Let Your Journey Begin
Huna Principles - Let's Begin With A History Lesson
Why begin in the past? Because when you look at the philosophy of Hawaiian Huna, you are looking at belief systems that have been in place for hundreds of years. The term "Huna" is a modern term for these guiding principles.
In the old days in Hawaii, craftsmen were divided into what we might call guilds. These guilds could be roughly grouped into three orders - Ku, Lono and Kane. The order of Ku was generally interested in emotionally charged things such as sports, politics, war, commerce and ceremonial religion. The order of Lono was more interested in the sciences such as agriculture, navigation, astronomy, healing and even boat building. The order of Kane was more spiritually inclined, teaching that the outer world is simply a reflection of thought, and as we learn to integrate mind, spirit and body, we are able to master our selves, and thus, master life.
There were "kahunas" or experts in each order. The orders worked in harmony with one another allowing Hawaiian society to flourish. As time went on foreign invaders came and took over some of the islands and initiated practices and laws that changed the balance of the three orders. By the time Europeans arrived in Hawaii, the order of Ku was predominant, the knowledge of the order of Lono was nearly forgotten, and the Kane kahunas had been able to keep their knowledge alive only by going "underground". Soon Christianity was introduced to the islands and traditional knowledge was further supressed - even to the point of being illegal. Most Hawaiians then began to reject traditional kahuna teachings. In recent years interest in traditional belief systems has grown incredibly and much of the nearly forgotten knowledge of Hawaiian kahunas has been restored.
You will still hear the terms Ku (sometimes called Unihipili), Lono (also called Uhane) and Kane (or sometimes Aumakua). In Huna they refer to three aspects of ourselves. Briefly, Ku is similar to, but not the same as our subconscious. Lono is quite like, but again not the same as, our conscious mind. Kane is our higher self directly in touch with Divinity. These aspects are not separate from us. They are each a part of who we are.
Today, we use the term Huna to refer to the ancient kahuna knowledge. I want to be clear that Huna is not the same as ancient or traditional Hawaiian religion. Huna actually means "Secret". However, thanks to some very generous researchers and teachers, its principles are no longer secret. To be sure, word has gotten out and Huna has been embraced by people from many different backgrounds around the world. The Huna philosophy is basic and yet profound. Regardless of your beliefs, Huna will fit in and help you make sense of things. The Seven Principles as given by Serge Kahili King are presented here, and if you wish to learn more, browse the Huna Store for books and other items that teach much more than I can in these few paragraphs.
The Seven Principles of Huna
- Ike - The World Is What You Think It Is. Corollaries: Everything Is A Dream; All Systems Are Arbitrary.
- Kala - There Are No Limits. Corollaries: Everything Is Connected; Anything Is Possible; Separation Is A Useful Illusion.
- Makia - Energy Flows Where Attention Goes. Corollaries: Attention Goes Where Energy Flows; Everything Is Energy; Your Intentions Direct Your Energy.
- Manawa - Now Is The Moment Of Power. Corollaries: Everything Is Relative; Power Increases With Sensory Attention.
- Aloha - To Love Is To Be Happy With... Corollaries: Love Increases As Judgment Decreases; Everything Is Alive, Aware And Responsive.
- Mana - All Power Comes From Within. Corollaries: Everything Has Power; Power Comes From Authority.
- Pono - Effectiveness Is The Measure Of Truth. Corollary: There Is Always Another Way To Do Anything.
Mahalo to Serge Kahili King for this information
The Possiblities
Understanding these principles opens us up to endless possibilities. We become 100% responsible for everything in our lives. That may sound rather scary at first, but is is actually very freeing. It means that whatever we focus our attention on will increase, be it things we love or things we fear. And, unlike most western philosophies, there is no sense of Self-Blame in Huna.
Take some time to contemplate how these principles impact your life, your world every day. By learning to apply these principles to all that we want and all that we do, we gain control over our life and our world.
Expanding on the Principles
The 1st Principle reminds us to be Aware. Be aware of your thoughts and actions. For they are creating the world you live in. Strive to see the good in all things.
The 2nd Principle tells us to be Free. We are free to succeed. We are free to find peace and joy in our lives. And because everything is connected, realize that you too carry that spark of Diviny.
The 3rd Principle instructs us to be Focused. A magnifying glass, the sun and a piece of paper can start an enormous fire, but only if it is focused. Remember that the intentions that you focus on are what will come through for you. So, focus on what you do want in life, not on what you don't want.
The 4th Principle teaches us to be Here. The past is done and the future has not yet arrived. We are powerful now, in this moment. If you live your life worrying about past regrets or fretting over what may happen next week, you are giving up your power in the now. You are also increasing fear, guilt and anxiety in your life. Work at staying away from those negative thoughts whether they are conscious or not.
The 5th Principle says to be Happy. Be happy because Love is the source of all power. Find joy and happiness in the great good that there is in this world. Look around. Yes, there are bad things going on. But there is so much good, so much love in this universe that when you look for it, the abundance of love and good that you find is very humbling. Cherish it.
The 6th Principle tells us to be Confident. The power we need to accomplish anything is already within us. There is no need to look for it outside of ourselves, the Divine Creator (the Universe, Allah, God, Goddess, Higher Power, whatever name you use) has lovingly given us all of the power we could ever need!
The 7th Principles reminds us to be Positive. Because there is always another way to do something, we can accomplish anything we put our minds to. Of course, we have to figure out the way, but if it is possible, it can be done - by us!