There are many different belief systems that follow the same core principles of trying to live life in the most fulfilling way. Whether it is “do unto others as you want to be done unto you”, the practice of meditation, or following the ten commandments.
But ancient Hawaiians had a unique and simple way of approaching the subject. It’s not a religion, so if you are religious it’s not a replacement to your current beliefs. Instead, it’s a way to approach life through seven simple principles.
The Hawaiian Huna and The 7 Principles of Life
The 7 principles of Huna are:
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IKE– The world is what you think it is
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KALA– There are no limits, everything is possible
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MAKIA – Energy flows where attention goes
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MANAWA – Now is the moment of power
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ALOHA – To love is to be happy
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MANA – Power comes from within
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PONO – Effectiveness is the measure of truth
IKE – Think it and it will happen.
The IKE principle focuses on the power of thought and manifesting your desires. Let’s experiment!
Be completely honest and complete the statements below:
I think I am …
I think my job is…
I think my health is…
I think the world is…
I think my ability to receive love is…
I think… (create your own statements)
How many of us can say that their mood affected the outcome of a circumstance? Your thoughts towards people, things and situations directly affect what you let into your life.
Here is one good way to think about this. If you are watching a comedic movie or hearing a good joke, but you have negative or blocking thoughts towards the actor or person delivering the information you may not find it funny at all. If that person was someone you thought of in a positive light you would most likely laugh and probably joke around about what you heard.
Return to the experiment and share what would complete the statements if everything were going how you wanted it to. Even the act of thinking this along puts you on track for making the second version of those statements your reality.
Your thoughts are powerful and manifest how a situation plays out. Imagine if you decided to approach everything with a positive thought before letting yourself tune into any other outside energy that may alter how you wish to perceive something. How would that change your everyday situations? How would that change major life outcomes?
KALA- The only limits in life are ones you create for yourself
The second principle of life usually seems unrealistic at first glance. You might say, “no limits? So I can fly?” No, you don’t have superpowers. You can’t shoot lasers from your eyes.
But if you believe you will never be creative because your 5th-grade art teacher told you your water painting was terrible, you are only putting limits on yourself. Believe what you want to achieve and you will unlock your own world of limitless abilities without any secret pill from the movies.
Tap into your creative side and avoid setting roadblocks in your own mind, allowing yourself to truly have the capacity to accomplish anything. That’s a superpower in and of itself.
MAKIA- Be purposeful with where you put your energy
If you put your attention on all of the negative things in your life, you may allow yourself to spiral into what is called “ruminating negativity”. It’s basically a snowball effect. The simple act of allowing one negative thought to enter your mind predisposes you to more negative thoughts.
There may be some truth to why thinking happy thoughts helped Peter Pan fly back to his childhood. When we think happily, we put ourselves into a carefree state of mind.
If you’re having trouble welcoming positive thoughts, meditation is a powerful tool to help channel your energy into the areas that need the most attention. Before you think skeptically on the word “meditation”, realize that meditation isn’t just sitting in a room with legs crossed trying to have an out-of-body experience. Meditation can be as simple as thinking. We all think every day. Practice in taking time to purposefully be aware of your thoughts, over time, helps you control where your thoughts take you.
So go ahead and try it. Make yourself fly!
MANAWA- Live in the present
Did you know that experts in meditation have less brain activity in the areas of the mind that go into planning for the future or dwelling on the past? That’s because they have put energy into being aware of their present moment.
Take new year’s resolutions, for example. Most resolutions fail because a lot of them are rooted in what you think has failed in your past or what you want to change about your future. You’re more likely to succeed in something when you are so motivated that you take the first steps right away – right now.
Acting now brings power to your thoughts of change and positivity. Take the direction that you set through IKE and the positivity you gained in MAKIA and get to work with MANAWA.
ALOHA- Happiness comes from love
If you’re at all familiar with Hawaiian culture, then you’ve probably heard the word “Aloha”. There are many different uses for the word. It is “hello”, and it’s “goodbye”. In ancient Hawaiian culture, it actually refers to seeing into someone and breathing together. But more than anything else, it is also love.
No matter how the word is used, it should always come from a place of compassion. ALOHA is a way of life that brings you closer to your heart.
Lead by example. Love what is around you, the good and the bad. This will help you understand how the universe works and show those who are lost on their path that there are more powerful emotions in the world than hate.
MANA- Our greatest strengths lie within us
Ancient Hawaiian royalty used to hide their ancestor’s remains after they passed away. One reason for this was because it was thought that if rival clans found their remains and stole them, they would receive their MANA. Mana can mean strength, but it can also refer to the power of influence that one had in their lifetime.
But mana isn’t reserved for kings and queens. We all have it. And it doesn’t come from weightlifting at the gym.
When your soul can inspire another soul, that’s MANA. When your belief in something is so strong that you can persuade others to join a positive cause, that’s MANA. And when your heart is pure and others can see that your intentions are good, that is MANA.
It’s also something that we can work on growing and achieving every day. In today’s society, we often feel like we are powerless. Remember that you have a power within you that no one can take away.
PONO- Truth is a virtue
Most Hawaiians see PONO as the most valuable principle of all of the Huna Principles. Just like “Aloha”, PONO is hard to sum up.
To live PONO is to live to your highest moral ability, as it relates to your truth. And if you apply the concept of KALA, then you know that the only limits to how morally good you can be are limits you place on yourself.
In western society, examples of living PONO might be through random acts of kindness, treating your neighbor as you’d like to be treated, telling the truth or volunteering. Does it bring joy? If the action is effective in bringing joy, then that is its measure of truth. And living through that truth is living PONO.
In summary, train your mind to think about how you want the world around you to be. Be kind, be loving, and train your mind to live in the present. Work on each of the 7 principles one at a time. Apply them in-depth to different aspects of your life and see what the universe does to answer.
If you find yourself wanting to learn more about Hawaiian culture or simply need a guide to the island of Oahu, then check out our tours.
