Published:
11/16/2010 05:06pm
Huna and Sustainability: How an ancient Hawaiian tradition teaches us to care for the planet
As millions around the globe celebrate Earth Day, Huna, the indigenous Hawaiian science of consciousness and energy healing, offers humankind a path to a more ecologically sustainable future.
Huna is a modern label for an ancient system of empowerment and flexibility for the mind/body/spirit. Huna principles empower us to let go of negative thoughts and emotions and limiting decisions. As we do so, we gain a better understanding of our higher selves and are able to harness the mana (energy/power) we each possess.
The same principles can help us to live lives that are more attuned with our natural world and make us better stewards of the Earth. While the actions of one individual may seem insignificant, the Huna worldview, like many other indigenous traditions, informs us there is vast untapped power in changing the consciousness of many. That change can only happen one person at a time.
Huna has four basic precepts:
1. The Law of Cause and Effect
2. Perception is Projection
3. Mind/Body as a Neuro-Transmitter
4. Individual Responsibility for Change
Students of Huna learn to take charge of their lives and to better understand themselves. One way they do this is by learning to recognize how their thoughts and emotions (perceptions) affect their view of what is going on in the world around them (projection).
Once we are able to let go of negative thoughts and feelings (such as, I am just one person, nothing I can do will make a real difference) we are able to trust our gut and bring about positive change in the world around us. The principles of Huna can therefore help us to live lives that are not only more fulfilling and meaningful, but also more ecologically sustainable.
This begins with understanding that every choice we make, large and small, has an ecological impact. For instance, how we choose to care for our own bodies through diet and exercise has a direct effect on the Earth. What kind of car we drive, how many children we have and how we conserve or waste resources all have a profound effect on the quality of the air, water and land around us. Multiply those choices by the 7 billion people on the planet, and you can see the value in changing consciousness on a large scale.
Recycling is one example of a choice that can benefit the planet if enough people adopt it as part of their lifestyle. A friend of mine was eating out at a restaurant recently and spotted a patron looking for a place to recycle his empty drink container. When none was apparent, he tossed the container in the trash and left. What if, instead, he had taken the time to ask if the restaurant recycled? If enough people demand it, more businesses will take the time to set up recycling, helping to save raw materials and prevent waste.
Those who live consciously and intentionally also recognize that the choices we each make about our own health and habits have an exponential effect on the health of the planet. When we as individuals accept responsibility for change, rather than criticizing others for not changing, we empower ourselves and lead by example.
Another friend also recently took his family out to dinner. Concerned for his wife and children’s health, he requested a table in a non-smoking section (this was in North Carolina where some restaurants still allow smoking). During their meal, however, they had to breathe smoke from a bar in the restaurant. Upon leaving, he told the management that in the future he will patronize only restaurants that are completely smoke-free.
As more people demand a healthy environment, markets respond with products and services that are greener and more sustainable. It all begins with recognizing we are each part of a living biological system called the Earth, and we are each responsible in ways large and small for caring for this island home that sustains us.
One of the modern methods of Huna training is the Time Empowerment model we teach to help individuals achieve quick and lasting change in their lives. As part of that training we urge clients to make sure
