Daily Ho’oponopono Practice

Relationships: Correcting Your Mistakes

Your relationship to others should have more value than the need to be right.  Accepting responsibility for an offense or mistake that you have made and expressing regret for the wrong that was done, is essential for a long lasting relationship.  Doing it in a truthful manner and committing not to do it again is a critical part of repairing a mistake.

Don’t wait to correct a mistake, do it immediately! Many of us delay correcting a mistake, due largely in part to fear of the consequences from the person they need to direct the correction to.  Some may be unaware that they have offended another person, while others just don’t know how to correct the mistake.

Growing up in Hawaii as kids, we were always taught by example from our na kupuna (elders) how to immediately correct any wrong that was created toward others.  It never felt forced or demanded that we do the right thing.  It was our way of life growing up in Honaunau, Kona.  Seeing the positive outcome was rewarding enough for us to understand the right thing to do.

My son, at the age of nine, was already practicing correcting mistakes or making right what was wronged.  I like to think that he got this from observing my wife and I correcting our mistakes with each other in a gentle and kind way.  His cousin was visiting us for a week and upon returning home complained to his mom that my son broke his toy.  Overhearing my wife and her sister on the phone discussing this incident angered my son because he felt he was innocent.  I remember him shouting, “I didn’t do it mom!”  Minutes later he called his cousin to discuss how his cousin put the toy on his shelf, which suddenly fell and landed on the floor.  “Maybe it broke then, my son said?” I think the conversation took less than five minutes when I overheard my son saying, “No problem, I love you too.”  Dealing with correcting complex mistakes at an older age is easier when you are raised with this concept at a very young age.

I understand the apprehension some people may have in ‘owning up’ to their mistakes.  It takes courage and humility to correct a wrong.  It is the right thing to do for the sake of those we have offended.  It’s also healthy for the creator of the mistake to rectify the conflict.  The outcome is a healthy dose of self-awareness and it keeps us accountable and brings clarity so we don’t have to repeat the same mistake again.  My father once told me, “An unintelligent mistake is when you repeat the same mistake more than once.  An intelligent mistake is when you don’t repeat the same mistake again.”

Accepting the fact that you have done something wrong, melts away Ego and allows for self-correcting.  A strong soul is one that doesn’t need to strive for perfection, but one that recognizes when their mistake hurt others.  A strong soul is one who takes responsibility for one’s actions, expresses their wrong doing, and never repeats the action every again.

Admitting to our mistakes is not easy for some, but the cost for the alternative – denial, hiding from the truth, deception – is far more costly.  I have seen on many occasions, patients in my clinic suffering from a debilitating condition that had some aspect of someone creating a mistake on them or the other way around in years past.  Holding on to or living with an old mistake is not healthy at all!

The first step in correcting any wrongdoing is to take the initiative to acknowledge you created the mistake.  When you do this, you are taking responsibility for your actions.  Doing something with meaningful commitment is the foundation for an integral life or a harmonious life.  It builds integrity when done from the heart.  Eliminate any excuses and don’t take things personally when there is a response from the receiver of the mistake.  Having pure intentions of making things right puts a higher value on the rekindling of the relationship that is agreeable with the receiver.

The next step is to undo what you did.  By “owning up” to your actions or behavior with the other person indicates that what you did was wrong and you are asking “what can I do to make it right?”  Your body language, facial expression, and tone of voice should be consistent with your words and heart.  Let your intentions on the inhale breath be pono (aligned) with your words on the exhale breath.  Your intentions should be for the highest good for all parties concerned.  Watch and choose your words wisely.  Eliminate words such as, “if, but, I want to, and using a passive voice.

Finally, cut the energetic cord to the entire incident.  Transmute this energy by surrounding it with white light.  Recycle this transmuted energy into the air (universe).  Create a positive mantra for the outcome such as, I am love, we are love, our relationship is a positive loving one, etc.

There are a few things that are very real: accidents, human flaws, and forgiveness.  The first two may be out of our control so we must do our best with the third.  The purpose of correcting our mistakes is to build upon a sustainable, healthy, and rich community of supportive citizens.  Honoring each other and practicing self-awareness may not be easy at first, but one thing is certain, you can’t lose by correcting a mistake.

Mahalo.

Maka’ala

CHD and Cholesterol

It was on a flight from Medford, Oregon to New Haven, CT last month when a strong desire hit me to write about the possibilities of preventing heart problems.  I was thinking about a few friends of mine from different parts of the country that experienced a heart attack and yet they appeared quite healthy when I last saw them.

For many years, medical thinking about heart disease was primarily based on their “lipid hypothesis.”  This theory proposes that foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol leads to blockages to the heart. Cholesterol gets into the arteries in the form of plaque, which over time causes blockage that starves the heart of vital oxygenated blood that leads to a heart attack.  I know I have been out of school (BS in Human Biology and Doctorate in Chiropractic) for some time now so I had to do some digging around to bring me up to speed on preventative measures and the latest thinking regarding heart diseases.

Research and data (CDC/NCHS National Health Survey, 2009) indicate that native Hawaiians suffer some of the worst health inequities in the State of Hawaii and perhaps the continental U.S.  I feel this is equally true for Polynesians in general. They have one of the highest risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD).

Some researchers are now questioning the theory and finding serious flaws that “foods rich in saturated fats and cholesterol eventually lead to heart attacks.”  Heart disease in the U.S. increased during the period when the use of saturated fats decreased.  There is evidence showing that children who were on low fat diets and adults who were on cholesterol-lowering drugs, CHD still rose.

If not cholesterol then what’s causing heart disease?  It’s a question that cannot be entirely solved in scientific labs, but perhaps on the front lines working directly with people may help find some clues.  The clues are all there and you don’t have to be a “rocket” scientist to figure it out.  It is not that complex that the general public cannot make reasonable life-style adjustments based on some common sense clues.

CHD is not from one cause or a single element, but from multiple etiologies.  Some of the elements that can contribute to heart disease include damage to heart muscles or valves (congenital defects); inflammation and damage associated with various viral, bacterial, fungal or parasitic diseases.  Rheumatic fever can lead to heart disease, as can genetic or autoimmune disorders.

According to CDC statistics, heart disease was relatively rare in 1900, accounting for approximately 9% of all deaths in the U.S. (www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/dvs/lead1900_98.pdf).  By 1950, CHD was the leading cause of deaths in the U.S. (48% of all deaths)!  It went down to about 38% by 1998, but that could be due to improved surgical procedures (angioplasty, by-pass, etc.).

Some risk factors for heart disease as cited by medical viewpoints include high blood cholesterol, smoking, lack of exercise, stress and overweight.  There are of course the obvious chemical imbalances and nutrient deficiencies such as vitamin A and D that is not high on their radar screen.  Heart researchers for the most part have ignored the possible role that vitamins, minerals and natural foods have in protecting the heart.

Vitamin A and D for example, act as catalysts for protein and mineral assimilation.  They support endocrine function and protect against inflammation.  Vitamin A is needed to convert cholesterol into steroid hormones, but is depleted by stress.  Of course stress contributes to a lot health problems.  Cholesterol lowering drugs increases the body’s need for vitamin A.  Vitamin D helps prevent high blood pressure and protects against spasms.  It is needed for calcium absorption, assist in the body’s nervous system and helps prevent arrhythmias.

Vitamin E is an antioxidant that prevents free radicals from causing damage to cells and it plays an essential role in cellular respiration especially in cardiac muscles.  It helps in the dilation of blood vessels and inhibits coagulation of the blood by preventing clots from forming.

Vitamin C is also an antioxidant and prevents against free radicals and it helps support the integrity of the artery walls.  Stress diminishes vitamin C, however.  Many other minerals such as magnesium, copper, selenium and zinc play some role in cardiovascular health.

It is the opinion of this writer that the actual nutrient content of our foods has declined during the last 60 years or more due mostly to intensive farming practices including genetically modified organism.

The challenge in all of this is that it is difficult to turn clues found in fieldwork into solid scientific research.  For example, vitamins and minerals work in synergy therefore impossible to accurately assess their effects as separate elements.  Vitamin A and D are needed for magnesium and calcium absorption, vitamin C works with vitamin E and vitamin E works with selenium.

There is also the physical insufficiency that more and more people are exhibiting such as the digestive and endocrine system, which may inhibit nutrient absorption even if the food is high in nutritive value.  Furthermore, the vitamin and nutrient content of our foods varies tremendously so we cannot rely on nutrient tables to determine the quantities of vitamin and mineral we are consuming.

Synthetic supplementation is not the answer and wouldn’t be my choice of therapy as it can often times be counter productive.  For example, vitamin D2 was added to milk in the past, which was causing decalcification of the hard tissues and calcification of the soft tissues such as the artery.  For this reason, D2 was quietly dropped as an additive and replaced with D3.  Synthetic D3 however, is showing that it has poor absorption qualities.  In general, vitamins from food work more efficiently and are needed in smaller quantities than synthetic vitamins.

We also have to look at the role that fats have in our diet.  The Masai in Africa for example, get 60 percent of their calories from fat and are free of heart disease.  The original diet of the Eskimo and North American Indians contained up to 80 percent of calories from fat and there is no evidence that they suffered from heart disease.  We now know that too much of omega-6 fatty acids and not enough omega-3 fatty acid may lead to blood clots, which can lead to heart attacks.

What I have observed in the field is that those that are trying to avoid eating to much fat often replace their calories with carbohydrate calories, which usually is in the form of refined flour or sugar.  Yet several researchers have published studies that show a link in refined carbohydrates, especially sugar, with increased heart disease.  Of course excess sugar consumption is also associated with increased incidence of diabetes, and diabetes can be prone to heart disease.  Butter fat and coconut oil contain fatty acids that protect against viruses and pathogenic bacteria and enhance the immune system.  Polynesians of not to distant past consumed coconut milk on a daily basis, but had no or low levels of heart disease.

Studies on the effects of vitamins and minerals with cardiovascular health must continue to be conducted with great care.  Experts in the biochemistry of human nutrition should be involved in designing the studies, something that rarely occurs.  The studies should be designed to include built-in protection against bias outcomes – from those that are strongly against the view that nutrition plays a role in heart disease.  Of course there has to be a protection mechanism from those that want to capitalize on the supplement industry.

From a Hawaiian healing perspective, to maintain a healthy body is to build it from the bottom up.  The foundation to health is to start with an appropriate colon cleansing program or supervised fast to suit your condition and needs.  It is from this point that we can rapidly restore healing or to break the blueprint from disease including coronary heart disease.  I have seen high blood pressure normalize after a period of fasting and a committed lifestyle change.  High blood pressure is a tell tale sign that may eventually lead to heart disease.  Dr. Al Wolfsen, a chiropractor/naturopath and friend of Auntie Margaret’s (one of my Hawaiian teachers) told me of how he was able to immediately help a person who was having a heart attack using aggressive amounts of cayenne pepper.  So small amounts of cayenne may prevent clogging of the arteries.

Another aspect to consider is the prolonged emotions of being lonely, which may lead to heart problems.  We have to look into our societal separation mentality and stress factors and how it might be contributing to heart conditions.  There are so many things to observe and to consider, but we should look into all possibilities.

So what can we do to protect ourselves against heart disease?  Most of the guidelines out there today are pretty straightforward although when considering these guidelines take into account your individual makeup.  Whatever you decide, if you are still afraid of saturated fats and cholesterol, you will find yourself on a continual struggle to dietary health.  Avoiding foods with saturated fat and cholesterol will not only deprive your body of essential nutrients, but the substituted foods you use will contain elements (polyunsaturated oils, trans fatty acids, refined flour and sugar) that may be associated with higher risks of heart disease.

Something to think about:

• Don’t smoke
• Exercise to your abilities and capabilities
• Eat nutrient rich foods (live foods!) – organic fruits and vegetables
• Don’t overwork (find equal play time)
• Get out of a polluted environment
• Eat high quality meats (wild fish, grass fed animals, fats)
• Supplement diet with foods rich in protective factors (cod liver oil, brewers yeast, flax oil, coconut oil [raw], kelp, supplements made from fruits or vegetables, etc.)
• Do periodic supervised colon cleansing or supervised fasting programs
• Live in a sustainable, supportive community
• Educate yourself and take responsibility

Mahalo (thank you)

Maka’ala

Kumu: A Title of Fact, Fiction or Distraction?

In the past, it was very respectful to address a teacher of a particular profession in Hawaii as Kumu.  Traditionally, it was an identifier given by a community to a master teacher who carried on the responsibilities within their profession.  It was an honor given to this master by the collective based on that person’s abilities and connection to their community.  Part of the Kumu’s responsibilities was to offer their expertise to the needs of the community and in return the community provided whatever support the Kumu required to meet those needs.

Today, I am seeing more and more people identifying themselves as Kumu “so and so” or Kumu of “this or that.”  This is especially true when it comes to teaching a form of Hawaiian healing class.  I guess the term kumu has evolved into a title of authority?  I’ve often wondered, does the title make the person or does the person make the title?  Why do we need a title in the first place?  Who assigns these titles anyway?  None of my Hawaiian healing teachers ever called themselves a Kumu nor did they advertise themselves as a Kumu.  They neither demanded nor required that they be addressed as a Kumu.  This is also true with the recognition as a Kahuna.  So why is there a noticeable increase in the word kumu in front of people’s name?  Some of them are Hawaiians and some are non-Hawaiians.  Is there a school of Hawaiian healing that certifies these people that I don’t know about?  Is there a revised system of traditional Kumu-ism that is being revisited?  What’s going on?  I know there are protocols within the hula groups, but within the Hawaiian healing circles that I have been involved in, it’s much different.  Learning to assist in the healing of the body, mind and soul requires a lifetime of experiences.

Kumu is a term usually used in the context within the Hawaiian culture although not limited to it.  Some examples are; Kumu Hula – a teacher of hula; Kumu Lomi – a teacher of lomilomi; Kumu La’au Lapa’au – a teacher of herbal medicine; and Kumu Haha – a teacher of diagnostics or medical intuition.

The word kumu has many translations.  It refers to a red fish (goat fish), a trunk of a tree, a source or origin of something, a sweetheart, good looking, foundation, title (as to land or position), a purpose or reason, and a name of a variety of red stalked taro.

I have been involved in the Hawaiian healing ways since the age of 6.  In all those years not once did any of my Hawaiian teachers require that they be addressed as a Kumu or promoted themselves as a Kumu.  It was not something that they aspired to become one day within their community and within a certain profession.  I should mention, however, that up to a certain point in the evolution of the Hawaiian people, children went through a selection process to carry on a particular profession.  It was a lifetime of learning that the child was committed to, but to my knowledge, this has not happened since the early 1900’s.  This is true in Kona at least.

The basic premise in learning a skill or gaining knowledge especially from a Hawaiian perspective is to have the ability to provide the best service or expertise possible to others without causing injury or emotional distress to the receiver.  The skill or expertise gained can be used for the exchange of energy, be it money, products, services etc.

The intentions of why an individual wants to learn something, however, will determine the quality of that outcome.  For example, taking a class for one’s personal agenda versus genuinely wanting to expand one’s awareness in healing creates two entirely different outcomes.  In my thirty plus years of teaching Hawaiian medicine and modalities, I have seen those with personal agendas falter and have limited success.  Those that applied their studies for the greater-good almost always sustained financial success as well as growth in wisdom.  Going into a lomi class with the idea of teaching the course one day takes away from the potential of being the best practitioner possible.  Whether you see the correlation or not, the fact is from a Hawaiian indigenous mindset, you must have experience just to become a good practitioner.  From time to time I have seen a few students from my class and other Hawaiian teacher’s class return to their hometown and immediately offer the same class as if they were experts.  In the early 80’s a student of Aunty Margaret Machado wrote a book on lomi verbatim from Auntie’s notes!  She did this the same year she took the class!  In my sixteen years with Aunty Margaret, not once did I ever consider becoming a teacher.  It was later in life that the community-at-large expressed the need for me to carry forward the knowledge and wisdom handed down from a lineage of Hawaiian healers.

The role of the Kumu is to help students strengthen their sense of responsibility.  The role of the student is to help the Kumu lighten that load.  It is a key element in the relationship between student (Haumana) and teacher (Kumu).   It is a connection that lightens as it strengthens.  Sadly, a few so called, “Kumu” mislead many followers with embellished information and fictitious or no lineage connection to a Hawaiian source.  I can see why it is so hard to find the “real deal!”  How can anyone become a teacher just by taking one class? The “rabbit hole” goes very deep in Hawaiian healing concepts and modalities.  I know some of my Hawaiian teachers questioned the integrity of a few self-proclaimed na Kumu (teachers).  In Aunty Margaret’s words, “what are they teaching?”

Often I am asked, how does one find a true teacher of Hawaiian healing knowledge?  How will I recognize him or her?  Can you point me in the right direction?  Aunty Margaret was unique.  She practiced what she taught and taught what she practiced.  A teacher should live their talk and talk what they live.  It is about continuous practice of expansion and self-study.  For a teacher, the student is never wrong or slow or inept.  When I hear a teacher complain about a student, I think there is trouble with that teacher.  There is a famous quote by William Arthur Ward.  “The mediocre teacher tells, the superior teacher demonstrates, the great teacher inspires.”  If the student does not understand the information given, then the teacher must inquire within as to how to better impart that knowledge.  What other avenues can be used to explain a concept.  Creativity is a key ingredient in the bag of tools available to the teacher.

The bond between a Haumana and a Kumu is like two outrigger canoes in the open ocean, each filled with paddlers and a steersman.  If the canoe in the back gets close enough to the lead canoe, it can assist that canoe by pushing it forward from the wake it creates at its bow.  As long as the lead canoe keeps its momentum going forward the rear canoe can assist its progress. The rear canoe represents the Kumu and the lead canoe represents na Haumana (the students).  I like this metaphor because it suggests the deep bond of trust that must exist between teacher and student.  The more the student advances, the more the teacher can give to the student.  I have always felt the nudging by my teachers in my voyage of learning and I still feel them long after they have left this plain.  I shall always seek the expansion of knowledge and wisdom for the greater-good.

The teacher’s entire responsibility is to the student. Their role is to help each student evolve to their highest potential.  There is no agenda to mold a student according to the teacher’s ideas or purpose.  The teacher can provide a safe environment by holding sacred space. This allows the opportunity to guide the student with tools beyond the subject matter of the class or workshop.

My role as a teacher is one that encourages the waking of our group consciousness so each individual can see what his or her true potential can be.  There are eleven instructors in the Mana Lomi organization and every two years we get together to share and discuss how we can better ourselves as teachers.  We don’t look down or up at anyone, but rather “eye to eye.” You will never hear me ask to be called a Kumu nor will you see me advertise as one.  My name is Maka’ala and my title is “Life.”

Mahalo

Thank you

Ho’oponopono: Living in balance (part 2)

Ho’oponopono is the answer to bringing peace, harmony, wisdom and love into ones life and ultimately the community, society, the world, and the universe.  Meditation is an important element for ho’oponopono because it can increase and refine the receptivity of the Divine consciousness (Kumukahi) within all things.  Meditation is the indigenous Hawaiian way of reuniting the soul with our higher consciousness and with Kumukahi (the One Original Source).  The soul manifests its consciousness and mana (life-force) through the ‘piko’ (chakra) or centers of light or energy centers within the human cerebrospinal axis.  It is within this bodily prism that the soul consciousness and mana become identified with physical limitations.

Our body is programmable by language, tones, words or thoughts, all of which carry a frequency.  The kind of frequency created determines the desired outcome of the producer.  Each individual must work on the inner process and development in order to establish a conscious communication with the DNA, which is our super—conductor that can store light, therefore, information.

When a large number of people collectively come together with higher intentions such as meditating on peace – violent potentials will dissolve.  It is through meditation that all questions, all troubles, and all difficulties can be resolved or answered.

The following is a sample of a simple Hawaiian meditation technique called “Alo Ha.”  If you would like to learn more go to www.manalomi.com and see about one of our three-day ho’oponopono workshop.

Aloha

• Alo refers to the connection we have to all things including source or Kumukahi.
• Ha refers to the essence of life from where the evolutionary process unfolds.  It is commonly used to describe the variations of breath.
• Watch the inhale breath and exhale breath.  Without forcing the process of breathing observe the inhale breath and visualize the ‘Alo.’  Observe the exhale part of the breath and visualize the ‘Ha.’
• This is good to use while sitting, walking, running, exercising or any of your favorite activities.  This meditation technique is important to use when the mind wonders especially during meditation exercises.
• Pay particular attention to your intentions during the inhale part of your breath at all times before you exhale your words to others.

The objectives of Ho’oponopono

• Release and severe (‘oki) unwanted energetic cord(s) or connection with a person, place or thing.
• Restore balance (kaulike), harmony (lokahi), and tranquility (maluhia) within the self and outside the self.
• Healing manifestation for yourself and others.
• Transform your consciousness by including qualities of conscious living such as:
  • Love, Kindness, Unity, Discernment, Patience, Responsibility, Humility, Grace, Mindfulness, Gratitude, Engaged Detachment, Compassion, Truthfulness, and Giving Unconditionally.

For many of us spirituality comes later in life.  In our first half or more of life we foolishly weave a net of fear, worry and ignorance around ourselves until disease and/or health destroys us.  We find ourselves in chains created by ourselves.  What is worst or most destructive, our misguided thoughts or our wrong ways of living?  We must make changes in our lives now from things that deaden our spirituality such as anger, hatred, judgment, greed, and selfishness thoughts or from inharmonious living!

Before Kupuna Hale’s [1] passing, I would visit Oahu as often as possible on my summers away from Chiropractic school so we could have the opportunity to “hang out” with each other.  She was well known throughout Hawaii and was respected for her knowledge on the Hawaiian culture, its language and history.   She wanted me to remember the language as much as possible since I was living on the U.S. Continent.  While reviewing the Hawaiian language with Kupuna Hale I was able to help as many of the Na Kupuna (elders) in her area with my traditional hands-on skills (Mana Lomi) as my time offered.  As we drove around the village to offer mana lomi or other health remedies we would speak in Hawaiian with each other and discuss all kinds of things such as the old ways versus the modern ways of living.  How the kanaka maoli’s (original Hawaiian people) health had changed for the worst since her childhood days.  She asked me what I would do for a particular physical complaint or what kind of foods or herbs to suggest to help some of the ailments that the Hawaiians had.

On one occasion she told me about a recent gathering on Oahu for the sole purpose of discussing the concepts and principles of ho’oponopono.  There were five Hawaiian Kupuna panelists including her and about 100 people in attendance.   I could tell she was not happy with the outcome of that Kukakuka (talking story) by the intensity of her words.  She proceeded to tell me that the entire evening was spent discussing aimlessly whether the concept was called ho’opono or ho’oponopono.  Kupuna Hale always had a humorous side to her and brings laughter and joy in everything that she did, but on this particular day there was a serious tone to her voice that made me pay particular attention.  She told me “your work on indigenous Hawaiian medicine and bridging the gap to modern health care systems is very important Maka’ala, but don’t get caught up with wasted energies of useless discussions with any circle of people!”  “Keep doing your good work and let your actions speak for itself and don’t get caught up with discussions that go nowhere.”  Her words of “pa’a ka waha, hana ka lima” stood out for me and I carry this motto in everything that I do.  This phrase literally means to keep the mouth shut and work with the hands.  What she was telling me was ‘action speaks louder than words.’  Her concern at the time was that there were many “camps” of Hawaiian speakers and non-Hawaiian speakers on Hawaiian healing that had conflicting ideas about the old ways of treatments and remedies.  She said sometimes getting too stuck on traditions could stagnate expansion of an idea or a community.  She encouraged me to focus on getting the job at hand done without causing separation in others and to think outside of the box.

The following are four simple steps using the concepts of ho’opono.  For it to be effective, however, requires action, clarity and determination.  Of course you must first come to the conclusion that disconnecting or cutting the cord of any unwanted energies is essential for you to move on or to initiate change.

1. Sever (‘oki) the unwanted energetic cord between you and the person, place, or thing.
2. Transmute (loli’ana) or surround that which you are disconnecting into clear white light.
3. Recycle this transmuted energy into the etheric space or universe around us.  It is like pouring a cup of water into the ocean where it becomes one with the seawater.
4. Replace the empty energy receptor, which was created when the cord is cut with the feeling of joy or positive outcome that you would like.

You are now on the path of using the ancient Hawaiian principles to being well!  Remember,” cutting the cord” is about letting go, forgiveness, surrender and transition into a positive outcome.  MY

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[1] Lydia Hale, known to many as Kupuna Hale, was one of many elder Hawaiian teachers in my life most of which were women. She was from Waimanalo, Oahu.   She insisted that I not forget the language of our Na Kupuna by speaking mostly Hawaiian to me when we had the fortune of being together.

Ho’oponopono: Living in balance (part 1)

“Too Many doctors ignore what was once a commonplace assumption, that emotions are implicated in the development of illnesses, addictions and disorders and in their healing.” Dr. Gabor Mate, Canadian physician and bestselling author.

Dr. Mate’s latest study indicates that stress and individual emotional makeup play critical roles in an array of diseases, including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis and arthritis.

From an indigenous Hawaiian medicine perspective as well as other indigenous cultures around the world, we have always understood that the mind and body can never be separated.  In fact, it is only recently that modern science agrees that the emotional centers of the brain, which regulate our behaviors, our responses and our reactions, are physiologically connected with the immune system, the nervous system and hormonal apparatus.  From an indigenous Hawaiian medicine perspective, the body has only one system.  This system is wired together by the nervous system and uses chemical messengers so the body can operate.  Whatever happens emotionally  can and will have a direct impact on the body’s functions such as the immune system.

So modern science accepts these studies, which they call “psychoneuroimmunology, however, it is completely lacking from medical practice.  Three or four years ago, a study presented at the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s International Congress on Women’s Health showed that women who were unhappily married and didn’t express their emotions were four times as likely to die as those women who were unhappily married and did express their feelings.  What this means is that non-expression of emotion was associated with a 400 percent increase in the death rate.

The remedy for emotional or non-emotional related health or disease according to the indigenous Hawaiian medicine experts is the concept “ho’oponopono.”

To begin to understand the ancient Hawaiian principles of being well we first must understand the basic concepts of ho’oponopono or sometimes referred to as ho’opono.  It is a concept that is so vast and potentially complex that it commands a book to do it justice.  However, as important as it is, I will attempt to bring a brief overview of this idea so that you can begin the process of letting go of those things that do not serve you anymore.  Cutting the cord from “dead weight” or negative emotional experiences and focusing on positive outcomes will be important steps in finding your balance to being well.

Ho’oponopono literally means “the action of being in balance/alignment.”  It is the act of living in harmony with all things, with all places and with all people.  It applies to many levels of the human soul.  Ho’oponopono was the primary concept that the ancient Hawaiians used to live in harmony with each other well before the first white man stepped on the islands of Hawaii.  It is an idea that can help restore peace and prosperity into the world we live in.  It is an understanding that we are all connected (E Piko Kakou) and that we are in this world to support and love each other.  Every thought, action or words used affects everyone within one’s community.

The basic foundation for all areas of pursuit such as healing the body, mind or soul is to live a conflict-free life.  The goal is to clear the path or relationship of any imbalances created or unwanted burdens or problems accumulated.  Learning to disconnect from negative energies or wrongful thinking is basically a simple and effective way of moving on with your life.  It is a concept to allow your soul to expand.  Holding on to negative emotional experiences can cause a contraction to the body leading to all kinds of negative outcomes.  In my many years of clinical experiences working with many health conditions, I have often seen immediate positive outcomes when the patient severed the cord to deep traumatic energies.

There was an article I came across in the AMA Journal some years ago with the title “Keola and the Kahuna.”  It was a short story written by an MD dermatologist from the Wilcox Hospital in Hawaii on the island of Kauai.  Paraphrasing the article, it essentially described a man by the name of Keola having a skin rash that covered his entire body.  His brief history was that his wife had a miscarriage and wouldn’t be able to conceive again.  She was ok with that and he wasn’t.  The MD noticed that his wife did most of the talking and Keola did most of the listening.  After weeks of medical tests and treatments with no apparent results the MD, out of frustration, suggested that Keola see a Kahuna (in this case a Hawaiian medicine master) on the Big Island of Hawaii whose name was Auntie Margaret.  A few weeks later Keola returns to the medical clinic and to the MD’s astonishment sees that Keola’s entire body was cleared of the rash.  He asked Keola if he had seen the Kahuna on the Big Island and the response was, no.  The article finishes by saying that “perhaps there is a small percentage of the healing process that will happen with no obvious explanation and that as MD’s we should just accept this fact.”

Since I was still in Chiropractic school in Portland, Oregon, I immediately contacted Auntie Margaret by telephone.  She was someone that I had studied Hawaiian medicine with for about sixteen years.  I asked her if she knew anything about this article or Keola.  She told me that Keola called her on the telephone and essentially gave her the same history as he did to the MD on Kauai.  What the article didn’t mention was that Keola was from the island of Ni’ihau and spoke mostly Hawaiian.  This explains why his wife did all the talking.  The first question Auntie Margaret asked Keola was, “do you know ho’oponopono?”  The Ni’ihau man quietly said, “yes.”  Auntie Margaret replied, “then you know what to do!”  All toll the conversation between Auntie Margaret and Keola lasted about fifteen minutes yet in that brief moment he knew exactly what he had to do and more importantly, he knew he had all the tools to accomplish it.  Within a week Keola’s skin cleared up.  Through ho’oponopono he was able to cut the cord that was causing his rash, which was getting rid of the anger and disappointment he harbored within himself.  He was able to accept his wife’s condition and he was ready to move on with his life.  One final note about this story is that had the MD asked Keola if he had talked to Auntie Margaret, his answer would have been yes.  The more specific we are in our questions the more specific the answers are especially in the Hawaiian culture.  The more specific your focus is on cutting the cord the more quickly the outcome is.  Perhaps if the MD knew about the ho’oponopono prescription that the Big Island Kahuna gave to Keola he might have titled the article “Keola and Ho’oponopono.”

Next blog will cover the second half of this article so come back and sit with us on the back porch.  If you would like more information on  ho’oponopono workshops near you, please visit www.manalomi.com.  Mahalo.  MY

E Komo Mai!: Welcome!

Well it is about time that I join the millions of bloggers out there after years of just thinking about it?!  So today is my first ever blog and I wanted to start by saying, welcome to my “back porch”.  Growing up in Hawaii I remember the stories from my na kupuna (elders) on our back porch in Honaunau, Hawaii.  Most of the time the stories came out in the early evening after watching the sunset over the calm Kona ocean.  So I decided to be a blogger on my virtual “back porch.”

As the name of this blog suggests, it is about the Indigenous ways of healing focusing on remedies that work and modalities that get the job done.  Some of the topics I will be discussing from time to time are: Ho’oponopono, fasting vs cleansing, nutrition, herbal medicine, and other cultural and spiritual concepts and principles.  So do sign up with my email notification so you will know when a new subject comes out.  Hopefully, each week I will be able to construct a newsletter kind of a blog so you don’t get bored.  I might even post a video clip of an interview with another Indigenous practitioner.  The sky is the limit as they say.

I would like to begin by sharing with you the introduction of my new book due out next year sometime called, “Na’auao Ola Hawaii.”  This book talks about “Ancient Hawaiian Principles of Being Well.”

Before the ipu kea (white people) arrived in Hawaii in 1776, it was a known fact that the kanaka maoli (original Hawaiians) were very healthy and very strong.  Their teeth were in perfect condition with no decay or mal-alignment and their average height was about 7 feet tall as evident with many of the bones excavated on the Big Island of Hawaii.

Not only were the original kanaka maoli healthy, but they also lived in harmony with each other on a set of islands not very large with only canoes to get them from island to island.  In fact, in the 1700’s on the peninsula in Ho’okena on the Big Island of Hawaii, there was an estimated population of 30 thousand people living in perfect harmony with each other and the environment.  They were practicing the ancient Hawaiian principles of being well and they passed this information on to a few within our Hawaiian community that would listen.  My training in this ancient wisdom of health started at the age of 6 and lomilomi was the entry point to the secrets of the ancient’s treasure chest of healing.

At the time of this writing, Hawaiians have the highest risk for most of the major diseases as it exists within America.  The following is a brief outline of some of the health problems.

• Life expectancy is lowest of all major ethnic groups in Hawai’i – 5 yrs less than the state average.
• Highest proportion of risk factors leading to illness & premature death:  sedentary lifestyle, obesity, hypertension, smoking, acute drinking.
• Native Hawaiians are dying at younger ages than the general population—more than double the rate for the total population in those 25 yrs or younger.
• Cardiovascular disease accounts for 39% of Native Hawaiian deaths.
• For all cancers combined, Native Hawaiian males have the 3^rd highest incidence rate yet the highest mortality rates.  Native Hawaiian females have the highest incidence and mortality rates in Hawai‘i.  Combined, Native Hawaiians have the highest mortality rates in Hawai‘i and second highest in the US.
• Native Hawaiians greater than 35 yrs comprise 44% of all reported cases of diabetes in Hawai’i.

On one hand, the Hawaiian people are more susceptible to many so-called, “incurable diseases” known within the United States.  On the other hand, the answer for perfect health is right in front of them as taught and lived by our ancestors.  What happened and why aren’t they listening to the call of the ancient ones?  Is this race destined to move on to a higher realm?  Is this the next extinct species?  One thing is certain however, change is inevitable and the action for change is now!

As an instructor in the use of the Hawaiian principles of life, it is my intention to explain as simple and plain as possible for readers to follow so ideal health can be realized.

As the title of the book suggests, this book deals with ancient Hawaiian principles that have worked for generations, especially during the pre-warrior period (400-1300 AD), not modern theories or speculation.  The deeper aumakua principle for example, deals with the idea that matter, mind, consciousness, and life are all manifestations of Kumukahi (One Source).  If you accept this idea as a possibility, you will find logical conclusions from this book that may change your life forever.

The methods of thought and action described in this book have been used successfully for thousands of years before the appearance of ipukea in Hawaii.  Today, ho’oponopono, which describes part of these methods, is one of the hottest topics that people come to Hawaii to learn!

I can say that Na’auao Ola Pono works.  Wherever action is taken with these principles, it can no more fail to work than chicken soup can help the body recover from a cold & flu.  If the tissues of your body have not been destroyed beyond the tipping point where life will not recover, you can get well.  If you think and act in a pono way for your body you will get well!

For those who wish more detailed information on speeding up the process of establishing a strong foundation of being well, I recommend the 60-Day Hawaiian Cleanse & Detoxification Program or the four-day fasting program, which is available through Indigenous Botanicals (www.indigenousbotanicals.net).

If you want to be well and stay that way, you must take care of the inner workings of the body and you must give your whole mind to a pono way of thinking and living.  The Ancient Hawaiian Principles of Being Well is a complete and adequate guide to use in all your needs.  Concentrate deeply on the way of thinking and taking action (ho’o…) as described, and practice the principles as diligently as possible and you will get well.  If you are already well, you will remain so.

Trusting that you will never give up until the realization of perfect health is yours, I give thanks (mahalo) to na Kupuna (the ancient ones) for their wisdom and knowledge.