Whenever I’m asked “when are you going  to______next?”, my reply is always the same. “When I receive the message.” Boy does that confound people! Then often comes the question, “But when will you know?”  Reply : “When Spirit give me the message” (aka The Green Light).

The other day I received the message that it was time to organise an Ho’oponopono Talk Story Day. Ok Den!                Now, to simply wait for further information to be presented.

On Boxing Day I was holding a somewhat challenging, one-legged pose in yoga class when I started to receive some layers.

Something that really fascinates and interests me, are interconnections, symbology and layers of meanings in words. This is particularly so with Hawaiian words.

Whilst holding my focus to stay upright on one leg in yoga class,  the word ho’opono kept coming in to my mana’o,    with the emphasis being placed on the po and the no.

Ahhhh, ok, got it. 💡😊 💡

Ho’oponopono means to make right more right.

Ho’opono pono ke ala means to make right more right the path.

This is often seen as being related with external relationships or events. People often forget or choose to omit themselves in that process.

So, back to the Po and the No.

I will preface this part by saying the sharing of the po and no in relation to the word ho’opono is the message I received to share and is not from traditional Hawaiian teachings per se. The rest of the information however is from Hawaiian teachings.

NO is an amplifying, expansive word. By this I mean it amplifies the word it is utilised with.

The Hawaiian Dictionary by Pukui/ Elbert relates PO as:

Night, darkness, obscurity; the realm of the gods; pertaining to or of the gods, chaos, or hell; dark, obscure, benighted; formerly the period of 24 hours beginning with nightfall (the Hawaiian “day” began at nightfall, cf. ao 1.

I was also taught of PO  as the Spirit world, represented by night, the inner dream, the unseen realities which give birth to our outer dream, the creative process which started at sundown.

Then there is AO explained in the Hawaiian Dictionary as: AO 1. nvi. Light, day, daylight, dawn; to dawn, grow light; enlightened; to regain consciousness.

In some of the teachings I received, this was also explained as the outer expression comes at dawn. Dawn is the manifestation of all creativity that has taken place during the night.                                                                                Sunset is the beginning of a new day with the creative process starting at sunset.

Hence PO is a very powerful, profound time and place for healing/clearing. A powerful time for entering the PO within us to explore and kala (release) all that no longer serves us. All the old mea mea mea that has been held on to. The old outmoded beliefs, ways of thinking, behaving, speaking.

The outer expression comes at dawn, therefore the inside or inner world can change our outside or outer world with AO, the light.

The other word that kept entering my awareness as I was writing this was EPHEMERAL. The Google dictionary meaning: lasting for a very short time, transitory, transient, fleeting, passing, shortlived, momentary, brief, short, cursory, temporary, impermanent, short-term; fading

“fashions are ephemeral: new ones regularly drive out the old”.

Relating this to Ho’opono –  negative emotions, issues, energies that cause limitations, persist simply by choice and the focus on them. In truth they are ephemeral……if we allow them to be.

Soooo, embrace your inner Taylor Swift and “Shake It Off’, your inner Queen Elsa from Frozen and ‘Let It Go’ and your Maddern Brothers to say to that plilika ‘We Are Done’!

As we transition from the energies of one year in to the new fresh energies of the new year, choose your focus. Personally, I’m a focus on ALOHA kinda wahine.

Remember too the value and importance of ritual with release and transition.                                                             Hawaiian traditions and practices of Pule(prayer), Hana (action) either literally or symbolically,
Wai Huikala (water purification), Kapu Kai ( ceremonial bathing in the sea) and Pi Kai (sprinkling of salt water), all support and strengthen the release, clearing, cleansing, manifesting intentions.

Whenever I write a blog, I will often seek an appropriate image from Kai Markell. He is an extraordinary photographer and shining example of aloha who freely shares his mana-filled photos.

This photo titled  Haunted Forest, along with Kai’s beautiful words, leapt out at me.

“High above Sleeping Honolulu…                                                         

In the Hills of Kapālama…

Exists a Legendary Haunted Magical Forest…

Where my Soul entered as a Lost  Frightened Child…

And Emerged as a Powerful Compassionate Man…

With Eternal Life…

Saved by the Love of a Princess…

The End…”

I invite you to enter that forest within, enter PO, find yourself, cleanse and emerge afresh into AO 
to continue the Huaka’i Pono. (Pono Journey) .

Mahalo Pau!

photo titled Huaka’iPono by Kai Markell