The idea of calling out to a spiritual force or spiritual forces is a familiar notion. Virtually every person at one time or other has made a plea to an unseen spiritual force or forces for intervention, particularly in times of high stress. This isn't something that should be seen as weak or an act of hypocrisy but instead is an honest response to difficulty. Still, it's likely that most of us typically don't expect our calls for spiritual help to actually be answered.

Forms do exist however that take for granted that spiritual interventions can and do take place. Many organized religions believe in the notion of interaction between the spiritual realm and the physical realm where humans reside. It varies according to a particular religion and specific circumstances, but this interaction may be made up of worshipping, punitive measures, intervention, or some combination of the three. There are also approaches to spiritual interaction that are not religious in nature and are instead based in metaphysical beliefs.

Ho'oponopono is a belief system that presumes that interaction between the physical and spiritual realm can and does take place. Ho'oponopono doesn't just presume interaction between the physical and spiritual, it assumes that helping intervention coming from the spiritual realm will take place when it is asked for. The idea of intervention from the spiritual realm whenever one requests it quite naturally doesn't resonate with everybody. There are certainly skeptics of the ho'oponopono form, but those who consistently practice ho'oponopono aren't often moved from their beliefs by skeptics.

Ho'oponopono actually has two known forms: the traditional form of ho'oponopono as well as Self-Identity ho'oponopono. The Self-Identity form of ho'oponopono takes from the ho'oponopono traditional form but is scaled down to allow for a single person to apply it. Traditional ho'oponopono typically dealt with an entire group of people, all of whom had to be accounted for and given consideration. Self-Identity ho'oponopono allows for a single person to use the form. Where traditional ho'oponopono focused on interaction between people with differing perspectives, Self-Identity ho'oponopono takes place only between one person and what's referred to as the higher source power, or God.

Either form of ho'oponopono can be considered a problem solving technique, but Self-Identity ho'oponopono really does go beyond simple problem solving and takes into account spiritual connections and spiritual intervention. Self-Identity ho'oponopono is not a religious form, but it does place emphasis on some classic religious perspectives, in particular an interaction with a higher source power.