One of the most interesting stories I have heard in the last year has been about a therapist who brings about change in the lives of hardened men in a prison wing by connecting himself with the Divine. While remaining in his office at the facility, without even having contact with each of his patients, Dr. Len, while loving the Divine and focusing on loving the men in his care, changed the experience of all around him. He used the practice of Ho'oponopono to take responsibility for all thought, feeling, action, reaction, pain, anger, violence around him and allowed the Divine to change him so that all of that dissipated from his experience.

Dr. Joe Vitale wrote a book called Zero Limits about this practice of Ho'oponopono. Because of the miracle expressed in Dr. Len's story, I started a number of months ago to use the mantra suggested in the book, whenever it comes to mind. This simple practice I can attribute to creating more harmony at home, one of my most valued principles to live by.

Ho'oponopono is praying in a simple way, memorizing a few words and saying them repetitively to the Divine:
* I am sorry,
* Please forgive me,
* Thank You,
* I love You.
To explain it simply, this practice shows me that I am responsible for all things that appear in the world. In connecting myself to the Divine, I allow myself to be 'cleaned' of all the things that limit my love for and love from the Divine. In effect, today I am responsible for everything in my life, be it considered good or bad in the eyes of the world.

I have noticed that this small phrase and the love I feel as a result, has often changed the outcome of situations in my relationships with those close to me. It has also affected circumstances that I felt were out of my control, communications with those who were a challenge to me, and the effect of mistakes I made.

When I act in a conscious way to connect to the Divine within on a regular basis, I remember to act in a way that is closer to who I really am than in ways that are distractions in my everyday world like worry, discontent, impatience or apathy.

Harmony at home is one of my highest values and when I find myself in the midst of disharmony, remembering this phrase is so much easier than trying to figure out what is going wrong! When I say,
* I am sorry,
* Please forgive me,
* Thank you
* I love you,
I say it, not only to God, but also to me, to my husband, to my son, to the world.


When the world's violence hits me from the TV screen, I say this phrase and realize I can change to contribute to peace. When I see acts of hatred in the world, I say this phrase and know that I also have hatred within or there would only be harmony among people. Therefore, I say this phrase, love the Divine, find that my hatred is cleaned out of me, and in this process, create experiences of love for and in others all around me.

This practice is the ultimate in taking responsibility for one's actions and relationships, particularly at home. I see how I contribute to the lack of harmony between my husband and son at times. I see how I challenge the Divine within my husband by arguing with him. I see how I limit my son's relationship with the Divine by my expectations.

It is in the 'cleaning' of these interactions within me alone, that our home becomes healthy, harmonious, and hospitable. For that process, I am grateful to the Divine.