There is an interesting (and apparently true) story about a therapist who cured a ward of insane patients by repeating four phrases over and over. It’s a Hawaiian healing process known as “Ho’oponopono”. What I like is the simplicity. All this therapist really did was sit and repeat these four phrases over and over, focusing on the healing of the patients.

This is useful whether you want to heal yourself or someone else. Here’s an excerpt from an article about this technique:

Dr. Len’s message may be quite hard to believe, yet it’s amazingly simple. He states that we are all responsible for everything that we see in our world. By taking full personal responsibility and then healing the wounded places within ourselves, we can literally heal ourselves and our world.

Dr. Len suggests a four-stage process for this work. Whenever a place for healing presents itself in your life, open to the place where the hurt resides within you. After identifying this place, with as much feeling as you can, say the below four statements:

• I love you.
• I’m sorry.
• Please forgive me.
• Thank you.

I think this could be useful during those times when you’re desperate. Rather than succombing to those thoughts or feelings that are harmful, repeat these phrases instead.

This kind of works for me. During those times when I don’t want to do anything to help myself and I would rather just feel bad, I can do this instead. I can do it during the day, before bed, after a conflict.

I love you. I’m sorry. Please forgive me. Thank you.

Turns out that loving yourself is the greatest way to improve yourself, and as you improve yourself, you improve your world.
~Joe Vitale

photos by pkirsch