Acceptance

QUESTION: I listen to teachings that tell me to accept whatever happens and just get on with my life, but I don't understand. How can I accept something that causes me emotional or physical pain?

ANSWER: The problem with "accepting" something is due to the many meanings given to this word in English. Most problematic is the meaning of "to tolerate or submit to something unpleasant or undesired." Adding to the problem is the meaning of "to receive something as adequate, valid, or suitable." And an unspoken, but extremely common meaning given to this word is "to let something you don't like hang around forever."

Naturally, these meanings make the idea of acceptance sound like stupidity. Who in their right mind would want to do that, unless you "accept" a philosophy of predestination or unchangeable fate.

So, why would a teacher (me, for instance) recommend that you accept whatever happens and move on? This is based on another meaning of the word: "to take upon oneself a responsibility or liability." This does not mean to take responsibility for it happening, it means taking responsibility for doing something about it.

Some people prefer to use the word "acknowledge" instead of "accept," but the implication is different. You can acknowledge something without doing anything about it, but if you accept it in the meaning just given, doing something about it is the next related step.

There are two things you can do about something, once you have accepted its existence:

1. Consciously change the situation, if you can. You cannot control any situation, but you can always change something about the situation You may not be able to change the whole thing, but the more knowledge, skill, energy and persistence you can bring to bear on it, the more effective your efforts will be.

2. Conscious change yourself. This means to stop resisting the situation (ongoing emotional or physical resistance makes anything harder to change), get centered in the present moment, and keep a focus on what you want, instead of on what you don't want. To the degree you can do this, magic happens. In other words, situations have a very strong tendency to change themselves when you stop resisting them and hold a positive focus of intent or desire.

Drugs and Spirituality

QUESTION: Do you have any information on the Huna point of view about drugs, and the spiritual advantanges and disadvantages of using them?

ANSWER: We do not have any published material related to your questions, but I can give you a brief answer.

First of all, we must define what we mean by the word, "spiritual," since many people are confused about that. For the purposes of this reply, let us call it "a desirable state of heightened conscious awareness and body functioning which is characterized by a loving communication with one's self and one's environment."

Using this definition, drugs can be either advantageous or disadvantageous, depending on

a) whether they are of the earth or synthesized

b) the amount taken

c) the circumstances under which they are taken

d) the attitudes and expectations of the person taking them.

Drugs of any kind (including caffeine and alcohol), as well as more potent natural sources like peyote and marijuana, are spiritually disadvantageous whenever they lower awareness, interfere with body functioning, and/or decrease one's sense of loving communication. I would also add, whenever they increase one's sense of powerlessness or exaggerate one's sense of power over the environment. Both of these, however, are the result of lowered or restricted awareness.

The most potentially disadvantageous drugs are the synthesized ones (LSD, etc.) taken in large doses, with or without supervision. Two reasons for this are that the body is not equipped to assimilate them properly, and the conscious mind is forced to deal with aspects of the self that it is not prepared to handle, yet it must deal with them until the drug has worn off. Even a "good trip" in such a case will have deleterious after effects on the body and the mind. "Large doses," of course, is a subjective phrase that only makes sense in relation to a particular individual.

In small, controlled amounts in the right setting and under the careful supervision of one who is already spiritually aware, many kinds of drugs can be used to help spiritual and psychic development. This has been the case through many ages in many cultures. However, under these conditions drugs are used as an intermediary tool, which is discarded as soon as the trainee or apprentice is able to reach the same states without their help.

What is most unfortunate at the present time is the careless and overabundant used of a wide array of drugs for recreation, for escape, for no more than symptom relief, or simply out of habit. Such use is definitely spiritually disadvantageous, under our definition, for the people involved. To cite one example, coffee in small amounts has the potential for heightening awareness and body function in a way that could help spiritual and psychic development, but when drunk excessively it has the opposite effect.

Significantly, from my personal experience, I can let you know that neither Korean, Mongolian, nor Hawaiian shamans have found it necessary to use drugs to develop their shamanic abilities. As we say in Huna, there is always another way to do anything. While drugs of different kinds may possibly help spiritual development, they are not needed and they can even get in the way.

Hawaiian Creation Stories

QUESTION: Why are Hawaiians always referring to Papa and Wakea as their "ancestors and the "creators" - like the primary beings, the "first gods" - when there is a whole list of ancestors of THESE two out there? And sometimes Hawaiians name completely different beings as ancestors and/or creators. Which source is correct?

ANSWER: One of the most important things to remember about Hawaiians is that they are not now and never have been a homogenous people, in spite of being of Polynesian origin. Hawaii was populated by different family groups at different times from different places,

bringing with them different religions, and different creation stories.

There are creation stories associated with Kane, Ku, Lono, Kanaloa, Wakea and Papa, Haloa, Haumea (as mother of Pele), the Kumulipo, and others. It is in the nature of the Western mind to put creation into a sequential framework based on a linear model of time. It is in the nature of the Hawaiian mind to put creation into a contextual framework based on a non-linear model of time.

So, a Western mind tends to ask, "Which creation story is the right one?" and a Hawaiian mind tends to ask, "Which creation story is the most appropriate for my present purpose?" The Western mind seems to be very uncomfortable with paradox, while the Hawaiian mind

not only tolerates it, but seems to thrive on it.

Strange experiences

QUESTION: I have been experiencing some really unreal things. When I have been doing massage, I feel as though sometimes I am going into a sort of a trance and I hear chanting and have to stop myself from chanting out loud myself. Sometimes I want to tell someone something but it seems to pass my lips in Hawaiian and I don't speak Hawaiian fluently so I am not sure what to do. Can you help?

ANSWER: Here's the way I look at it. We all have parallel existences, but they aren't really parallel. Sometimes these lives get really close or even cross each other. When that happens we can have experiences like you are having. These are potentially times of great creativity if we can hold our own focus. If our own focus is weak, that is, if we are not deeply involved in our own life with strong purpose or goals, and if the other life is strongly focused, then it may feel like something else is taking over. This isn't necessarily bad, but it isn't necessarily good, either. I would recommend that you strengthen your own focus by making some clear decisions about your own life and being, and at the same time stay open to whatever good ideas and inspirations might come from this other experience.

Memory loss

QUESTION: I wonder if I could ask your advice about something? My elderly parents both had Alzheimer's disease, and I'm a little apprehensive about possibly inheriting it myself. Is there anything that I could do to prevent that from happening? I've been blessing my mind and encouraging it to keep working well. Can you suggest other Huna techniques that would be helpful?

ANSWER: The basic Huna/Hawaiian view is that all illness and disfunction is rooted in excessive build-up of tension. We do know that memory loss is definitely related to stress levels. We also know that as people keep learning new things the brain keeps making new

connections (dendrites) and as people stop learning the connections break down.

So, what is recommended to help keep your brain healthy is to maintain your energy flow

(cf. piko-piko), reduce stress on a regular basis (cf. Dynamind or Kahi Loa), practice some form of deep relaxation on a regular basis also (cf. Stillpoint or lomi), and learn something new every day.

Hawaiian shaman

QUESTION: My goal is to eventually grow into and become a Hawaiian Shaman. Are there certain criteria that have to be met and courses that need to be taken in order to become a Hawaiian Shaman?

ANSWER: You can become a shaman by learning to think and act like a shaman. You can also learn to be a Hawaiian-style shaman by studying and practicing the techniques used by Hawaiian shamans as well as the culture it is based on. The term "Hawaiian shaman," though, would properly be only used for people of Hawaiian ancestry who are shamans. If Huna is the basis for your shamanism, you could be a Huna shaman regardless of your background.

Buddhism and Huna

QUESTION: The Buddhist way of life and thinking has a lot of appeal to me on several levels, mainly because of the peaceful state of mind many of the practitioners seem able to maintain. I have also been very attracted to the things I have read in your books which seem to be practical and spiritual at the same time. The Buddhist ways of meditation and the excercises you describe seem to be quite different. Is there any emphasis within Huna on personal enlightenment? I find myself at a crossroads and do not wish to go in the 'wrong' direction.

ANSWER: First of all, don't be worried about taking a wrong direction. The universe doesn't have a road map.

Second of all, you really don't have to make a choice between Buddhism and Huna. Huna is a practical philosophy that can be used to accomplish anything, even personal enlightment (once you've defined what that means to you). While Huna can be a way of life, it can also just be a set of tools that you use when needed.

Follow the path that gives you the greatest satisfaction, and pick and choose anything from any other system that helps you gain that.

A problem with deafness

QUESTION: I am confused by the idea that the world is what you think it is. Specifically, my son has a problem with deafness. A medical doctor who is an audiologist says that it is a genetic problem. An energy healer says that the main problem is fear of hearing something. I am inclined to think that the problem is emotional. I tried using Dynamind for a month using a statement that my son would be able to hear without a hearing aid, but there were no results. Please advise.

ANSWER: The world is what you think it is, but that includes the beliefs of your Ku as well as your Lono. The physical world, the emotional world, and the mental world are all real and have to be dealt with.

The physical world represents strong habitual beliefs that sometimes need the help of physical intervention. It was good to consult a medical doctor, but if he said it was a genetic problem, that means he doesn't know what's wrong, because genetic science is not advanced enough to pinpoint a genetic defect in the DNA what would result in deafness.

As for Dynamind, it only works when tension, emotions, and beliefs are the primary problems. It cannot do anything if the problem is primarily a physical defect or lack, or if the statement does not relate to a sensation in the body.

So, let's assume that the problem is related to a mixture of anger and fear, and let us assume that there is no conscious memory of any event that might have caused those feelings. Here is what I suggest:

1. Five minutes of thinking or quietly saying to your son, "Whatever this is related to, let's forgive it completely, because it doesn't matter any more." Do this as frequently as you can, but at least daily.

2. Then as many rounds of Dynamind as you have time for, using this statement until you notice some change: "(name)'s ear may be afraid of something and that can change. We want this fear to go away, we want (name) to hear very clearly."

It's possible that there may be many layers of tension to clear awy, so it may or may not take a long time to get results. I would guess that after a month there ought to be some noticeable change if the problem is primarily emotional.

Reincarnation

QUESTION: What is the Huna view on reincarnation? Can dreams be soul memories since there really is no time and space?

ANSWER: The first principle of Huna says that the world is what you think it is, so obviously beliefs about reincarnation depend on basic assumptions about life. If you believe in linear time and one life per person, then reincarnation is a fallacy and soul memories are a fantasy. If you believe in cyclic time and cyclic lives, then reincarnation is natural and dreams can be soul memories. If you believe in simultaneous time and lives as dreams, then sequential reincarnation is a very limited concept and all dreams are real. If you believe that time, space, and life as we know it are all illusions, then reincarnation is just a word and dreams cannot be soul memories.

And if you are able to change your basic assumptions according to need and circumstance, then you can believe in reincarnation on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays; not believe in it on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays; and be open-minded about it on Sunday.

A Bit About Dreams

QUESTION: How can you tell the difference between a dream and reality; is there any relationship between dreams and reality; and what role do feelings play in dreams?

ANSWER: First, from a shamanic point of view, "reality" is just a name for the dream you are currently experiencing.

Second, experience in one reality can affect experience in another reality (or, one dream can affect another dream).

Third, feelings are just feedback. They give you information that can guide you into changing feelings that you don't want, in any dream.

Psychic Reading Problems

QUESTION: I am a psychic reader and I would like your Huna perspective on several problems that I often encounter. First, how would you interpret dreams, especially when they are about other people? Second, what can I do when I get energy overload? Third, how can I connect to universal energy? And fourth, how can I avoid picking up a clientʻs condition? I have tried protection, but it doesnʻt work very well.

ANSWER: 1. Regarding dreams, they are always by you and about you, and sometimes they may also be about other people. If you dream about anger, assume itʻs a symbol of your own anger about something and then you can heal it. 2. For the energy overload, it can be very helpful to have a long talk with your body about the benefits of letting the energy go through, or shifting frequency so that it doesnʻt affect you (like radio waves that our body normally doesnʻt pay attention to). 3. We are all connected to universal energy all the time. Most people donʻt even realize it; some people feel it, but donʻt understand it; and some people use it. To connect with it, all you have to do is to think of it and imagine it flowing into and through you. 4. Regarding clients, what happens sometimes is that out of empathy our body mimics the clientʻs condition. There is no actual transfer of anything except information. You can tell your body not to mimic.

Multiple Personalities and Huna

QUESTION: I am wondering how the three aspects of the self (Ku, Lono, Kane) may play a role in the phenomenon that is sometimes called "split" or multiple personalities in psychology. Does Huna (or you) have any explanation for this?

ANSWER: For those not familiar with the terms, in the Kahili tradition of Huna "Ku" is somewhat analogous to the subconscious, "Lono" to the conscious mind, and "Kane" to the superconscious. The basic concept is that every problem produced by the Ku is actually an attempt to solve the problem of how to move toward pleasure and away from pain or, if Lono rles interfere, how to move toward a lesser pain. In relation to multiple personalities, Ku has memories of all the roles we play or have played in our life, all the roles we've seen or heard or read about, and all the roles our ancestors have used. So, when a particular role seems to be the best solution to a problem that Lono cannot or will not resolve, AND when Lono has inhibitions or rules about playing that role, then Ku may adopt that role in particular situations and suppress Lono's ability to recall that shift when the emergency role is no longer needed.

The Age of Huna

QUESTION: How old is Huna?

ANSWER: As old as humanity. Huna is not unique to Hawaii, although the combination of ideas as a coherent philosophy may be. Here is a quote related to the fifth principle from "Memorabilia of Socrates," by Xenophon, written in the 4th century B.C.:

(Critobulus has asked Socrates how to make a friend) "It is reported," replied Socrates, "that there are some words so powerful that they who know them make themselves loved by pronouncing them." "And where can one learn these words?" added Critobulus. "Have you not read in Homer," answered Socrates, "what the Syrens said to enchant Ulysses? The beginning of it is thus--'Oh stay! Oh pride of Greece, Ulysses, stay!' -- "I begin to understand," said Critobulus, "and seeing this charm, which is so powerful to enchant and captivate the mind, is nothing but praise, you mean that we ought to praise a man in such a manner that he may not distrust we laugh at him, otherwise, instead of gaining his affection, we shall incur his hate."

Shamanic Initiation

QUESTION: Today I had a session from an American Indian shaman (Mandan tribe). I told him about my Huna work. He asked me if I'd had an initiation ceremony, and I told him I hadn't. He explained to me that having no initiation means having no "license" from the spiritual world to act as a shaman. He said I should try to get one, otherwise I would never use my full potential. What is your opinion on that and how about Huna tradition? Is there any initiation ceremony available? My Huna teacher never mentioned it.

ANSWER: Shamans in different cultures have different rules about becoming a shaman. Among the Buryats of Mongolia, for instance, the most common way is to apprentice to a practicing shaman. They have no formal initiation, but you are considered ready to practice as full-fledged shaman when you have a particular type of spiritual experience. Other shamans in Siberia are inspired by spirit, or simply choose the path on their own. In Hawaiian tradition, it is common to be an apprentice until you can demonstrate the required skills, after which there may be a sort of "graduation" ceremony, but no formal initiation. Other Hawaiian shamans are inspired directly by spirit without a human teacher. If you follow a particular tradition, then you need to follow that tradition's rules. If you intend to become a Mandan shaman, it sounds like you need an initiation ceremony. If you intend to be a "neo-shaman" without a particular tradition, then you make up your own rules. In the end, though, what really matters is whether you can think like a shaman thinks and do what a shaman does.

Two for One

QUESTION: Please, is there a way to use Dynamind for working with entities? And what is your opinion on food restrictions?

ANSWER: First, to work with an entity using Dynamind (DMT) locate one place in your body where you feel the presence of the entity, or a symptom of that presence, and make a statement like this: "I feel the presence of the entity in my (stomach, chest, etc.) as (an ache, a pain, a numbness, etc.) and that can change. I want that feeling to go away." Then tap and breathe. Repeat as needed, even when the symptoms, or the location of the symptoms, change.

Second, food is energy, and the real problem is either eating too much or not enough for the energy you need. In my tradition we eat anything we want in moderation according to our energy needs. Personally, I do very well on a low carb/high protein diet, but different people have different metabolisms and have to discover their own body's best way to eat.

A Spiritual Response To Negativity

QUESTION: I have been a spiritual reader for many years. Sometimes I run into a problem with tingling in my feet and low energy, especially when I am around people, like my body is absorbing their negative energy. It leaves me tired and drained to a point of not being able to read. I was wondering if you ever heard of this? I have been searching for the solution for four years now. I went to doctors, but was told that everything medical is okay.

ANSWER: According to my tradition, people do not drain you of energy, but your body may tense up around them and this may cause symptoms like you describe, plus dehydration and it's effects. You may want to try a technique called "Lovelight" when you are around people. It is similar to the "White Light of Protection," except that it is used for harmony instead of protection, and that is much more effective. Just imagine yourself surrounded by a light of any color you choose, and mentally tell that light to harmonize the energies around you. In addition to that you may want to try drinking more water when you are around people in order to help neutralize the tension effects.

QUESTION: Where does Huna come from?

ANSWER: Huna is a Hawaiian word whose basic meaning is "something hard to see," and it is commonly used by Hawaiians to refer to esoteric knowledge, as in the phrase, "no'eau huna," meaning "hidden wisdom." It's application as a term for a whole system of esoteric knowledge and practice is modern. The first person to use it this way was Max Freedom Long. I have used it (with amused tolerance from my Hawaiian uncle) to describe the Kahili family tradition. In this tradition it is a set of observations about the nature of reality. In its present form of seven ideas or principles it was supposed to have come originally from the Pleaides and was incorporated into Hawaiian culture, although not all Hawaiians accept all seven ideas.

These same ideas can be found scattered around the world as part of different philosophies and cultures, because other people have made similar observations, but the only places I have found all seven ideas together are in the Gospels and in the Book of Proverbs.