There’s an infamous story where a therapist, Dr Hew Len, repeated a specific prayer for every patient in a criminal psychiatric facility eventually leading to the healing and release of every single one of the patients and the ultimate closing of the facility. The prayer he spoke is a Hawaiian peace prayer called the Ho'oponopono.
I’ve personally used this prayer to focus both on my own healing and the healing of my relationship with others.
The prayer has 4 parts: repentance, forgiveness, gratitude and love.
I’m sorry
Please forgive me
Thank you
I love you
I start by saying ‘I’m sorry’ to myself and the ways that I’ve been hurtful to myself. I repeat each line or phrase repeatedly until it starts to resonate. Then I move outward and say ‘I’m sorry’ to everyone and anyone that comes to mind whom I have potentially harmed. Once it feels like it's truly landed for myself then I move onto the next line and do the same thing.
This has been a really profound practice for me in that it encapsulates taking accountability and being forgiving for my actions - the ways I may have both hurt myself and others. And it is also an honoring - showing gratitude and love for all the ways I have shown up for myself and others.
This is a prayer I practice on my own and it was one we did together at the end of my last ‘Sacred Sundays’ outdoor yoga class. This month I’ll be incorporating these 4 phrases/mantras on the mat as a way to utilize them while in movement.
I hope to see you there!
Amy Owen
Yoga Instructor + Birth Coach
