Ho’oponopono Prayer for Forgiveness, Healing and Making Things Right
The Ho’oponopono prayer could be exactly what you're looking for in your relationships -- with others, with the earth, with yourself.
First things first, I just had to make a print of this prayer, I love it so much. Click here to see the Ho’oponopono prayer print I made! It's a unique gift, even if it's staying in your own home. :)
What Is Ho’oponopono?
Ho’oponopono is an ancient Hawaiian practice for forgiveness and reconciliation. It’s more than the prayer alone; it's a process of making things right in your relationships -- with others, ancestors, deities, the earth, yourself.
The family ritual focuses on working through problems together, openly expressing feelings, and releasing each other. It’s the act and intention of holding a space for reflection, repentance, forgiveness, and gratitude.
Special words are exchanged, emotions are revealed, and forgiveness flows both ways. A ceremonial feast might follow, symbolizing the release.
The philosophy behind this practice is that we’re each responsible for what shows up in our reality. We own our feelings and our experiences. So even if someone else has wronged us, we're the ones saying "I am sorry. Forgive me..."
The foundation of this practice is unity: an unbreakable bond connects you to everyone else, even though we seem so separate.
When errors are corrected externally, errors are corrected internally. When you “cleanse” your consciousness, you contribute to the cleansing of the “collective consciousness.” When you forgive others, you, too, are forgiven because...
As within, so without.
Loving each other and loving yourself is kind of the same thing.
When you focus on healing the past, you help heal your life right here, right now. When you right any wrongs in your thinking, you adjust and amend problems in the physical realm.
As above, so below.
The practice of Ho’oponopono helps you understand and heal the experiences in your life that you’ve “attracted” or participated in, or have been affected by.
“In common with other shamanic traditions, the Hawaiian tradition teaches that all life is connected. Ho’oponopono is, therefore, not only a way of healing ourselves, but others and our world as well.” – Timothy Freke, Shamanic Wisdomkeepers
While the Ho’oponopono Prayer is by no means a complete training in the Hawaiian practice, it can be profoundly healing for all you’ve gone through and are still trying to move through.
I recommend it!
It’s helped me identify underlying currents of resentment and self-loathing in my life (from childhood, school, and surrounding my brother’s suicide) so I can “give them up.” So I can be free, and move forward.
You're allowed to move forward. Small rituals like this one can help.
The Ho’oponopono Prayer
There are four forces at work in this prayer: repentance, forgiveness, gratitude, and love. These are reflected in the four phrases that make up the prayer.
The phrases, which you can repeat in any order, silently to yourself or out loud, are:
- I am sorry.
- (Please) Forgive me.
- Thank you.
- I love you.
It’s natural to resist this practice at first, especially if you've got a lot of healing to do. I was! After a few times, it gets easier.
You might feel better right away, or feel your evolution like a slow melt into love.
This prayer has a lot of power in it.
It’s why I made a Ho'oponopono prayer print!
How You Pray Is Your Decision Entirely
You can chant these four phrases to address a specific problem in your life (regardless of whose fault it is), your past, your ancestral lineage, or your relationship with the earth.
You could also practice for no reason at all.
You can meditate quietly in a state of peace and gentleness. You can repeat this out loud in front of the mirror.
You can even play with the order of the phrases and see if you notice any subtle differences in how you feel.
(This is why in my book, Sleep Rituals, on page 241 in the Mirror Gazing ritual, I included a different version of the Ho’oponopono prayer. To see it, and 99 other rituals for better sleep, get a copy of the book.)
It’s neat to see what questions arise as you keep up with the practice, like:
- “What am I sorry for?”
- “Where do I still need forgiveness?
- "Where am I still seeking forgiveness?
- “What am I thankful for?”
- “Do I really feel loved?” “Why am I worthy of love?” “Where do I want to feel more love?”
And sometimes, the questions can be just as enlightening as the answers.
Don’t be afraid to let the words, and the questions that come up, ferment with time. You don’t need answers right away. Let them come without forcing them.
Give the healing, reconciliation and release time to sink into your cells and seep through your life.
Then again, you might feel better right away... a lightening, a wave of peace, a shower of clarity, a freedom like no other.
. . .
Tell me:
Have you tried the Ho’oponopono prayer ritual? If not, do you think you’d like to make it part of your life now?
If you have or do, tell me in the comments. I’d love to hear your thoughts!
~ Jen
P.S. To strengthen your practice, get the special handwritten Ho’oponopono prayer print I made. Place it where you’ll see it, where you most need it. Bring on the healing.
Comments on this post (50)
What if a person who has wronged you greatly, pops this little gem of a prayer out there so you get the message. It’s no apology to the wrong they committed, I don’t forgive as they didn’t ask directly, they can’t love cause they only hurt and I thank every part of my own being that they can no longer abuse me, surely if they chant this then they should have accountability??? I can see me chanting this to let go of the hurt, but when they say they doing this prayer it is hurtful
— Kez
The hardest thing for me to wrap my brain around is the asking forgiveness FROM someone who has done me great harm. The words feel hollow when I chant them about this person. Any further dialogue that can help me reconcile this would help :)
— Shazz
Thank you for the explanation abd information. I came across this prayer via a podcast earlier in the year and I tried it and lovedit. It did find it hard the first few times, but soon I felt relief and tension leave my body. I love it and use it a lot, it has really helped me. Stick with it even if at first it’s difficult. I have the word on a key ring now too.
— Vicky
I am sorry, forgive you, love you, and thank you. Love for all beings.
— Miriam Penalba
I am brand new to Ho’oponopono. How many times this prayer needs to be chanted nay, repeated – what is the threshold? Thanks.
— K C Tharakan
For the first time I came to know about it today. I am not clear about the number of times one has to repeat these phrases. Also I would like to know if multiple matters can be healed at the same time. An e-mail reply will be highly appreciated. Thanks.
— Tharakan Kc
i am sorry , please forgive, thank you, and i love you
— Favian Dias Do Rosario
Hoponopono in Spanish:-
Lo siento mucho
Perdóname!
Te amo
Gracias!
— Maria Socorro Jimenez
Thank you ! This prayer is powerful! I use in conjunction with Reiki and the tapping treatments! I guess you can add it to anything in your life! ❤️
— Maria Socorro Jimenez
This is amazing! Recently on a spiritual journey and this hit me like a lightening bolt and strengthens my inner journey!! ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!! Thank you for sharing
— Jared
As you know, ho’oponopono translates as ‘to correct an error’.
The error is that we imagine ourselves to be someone, or somebody. A role, or role-set.
Morrnah Nalamaku Simeona, however, said that from the beginning of time ancient (Polynesian) Hawaiians were brought up in the knowledge of who they are from an early age.
Ho’oponopono has a (somewhat) unique model of the psyche. Whist it acknowledges that we have conscious awareness, experienced as duality and thought of as different vibrations or wavelengths, ultimately it sees all beings as one system comprised of what in ho’oponopono is called Divinity.
Once such as state is realised, most rituals become redundant. Pleasure and pain are present and experienced, yet they are NOT the person. Nor yet are automobiles, aircraft, yachts or money desired for their own sake (but simply as a means to experience fulfilment as we seem to travel from place to place).
As Dr. Ihaleakala Hew Len was fond of reminding us: ‘There is NO out there’.
Best wishes,
Stephen
— Stephen
Hi this has really helped me I found out about this from a friend who’s mother had told him about it and gran it’s helped me heal and release a lot of hurt thank you can u email me please thanks love and light
— Jen robinson
Thank You Thank You Thank You for posting prayer and sharing this page with all of us.
— Lazaro Balseiro
it is so great this prayer
— mariya malappura.m
It is the most soul cleansing ritual to do. I highly recommend it to everyone. 💖 Thank you.
— Colleen
So beautiful
Thank you
— Don
I love this prayer. It has helped me with learning to love myself. I was diagnosed by my family Dr. with depression, and type 2 diabetes. It
remimded me of the time that I tried to commit suicide a year ago just before covid started and stressed out from my jobat work.I am 51 years old. I am thankful for my husband , and my family and friends that have supported me though my hard time.I am thankful for life and a second chance. I have three beautiful children. Two are married . One is engaged to be married someday.I am looking forward to her wedding day. I’m thankful for my 5 beautiful grandchildren that I get to visit on PEI . ❤
I am sorry forgive me
Thank you
I love you
— Rose Matheson
I am sorry I Love you Thank you Please Forgive me
— NAND Kishor VARMA
Kristen, you have my full permission to share anything I’ve written with credit given. Thank you! Congratulations and best wishes in your project! xo
— Jennifer Williamson
HI , i am writing a book on Perfectionism. i am writing to you to ask your permission you use a paragraph of your text around Ho’oponopono prayer .
thanks Kristen
— kristen
Thank you for this. And thank you Wounded for sharing as it helped me share. I’m responsible for my anger, resentments and pain I have inflicted by not being more aware of myself and any distortions I had. I had wished that you’d love me like in fairytales and tried to force a relationship before understanding. And not being honest and too desperate for love. Began to see we had an unhealthy connection and it wasn’t right of me to cause pain and problems for you. I work on myself daily to never let my emotions overtake me again. And to let you heal on your journey wherever that takes you. I’m working on releasing any negative feelings, blame or resentments against anyone that hurt or tried to harm me. These past few years have been so hard and I hope you’ll forgive me. I ‘m sorry. Please forgive me. I forgive you. I love you. Thank you.
— Humbled
Brenda, your words are beautiful and perfect. Thank you for sharing them! Thank you for being here even though it’s so hard sometimes. It’s so easy to lose sight of the simple beauty in everyday things, moments, interactions. This prayer has been a huge help to me. I’m glad it is to you, too. Forgiveness, connection, reverence for life at all. It makes all the difference. Lots of love. x
— Jennifer Williamson
I am new to the Ho’oponopono prayer. I only started working with it 6 days ago. And I can feel the difference. I have a way more positive outlook towards life. In comparison to my suicide thought I had about a month ago, where I felt whats the point. We live in a sick word and so little people show compassion towards each other. Those thought are gone like the wind. I am very greatful for the Ho’oponopono prayer. It has changed my life so dramatically in the past week that I have inked it on my body to never forget what the prayer stands for and the growth it has brought to my journey on the beautiful home we call earth.
— Brenda
Wounded, thank you for standing in your vulnerability with such courage and grace. Thank you for holding yourself up in love and forgiveness. Thank you for showing us all how beautiful forgiveness can be, no matter which side or end it starts on. Thank you for showing up, opening up, breathing through your pain. You are a light.
— Jennifer Williamson
I am totally responsible for being full of rage, anger, extreme hate and devoid of ability to give and receive love since a child and attracting similar people and situations. I don’t know why I am like that and going from bad to worse. Please forgive me, I am very sorry for creating these issues. I thank you for everything that I have in life and for your kind forgiveness. I love you. I release the hate. I let go the need and rage. Thank you for punishing me for my rage. Thank you for twisting my arm and threatening me to stop my rage otherwise it would have continued. I am sorry please forgive me. Please heal and withdraw your complaint. Please give me a chance like the chances I have given you. Please forgive me. I have tried to control my anger and depression and pining for you but failed. The fact that you moved on so fast has made me accept the truth about myself and the situation. What I was doing was forcing you to accept me. I forgive you for cheating me, raping me, hurting, insulting, disgracing and humiliating me again and again. Something in me attracted all that. I am sorry please forgive me for harming you and please kindly withdraw the complaint. May we all heal. I am sorry please forgive me. Thank you for forgiving me. I love you and I love myself.
— Wounded