Here in the U.S., it’s vacation time. Recently, I took a trip to Colorado to visit family and friends. It was a wonderfully spacious vacation, with intimate conversations, mah-jong games, and visits to my favorite consignment shops.
Vacation time also means eating stuff that I normally don’t have–like ice cream and sugary drinks. My indulgences caught up with me. I had abdominal pain for hours. If this is sounding like TMI, trust me. There’s a point to this story that makes it worthwhile.
What I did next was somewhat of a Hail Mary. Literally.
I took responsibility for the situation I was in. It was as if the little kid in me had gone to the county fair and gorged herself on pink cotton candy and multi-colored taffy. The adult in me knew better but she went along for the ride.
I asked for help from the Divine. You might call this God or the Universe or simply, a higher power.
I had a conversation with the Divine, using a prayer for forgiveness, the Ho’oponopono. It went something like this:
“I’m sorry that I disrespected my body.” Remorse and sadness washed over me.
“Please forgive me. You have given me this precious gift of life.” I felt the sacredness of this gift.
“Thank you.” There was true gratitude for being in a human body.
“I love you.” I made a pact with the Divine, to take care of my body, to eat well for the rest of my vacation and beyond.
I repeated the words over and over:
- I’m sorry.
- Please forgive me.
- Thank you.
- I love you
Within five minutes, the pain was gone. It did not return. I was pain-free for the rest of my vacation.
Merely coincidence? I think not. This stuff really works.
What makes the above process so potent is that I am asking for forgiveness, not from another human being, but from the Divine.
I’d love for you to try it for yourself:
- Pick a situation that feels unsolvable.
- Take responsibility for the situation. This can be really hard for some situations!
- Ask for help from a higher power.
- Say the Ho’oponopono prayer to that higher power. I’m sorry. Please forgive me. Thank you. I love you.
- Repeat the prayer until you feel a shift in the situation.
Let me know what happens by posting a comment below.
Hat tip to Brynne Dippell, who taught me this process and to author Joe Vitale, who made this process more widely known. Click here for a video on this process that will leave you with wonder and awe.