Forgiveness in the Time of Shelter-Free 8 Week Zoom Class

Did you ever feel like a past hurt was forgotten until something happens and you find yourself reliving it all over again? This Great Shelter has united our world. Everywhere we are experiencing the need to limit our social interactions. Staying home, missing work or school...for a great many has produced a profound sense of isolation and loneliness.

Many report feeling depression,  grief, frustration or even anger and resentment. Some people have had sleep disturbances or insomnia. Others say they have lost their sense of well being the longer this Shelter in Place goes on.

Have you had the experience where you thought you had worked through something? All the sudden something happens or something doesn't work out and the issues you thought you had resolved pop into your life again? 

Anger, resentment, sadness a sense of longing for things to be different can take over when we least expect it and we can loose our normal peace and ease. 

Hawaiian Forgiveness or Ho'o pono pono is a simple, easy to learn practice that can permanently resolve old hurts and the burdens these hurts place in our hearts.

Long ago in a paradise we now call Hawaii, there was no formal code of law and no written language. To protect the safety of the family and tribe the Hawaiian’s used a forgiveness technique Ho’o pono pono. 

Today, around the world this practice of Hawaiian Forgiveness is used as a direct means to experience deep peace and inner freedom and to unburden the weight of our past. 

Ernest Holmes, the founder of Religious Science described Forgiveness as the way to know the Divine within as Love.  The more inner freedom we can create for ourselves the greater ability we have to know love, peace and a greater connection with the Divine. 

Everyone has their own understanding of the Divine. The world's great religious traditions share the idea of the Divine as love. However, we can experience the Divine in different ways. For some,the peace and power that comes from being in tune with Nature and Mother Earth is their greatest sense of the Divine. Others may know it as Oneness with all Beings or a sense of Unity with the entire family of humanity. 

June 15th my free 8 week Zoom class "Forgiveness, Peace and Happiness" begins.

What could greater personal freedom or relief from your past mean to you right now?

I believe what you will discover in this class will be alive in your heart and make a real difference for you, long after our time together is complete. 

 

This weekly 90 minute class runs for 8  weeks.  There is no book to purchase, I’ll provide the handouts for class. I hope you can join me. 

The Class:  "Forgiveness,Peace and Happiness"

via Zoom with Dr. Siota Belle, PhD

                        

Wed June 15-Aug 12 2020

1:30-3pm Pacific Daylight Time

Cost: No Tuition Frees

Link to enroll:

https://santarosajuniorcollege.formstack.com/forms/non_credit_enrollment_form

Course number: OA 505 Section 8853 Forgiveness, Peace & Happiness

For more information:email:drsiotabelle@gmail.com

or call 707-566-6895

The class will not be recorded.

You may also enjoy my articles:

"Hawaiian Forgiveness, Ho'o pono pono and Healing" 

https://tinyurl.com/Hawaiian-Forgiveness

or "Freedom and Forgiveness"

https://tinyurl.com/FreedomandForgiveness

 

I'd love to hear about your experiences with Ho'o pono pono and forgiveness. I can be reached at drsiotabelle@gmail.com

How to Cope When Life Around You Feels Crazed.

Can you remember what year it was when you had your last nap? How long can you go without checking your phone, email, or social media for “important” messages?

Do you ever really have a day off? Has life become too busy, too practical, too pressured?

In today’s world it’s not hard for life around us to feel crazed.



A place of refuge:

The ancient Hawaiian’s had a good strategy for coping with crazy times.
At least one temple on each of the islands was designated as a “place of refuge”. If someone was in trouble, being pursued by an enemy or simply needed help all they had to do was make it across the boundary lines to a “place of refuge”. No matter what the situation- they were safe, cared for and free from persecution as long as they chose to stay.

 When rain starts pouring down….most of us try to get out of the downpour to keep from getting wet. Where is the place inside yourself that you can take refuge or find shelter from those storms that may be whipping  about you?

Taking refuge can help you find that centered part of yourself which allows you to move forward with confidence that you are taking the best course of action.

Coping when life seems crazed:

What is it that could clear your mind, bring you peace and provide an inner sense of calm and relaxation?  I believe it’s ideal to know this in advance of those hectic times and to practice it regularly so that when you are beset by pressures, frustrations or  tribulations you can take refuge in something that restores your inner well being.

Everyone needs something:

And yet we are all different so one technique may work better for you than another.  Meditation, yoga and contemplation are well known practices that calm the mind, rest the body and enhance inner harmony.  In similar fashion breathing deeply, walking, being in nature and showing affection to a well loved pet will also lower your blood pressure, decrease tension and increase your sense of well being.


Find the thing that works for you and practice it:

Consistency and increasing familiarity with things that provide a place of refuge from your busy frazzled days are important. Sometimes the hard times appear before we  had a chance to find those things that can bring peace to us. Start now. Try something simple like:

*Walk for 15-20 minutes to clear your head.

*Before you  sleep-- write down all the things that you are grateful for in your life.

*Practice recognizing Wholeness in yourself and others.

*Set aside a few moments to do one thing  each day that makes you truly happy.


Our world is a reciprocal universe-what we believe and think about shapes our reality. Inner work on ourselves can retrain our body and mind. It helps us heal and provides that safe harbor and refuge for us when the world around us feels crazed. I invite you to try some of these practices to bring calmness and peace to your world.

I appreciate those of you who write in to share your stories and life experience. You can reach me by posting in my message box.

You might also enjoy:What Does Healing Mean?
                                Love Healing and Finding Your Own Wholeness
                             Freedom and Forgiveness-Hawaiian Ho'o pono pono

Join Siota in Oakland, Ca August 9th for:

The Wholeness Project-fulfilling the heart's desire for Oneness

The Power of Saying "Yes" guest post by Terry Drew Karanen

Have you ever wanted something – REALLY wanted something! – but, when it was placed before you there was a moment of hesitation before you accepted it? It’s happened to me. It seems that many of us have a problem saying “yes.” We can be so focused on needing something in our lives that when it (whatever “it” is) appears we find ourselves questioning the arrival. The packaging (or the form in which our good comes to us) may not look like what we expected. It may come quicker than we thought possible. We might even avoid accepting our good because we feel unworthy. So let’s look at some of the reasons that stops us from saying “yes” to life and how to be more receptive to our good.

• Packaging – Wow…that’s a big one in my history. The example I use is the man who asks for help and it comes from the most unexpected source – the mother-in-law he can’t stand! My personal favorite was perfect, Divine Right guidance that came from an ex-lover who owed me money. Accept THAT one! It wasn’t easy, since he had no intention of repaying me, but by gritting my teeth I got the answer I needed to return to “yes,” meaning peace of mind.

• Immediate demonstration – I love this one and, again, I must tell a story on myself about it. I had been dating the man who is now my partner for a little over a year. We had “that talk” and decided we wanted to make a go of it (guess it worked as that was nearly 10 years ago). That meant I had to move, so I put in a transfer with my company at the time, expecting it to take about a year. Instead, I got my transfer in less than a month. We panicked. I panicked! Should I say “no” to the transfer? A wise friend said, “Let me get this straight. You asked God to provide for you. God did, and now you are going to thumb your nose at the Universe because it happened quicker than your little mind thought possible. Is that about it?” I took the transfer.

• Unworthiness – Here’s where self-doubt comes into play. We may, for whatever reason – the perfect daily guide, a friend’s encouragement, etc – decide, “Darn it! I’m going to DO this!” whatever “this” is. We pray, we meditate, we make plans and create a goal list and VOILÁ! The object of our desire is before us. The logical thing to do is open our arms wide, embrace the gift and give thanks. But we don’t always do that, do we? Sometimes it’s packaging or timing, but often it can be that now that the object of our desire is before us we start to feel shame, unworthiness or guilt.

Let’s not forget the role that wisdom plays in the power of “yes.” There are some people who tell us to say “Yes!” to everything. I’m not opposed to accepting my good, in fact I welcome it. But let’s understand that if someone suggests you walk out in front of a bus with him, or accept a poisonous snake as a gift, we acknowledge that what we really mean to say “Yes!” to everything that is for our highest good. It’s the process of implied wisdom, using our past experiences in life for a beneficial present and future.

Here’s another way of looking at this. We have enough Easter candy in the house right now to start our own dollar store. If I say “Yes!” to my ever-present chocolate cravings every time I pass by the kitchen counter I’ll soon not fit between the counter and the frig. As my chiropractor (a bodybuilder) pointed out to me recently, I can’t be tempted if it’s not there. Well, there is THAT! But, for now, the candy IS there. I get to decide (on a most frequent schedule) to say “yes” or “no” to yet another piece of chocolate. Based on the way my suit felt yesterday when I wore it I’m choosing to say “no” more often. What “candy of instant gratification” is calling to you right now?

Here’s a suggestion for you to play with over the next week based on the three points outlined above. First, be sure that you really want something before you ask for it and be willing to accept it without deciding exactly how it’s supposed to show up. Second, open the space to accept your good a whole lot quicker than you might be able to imagine. And, third, receive your good with grace and appreciation, knowing that if it’s presented to you that it’s yours to claim! Care to give that a try?

:

Special thanks to:  Terry Drew Karanen, LSW, MSW, DD,TDKM, LLC

Email:terry@terrydrewkaranen.com
      717.884.8592 (Mobile/Text)
      Twitter: @TerryDKaranen-receive daily "Tweetments"! 

You might also enjoy: 
 Freedom and Forgiveness Hawaiian ho'o pono pono
 Deep Relaxation and Hawaiian Massage
 Divergent Diet

Freedom and Forgiveness-Hawaiian Ho'o pono pono

Ho-o pono pono-the practice of forgiveness and making things right has it’s roots in the religious and cultural practices of ancient Hawaii.

The early Hawaiians were deeply religious. They held a reverence for all of nature. There was a chant and prayer for almost everything in their existence.

For them-God was everywhere- in everything thing and in every living being. Everything in their universe had it’s own god…yet all the gods, all things and all beings were part of the One Supreme God. This One Supreme God was the source of All.

Ho’o pono pono

When there was a disruption in the natural flow of things- a disagreement, a hurtful action or something was disturbing they used a prayer ceremony called Ho’o pono pono to make things right again. In the beginning it was most common for the priest in their temple to conduct this ritual.

All parties would get together and explain their side of what happened. The priest would accept their offerings, make a water blessing, say a prayer and provide spiritual counseling. Everyone would share a ceremonial drink called awa. This is made from kava kava-the Hawaiian pepper plant. With the entire process: the offerings, prayer, the water blessing. listening compassionately and sharing honestly- forgiveness occurred. The natural order of things was restored.

As life evolved in Hawaii, respected family members- the elders of the community were also consulted for guidance in making things right. This family style of ho’o pono pono was more casual. It was a time of sitting, talking and airing things out. Each family had their own way of doing this. Once the hurts were resolved and things were made right a lu’au or celebration meal was held and order was restored.

Morrnah Nalamaku Simeona

In the 1950’s Ho’o pono pono was refined and given a deeper spiritual meaning by Morrnah Nalamaku Simeona -a Hawaiian herbal healer. Morrnah used Ho’o pono pono to establish a greater awareness of God or Spirit alive within us. She felt that we live in partnership with Spirit to co-create a life of harmony and peace. Morrnah created prayers to amplify the awareness of our partnership with Spirit. Her prayers allow an internal shift so that natural order and right action are restored within us and others from the very beginning of time.

Her mother was a temple priestess of the Ka La’au Kahea tradition. Morrnah remembered the power of the water blessing. She combined her knowledge of the ancient ways with her religious upbringing in the Protestant and Catholic religions. She was also influenced by the metaphysical teachings of Edgar Cayce and her studies of Indian philosophy.

Morrnah came to a new understanding of forgiveness by focusing on Divine Intelligence within one’s own mind. Her prayer of Ho’o pono pono aligned our human mind with Divine Mind.

Accepting Responsibility

By becoming aware that we are responsible for everything in our life and world and accepting that responsibility we are able to change our past and our future. With this practice old hurts, memories and behavior patterns are able to be released and changed . This creates freedom, peace and ease in ourselves, our world and those around us.

Morrnah’s beautiful prayers and the healing that came from her work were -well received around the world. She even taught courses in Ho’o pono pono for the United Nations.

One of her students- Dr. Hew Len, a psychologist studied with her for 10 years and has carried on her work of Ho’o pono pono since 1992.

Original Prayer from Morrnah:

Divine Creator: Father, Mother, Son as One:

If I (we),________________,my (our) families, relatives and ancestors have offended you, ___________________,your families, relative and ancestors in thoughts, words and actions from the beginning of our creation to the present.

Humbly, humbly I (we) ask you (all) for forgiveness for all my (our) errors, resentments, guilts, hatred, hurts, trauma or pain, offenses, blocks, etc., which ( (we) have created and accumulated from the beginning to the present.

Please Forgive Me!.

(Response) Yes, _________________ I (we) forgive you!

Let this water cleanse, purify and release me (us), offender and offended from spiritual, mental, material, financial and karmic bondage. (Note: the use of actual water is not necessary. A symbolic sprinkling gesture made with the hand is sufficient to suggest water.) 

Pull out from our Memory Bank or Computer All the Unwanted Negative Memories and Blocks that attach, knot, tie and bind us together.

Sever, detach, unite and release these unwanted memories and blocks.

Transmute these unwanted energies to "Pure Light"!

Fill the spaces those energies occupied with Divine Light.

Let "Divine Order," Light, Love, Peace, Balance, Understanding, Joy, Wisdom and Abundance be made manifest for us through the Divine Power of the Divine Father, Creator of all life, Mother, Son as ONE, in whom we abide, rest, and have our being... Now and Forever More, Amen.1

Simplified Version 

Dr. Len and those who share the modern version of Ho’o pono pono –have simplified the prayer. This short form is used today:

I'm sorry, please forgive me. Thank you. I love you.2

A Deep Connection With Your Source 

Whether you practice the ancient style of Ho’o pono pono, Morrnah’s beautiful prayer or the shorter version from Dr. Len. Ho’o pono pono creates a deep connection with your Source and releases you from the effects of your past. Powerful changes come from this- enabling you to move forward with your life. With this new state of freedom it is easy to make new choices for yourself.

Try one of these prayers daily for three weeks. I believe you will find that your heart and mind feel stronger and that you move more freely through all of life’s situations. Let me know your experiences- I’d love to hear what happens for you.

1.Self Identity Through Ho’o pono pon, Basic 1, Pacifica Seminars, 1990

2. Zero Limits, The Secret Hawaiian System for Wealth, Health, Peace, and More, Joe Vitale and Ihaleakala Hew Len, PhD, John Wiley and Sons, Inc. New Jersey, 2007.

You are invited to join me for a Ho’o pono pono forgiveness workshop and ceremony

Ho'o pono pono-Hawaiian Forgiveness

Saturday, August 10^th

2pm- 4pm
20755 Occidental Road
 Center for Spiritual Living
 Santa Rosa California 95401
 707-546-4543
Cost:$20

register online:http://steppingstones-book-and-gifts.myshopify.com/collections/events-tickets