Hoʻoponopono is the Hawaiian practice of reconciliation, forgiveness, and remembrance.

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Ho`o in Hawai`ian is a causative prefix to nouns. It denotes the creation of action (changes work ~ to work, love ~ to love, etc.). Pono is; goodness, righteousness, a true condition or nature. Interestingly, it is also; completely, exactly, carefully, and satisfactorily. There are only 13 letters in the Hawai`ian  alphabet. This limits the numbers of words causing many words to have multiple meanings. Ho`oponopono translates to modern English as ’to make completely true and right’.

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Some practitioners say that the word translates to ’connection’, but I have been taught that this is not necessarily incorrect but incomplete.

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Ho`oponopono has been practiced for generations throughout the Polynesia although not by that name. When the name came into popular usage is questionable, but early Hawai`ian historians documented the beliefs and practices, and they are still supported in the stories of the elders. The traditional practice of connecting to the Giver of All Life, correcting ma`i (illness) and kapu (spirituality), restoring and maintaining relationships was performed by a kahu (master or pastor), kahuna (priest or spiritual leader), or Kahiko aʻe (eldest family member). Today, a trained and certified coach may lead the practice.

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Ho`oponopono teaches that there is a Divine Creator who/that supersedes the altruistic natures of humans, and that we must reconnect to that part, and seek forgiveness for our departures.  It teaches that we do this through the realigning of the Trinity of Consciousness; the Conscious, Subconscious, and Super-Conscious. Through ho`oponopono, our 3 consciousnesses communicate differently from egoistic prayer.

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