Teachings From A Hawaiian Prayer

Hawaiian sunset

I’m sorry.

Please forgive me.

Thank you. 

I love you.

Little did I know when I came across the above Hawaiian prayer, called Ho'oponopono, many years ago, it would be a harbinger for the work I would do as a Core Energy™ coach. 

When I learned about this prayer, it was coupled with a story about a doctor who used it from afar to cure a ward of patients in a psychiatric hospital. Skeptical about the story, I was still intrigued by the prayer and bookmarked it in my mind. 

One day, I was headed into a situation where I was going to cross paths with someone I struggled to be around. I found this person to be hypercritical and negative. Inside, I always felt small and stupid around them. 

As I was headed towards this encounter, I remembered the Ho'oponopono prayer and decided to give it a try. I began repeating it silently, directing it towards this person. 

I’m sorry.

Please forgive me. 

Thank you. 

I love you. 

I said it several times, with this person’s image in mind, as the impending path-crossing approached.

To my amazement, I experienced the most positive exchange I’d ever had with this person. They were super friendly, conversational and even complimentary!

What the heck? This person had no idea I sent this prayer out to them. I didn’t even initiate the conversation we had. What could be going on here? Does this magic fairy dust really change people?

What I would come to understand on a deep level is that we, as humans, respond to the energy around us and we can often feel even the most subtle change in energy. Moreover, we always have a choice as to what energy we bring to any situation. Though I didn’t announce it, my energy, or how I was “showing up” changed just by consciously thinking different thoughts. The other person didn’t change. I changed, and their response to me naturally shifted as a result. 

In my Instagram feed, I’ve been seeing an analogy using a thermometer and a thermostat. A thermometer takes the temperature of the room. A thermostat changes the temperature in the room. We all have the capacity to be a “thermostat” and change the energy in the room just by changing our energy and, as illustrated by the Ho'oponopono, one simple way of doing that is to change our thoughts.

What my leadership clients come to understand: Consciously choosing our energy – being a thermostat and not a thermometer – is the core responsibility of leadership.

To be clear, I am not promoting always showing up with an “everything is rainbows and unicorns” energy. But I am inviting you to recognize the choice you have in every moment to bring the energy you elect to bring versus defaulting to the reactive and patterned energy that is so ingrained in all of us humans. 

Will your energy always have the effect you want it to have on the others around you? No, not always. But, I’ve found it has an effect more often than one might think. Don’t take my word for it though, try it out for yourself! Let the Ho'oponopono be your “toe dip” into seeing first-hand the power you have available to you in any moment through consciously choosing your energy, which can be as simple as choosing your thoughts!