Mana for the Doctor's Soul

Some people maintain that we're in conscious control of our thoughts and reactions, but Ho'oponopono suggests otherwise.   In fact Ho'oponopono posits that we are run by information that is so far unconscious we don't have a clue what's going on.  The "information" running us can come from generationally-transmitted memory, or from Divinity as inspiration.  We never know which it is. As a psychiatrist, this intrigues me.   Many psychotherapies aim to make the unconscious conscious -- hoping that by so doing, people can gain insight into their emotional troubles.  Healing is then possible.  Even cognitive behavioral psychotherapy is built on the idea that negative ideas about ourselves [negative self-talk] is what drives our sour emotions.   Yecchy, self-critical thoughts result in yecchy, depressive emotions and mood states.  Interrupt the cycle and you can interrupt the depression. We hope.  :-) A recent experience sho...

For the next several days, I'm in Vancouver BC studying classical homeopathy with Dr. Rajan Sankaran and other colleagues from all over the world. Practicing in Mumbai, India for almost 30 years now, he is well-known for being a keen observer, original thinker, and dedicated physician. Dr. Sankaran's work has significantly deepened our case-taking in classical homeopathy, and our understanding of the medicines we use. His efforts have given us a more reliable system for tracing our patients' suffering down to its core. He argues for eliminating theory about patients, in favor of listening to them. If we do this, they show us directly what's out of balance and what can help. What's more, Dr. Sankaran's video cases illustrate that we are complete beings whose parts are all connected (holism) -- even when we're ill. This is his method of teaching: direct from the patients themselves. And all this makes for much better treatment results. Why mention this in a...

Someone wrote me recently asking whether Ho'oponopono could be helpful in depression . I've been cleaning with this for several weeks. While keeping the writer's confidentiality, I'm moved to share the [slightly abbreviated] note. Perhaps we can all clean with it while reading: "Dear Dr. Pappas, I see you are a psychiatrist who has also learned the art of ho'oponopono . . . I just wondered if you thought that ho'oponopono is able to help people recover from endogenous depression ? As you are the only person I have found who is both a psychiatrist and aware of this hawaiian technique, I just wondered if you practiced ho'oponopono on your clients, or do you mainly practice it on yourself ? If you do not practice it on clients, have you heard (on the ho'oponopono grapevine) so to speak if ho'oponopono is curing people of depression and other serious illnesses. It requires quite a lot of effort to practice this therapy every day and do the cleanin...

It's been a rainy weekend in Colorado Springs, and Drs. Ihaleakala Hew Len and Kikikipa Kretzer have just finished a Health Ho'oponopono seminar. This offers the Basic Ho'oponopono material, with additional focus on cleaning with health conditions such as hypertension, cancer, arthritis, and many others. I was grateful to help staff the seminar. What a gift to meet so many pure-hearted people from so many places, all wanting to learn how to practice Ho'oponopono in their own way! This is one of the special delights of Ho'oponopono: it offers us methods of connecting with Divinity for ourselves, without need for go-betweens. To assist us, certain meditations, processes, and attitudes are shared. Ho'oponopono also offers "cleaning tools" that are a particular curiosity for many, but their wide variety can seem mysterious and confusing. Our intellects want to know "what" each tool is used for, so we can "do it right". In my case, it w...