Morrnah Nalamaku Simeona, Founder of Modern Ho’oponopono

Morrnah Nalamaku Simeona the Founder of Modern Ho’oponopono

Restoring the light within ourselves and to the world at large was the mission of Morrnah Nalamaku Simeona (1913-1992).  A gifted Hawaiian healer, Morrnah presented the world with an updated version of the ancient Hawaiian practice of conflict resolution. Known as Ho’oponopono, and championed by self-help guru, Joe Vitale, Morrnah’s version of the Hawaiian tradition has been increasingly embraced by contemporary society which has been won over by its simplicity and elegance.

In teaching a modified version of traditional ho’oponopono, Morrnah was much influenced by her Christian beliefs and her deep interest in metaphysical studies, including those of Edgar Cayce. It is designed and created for daily use, is infallible and is free of formal ritual.

The shamanic version was a group process and required the physical participation of the aggrieved parties. However, Morrnah’s interpretation was more aligned to self-help, prayers to a Divine Spirit or Creator, acknowledging the divine within. While adding a contemporary slant to a traditional practice made it more accessible to the West, it upset some Hawaiian purists who were critical of her work.

However, 34 years later, since she started disseminating the modified ho’oponopono, the practice is gaining wider circulation. For her unstinting efforts in presenting seminars and training to ho’oponopono to the UN, and more than 14 countries including the US, Germany, Switzerland, Japan, Russia and France, Morrnah is now remembered as a “Living Treasure of Hawaii.”

Ho’oponopono Today

Its simplicity is what is so arresting about Morrnah’s technique. It requires little more than a compassionate self-awareness and four basic phrases, which can be repeated in any order.

            “I love you”

            “Thank you”

            “Please forgive me”

            “I am sorry”

With meaningful repetition, it awakens the light within and draws us to the light that connects all of us, or the Light of Lokahi, the light of unity, harmony and oneness. When we recognize that we are all inter-connected, and that anger, disagreement, or envy of others suggests subconscious anger, disagreement or jealousy within, by forgiving the bits within, the outside regains harmony.

Do not feel as if you have to feel deeply forgiving in order for this to work. Forcing an emotion of forgiveness is an act of will – ho’oponopono on the other hand is an intuitive flow with the Universe, and what matters more is a sincere intention to heal. Start by simply taking note of where there are unresolved issues and applying the four phrases (again in any order) to these issues. It might be best to work with one issue at a time.

By affirming these words daily, you should feel an expansion within, a softening in attitudes, and a greater sense of the Now.  As advocated by Eckhart Tolle, the point of most creative change is in the moment. That is what ho’oponopono does, to restore you to the magic of the moment.

In Morrnah’s words:” Ho'oponopono is a profound gift which allows one to develop a working relationship with the Divinity within, and learn to ask that in each moment - our errors in thought, word, deed or action be cleansed. "The process is essentially about freedom, complete freedom from the past.”

Profile of Morrnah Nalamaku Simeona

She was born in Honolulu in 1913 and her mother, Lilia Simeona was a lady-in-waiting to Queen Lili’uokalani. Lilia was also one of the last few kahuna la’au kahea or a shaman who changed reality or conducted healing through chants. Bear in mind that since Hawaiian was an oral tradition, spoken words, which often carried several different levels of meaning, bore much power or mana.

In the earlier days, Morrnah was a well-known lomilomi masseur who owned several heath spas and was recognized as a kahuna lapa’au or healer.

However, when she started teaching ho’oponopono, she not only set up a couple of foundations, she also wrote three texts “Self-Identity through Ho’oponopono, Basic 1-3. Nowadays, many teachers have come to the forefront to teach her method of self-forgiveness. However, in the rush to find the next best thing in self-healing, we must not forget Morrnah’s gift to us – that we are our own healers. 

While traditional ho’oponopono called for a gathering of the aggrieved parties, Morrnah’s method calls for the aggrieved parts of self, to heal the shadows or repressed parts of us, to pray to the Divine to free us of our past.

Freedom Through Ho’oponopono

Imagine letting go of unhappy memories of loss, grievance, anger or sadness and to be able to engage in the present without such weights. How wonderfully freeing is that? More importantly, the choice is ours.

We can choose to let go or replay these experiences of unhappiness over and over again in our mind, and be shackled to the unhappiness of the past. Morrnah’s method teaches us that we are 100% responsible for our happiness, or lack of it.