ho'oponopono: conflict resolution Hawaiian-style

I mentioned in an earlier blog that I was having some difficulties with my eldest daughter, and she mirrored my own early tendency to avoid conflict. We scheduled a conversation to clear the air Sunday afternoon, and found ourselves laughing together before very long at all. We are fortunate to have a solid foundation to our relationship that gives us a base to seek during these times when life is flowing quite as smoothly as we'd like.

It is wonderful to reach the place where, even if the challenges can't be eliminated completely, we're standing together with the ones we love to do the best we can.

The old Hawaiians had a tradition called ho'oponopono (to make right or set in order), which was a family gathering to resolve conflicts and set things right when there were ill feelings within the family unit, or when family members faced serious illness (believed to be connected to problems in the family and the local deities). Family members would gather together to make things right, through prayer, communication, listening, restitution and forgiveness. More information

What attracts me about this practice is gathering people together, focusing on the connections between us, and what we value in our relationships. Coming together with the perspective that whatever this is can and will be resolved creates a certain optimism. With the expectation that a solution will be created comes hope, and hope allows the love to take center stage very quickly.

Is there any relationship in your life that needs ho'oponopono?

Aloha!