing to let go and allow our life to go in the way it needs to go. If we are inflexible, and have our mind set on only one goal, then we will miss many opportunities (inspirations) that show up from The Divine. The only way I can be at peace is by tuning into myself, and by doing that, I am contributing to the welfare of all the people around me. I do Ho’oponopono for myself, because I want to be at peace, and because I know that as long as I am at peace with myself, I will notice that everyone around me is peaceful. So whenever I notice anything that I perceive as a problem, I say to myself: “What is going on in me that I need to let go of?” Dr Hew Len teaches that people only show up in our lives to show us that we are either on track (or not) in our own lives. Most of the time we don’t know if we are (or not), so we constantly need to clean. Dr Hew Len says that trying to help people by talking to them doesn’t help. With Ho’oponopono I bring peace to myself, so that everyone around me can be at peace with themselves. Before Dr Hew Len eats anything, he says in his mind to the food: “I love You…If I am bringing anything to this situation that would cause me to feel ill as I am eating you; - it is not you. It is not even me. It is something that triggers that I am willing to be responsible for.” Dr Hew Len says that when there is a memory replaying, and we are in grief, we do things that we ordinarily wouldn’t do, but if we are willing to work on that memory, we can cancel it. Dr Hew Len practices Ho’oponopono during every breath that he takes. He says that he is willing to work on his memories, because if he doesn’t, he will be sick, unhappy, confused and blameful, and that is not a place where he wants to be. As the Chinese proverb says: “A Journey of 1000 miles begins with one step.” Dr Hew Len always drinks blue solar water. As he drinks, he is petitioning Divinity to cancel memories he shares with other people. As he petitions Divinity, he doesn’t know which memories are being cancelled. Ho’oponopono has cleaning processes which include food, breathing and exercise. Dr Hew Len says that his whole life is geared to fulfill the purpose for which he came to fulfill – and that is to clear his mind of problems (memories) so that he can be what The Divine created him to be – pure in heart. Dr Hew Len pointed out that the word Aloha is a profound word which means: Be in the presence (Alo) of The Divine (ha). He says that when we say Aloha to someone, we are acknowledging that that person is Divinity personified. Dr Hew Len wants to lead the Ho’oponopono lifestyle, so he continuously cleans, acknowledging that everything in his life is Divinity personified. Dr Hew Len confesses that Ho’oponopono is tough to do. He says there isn’t a day that goes by that he isn’t annoyed, irritable, saying how come?, or thinking, but at least he is aware of it, and as soon as he realizes that he has slipped, he gets back into the cleaning. He says that there isn’t a day that goes by that he doesn’t stumble. Strawberries and blueberries are wonderful problem solving processes that petition Divinity to cancel our problem causing memories. The “I love You” prayer and the blue solar water are all used in conjunction. Dr Hew Len also pointed out that the word Hawaii means “The breath and water of The Divine”. Dr Hew Len says that the “Ha” process is a canceling process and is simple to do. The process is done by breath In – mentally count to 7, Hold for 7 mental counts, Exhale - mentally count to 7, Hold – mentally count to 7. Repeat the process 7 times. Dr Hew Len says that Ho’oponopono is a process where we say to The Divine: “I’m sorry” (repentance); “Please forgive me” (forgiveness); and “Thank You” (transmutation). Only The Divinity can reach down into the sub-conscious mind and take the problem memories and neutralize them, and then remove the memory into storage, and leave the mind blank. And now that the mind is at peace again since there is no memory or problems. Once the mind goes into this state of emptiness and peacefulness, Divinity comes through with inspiration, and as the inspiration comes in, the canceling / transmutation of memories takes place – which only The Divine can do. Ho’oponopono is all about being 100% responsible. With all these processes, I am saying to The Divinity; “I’m sorry for whatever is going on in me that I am experiencing the world to be a certain way.” The Divinity receives the petition, and then it is at The Divinity’s discretion to then send down spiritual and mental energy into the sub-conscious mind and begin to neutralize the problem memory. The neutralized energy is then pulled out and stored, and the mind is left empty, and is then ready to receive inspiration from The Divinity. Dr Hew Len says that we are all Divine Beings, but the mind can only serve one master at one time. It can either serve memories replaying problems, or it can serve Divinity which is inspirations. Dr Hew Len said that we must look out for having expectations in our life. He said that the cleaning has nothing to do with expectations. We are not cleaning to save anyone’s life. Why we are cleaning is to have whatever is perfect and right happen to us peacefully. Cleaning is done to get the circumstances that are perfect and right for us. But we don’t know what that is. Only The Divine knows. The Ho’oponopono cleaning is profound because we are dealing directly with The Divine, and The Divine can do its job perfectly. Dr Hew Len concluded by saying that we can’t tell Divinity what results we can from our cleaning. Our only responsibility is to say: “I’m sorry and please forgive me”. And Divinity’s responsibility is to do whatever. |
| **Copyright Notice/Reprint Policy** In order to get the Ho’oponopono message into the world's consciousness as quickly as possible, feel free to share the complete contents of this article with as many people as you'd like (However, no changes may be made to its content without written permission from Saul Maraney). WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE, BLOG OR WEBSITE? |
