Huna Article
Huna International
Reflections
Spiritual practices from a Huna perspective
by Pete Dalton
I went to a talk recently by Rupert Sheldrake the English author and biologist, perhaps most well known for
his hypothesis of morphic resonance, which he expounded in the early eighties. The event I attended was
about the topic of his new book, Science and Spiritual Practices: Transformative experiences and their
effects on our bodies, brains and health. In this book he examines seven spiritual practices known to
be beneficial and then explains the scientific research available to show that, from a scientific viewpoint,
these practices are indeed beneficial. The talk covered four of the seven practices.
As I listened, I considered how each of the practices matched with my own practice of Huna kalakupua,
a word that can refer to a Hawaiian form of shamanism. I offer some of my own brief reflections here:
Meditation
There is a growing body of research around the benefits of meditation. This gathered momentum in the 1960's
when Herbert Benson studied the effects of meditation, in particular, mantra based on Transcendental
Meditation (TM). Others, such as Jon Kabat-Zinn researched the effects of mindfulness style meditation based
on Buddhist practices.
From a scientific point of view, meditation has been shown to trigger the parasympathetic nervous system
(what Benson termed the "relaxation response") with the attendant effects: relaxation, healing, stress
reduction, calmness etc. From a kalakupua perspective these are indeed excellent benefits and
contribute to avoiding 'iha 'iha - the build up of tension which leads to ill health. Beyond this
however, meditation can be much, much, more and can have many desired outcomes. Whether using a nalu
(passive) or hua (active) form of meditation, it provides me with the opportunity to connect with
more than I usually do in waking life and to strengthen mind, body and spiritual connections.
Gratitude
Studies have shown that grateful people feel happier than those who do not, plus there are numerous health
effects ranging from increased friendships, increased self- esteem, less self-centredness, improved goal
achievement and increased energy. In addition to the intrapersonal benefits, the grateful person is
perceived as more popular and is liked by others. For an excellent well-presented summary of some of the
effects of gratitude I would recommend the following blog post:
http://happierhuman.com/benefits-of-gratitude/ (for which I am extremely grateful!).
The 'attitude of gratitude' is a key component of Huna practice and is wonderfully expounded in the magical
Aloha Spirit Booklet. "The Little Pink
Booklet" contains much simple and powerful wisdom, which easily belies it's tiny size. Not a day passes
where I do not use one or more techniques to express gratitude.
Ritual
There are of course many rituals in secular and religious contexts including birthdays and celebrations
marking the passage of time, rites of passage, marriages, funerals, rituals around sporting events and many
more. Sheldrake emphasises identification with a particular group and remembrance as some of the purposes of
ritual. Interestingly, he speculated that, generally, rituals were conservative in nature (in terms of
language and gestures used) and that this may be because, following the hypothesis of morphic resonance,
they allow a deep connection across time with similar rituals that have been performed. So, the ritual when
done in a similar way connects with the pattern of the first time the ritual was done and all past
generations that have performed the ritual as well as all future generations that will perform the ritual. I
think this is an interesting idea, although I am not convinced of the necessity of the conservatism of
ritual, as I have experienced some very ad hoc less formalised rituals which have worked extremely well.
Perhaps it is more about the pattern of intention that carries across time and generations? Well-performed
rituals impress participants and observers as well as our own Ku. There are many benefits of ritual ranging
from honouring, gratitude, focussing and connecting.
Rituals, ranging from formalised group rituals to personal informal daily rituals are an effective aspect of
kalakupua practice. In respect of connecting, it is interesting to consider whether a rise in
interest in shamanic and other practices which emphasise ritual has come about in an effort to restore an
element of connection that has been lost for many people.
Pilgrimage
Clearly there can be religious or non-religious motivations for pilgrimage. The Oxford English Dictionary
provides a few definitions of the word pilgrim, including "a person who journeys to a sacred place for
religious reasons" and "a person travelling to a place of particular personal interest".
Pilgrimages take place all over the world. There are many examples of pilgrimages covering different faiths
that are still made including Christian healing trips to Lourdes in France, pilgrimages to Bodh Gaya, where
the Buddha is said to have obtained enlightenment, and pilgrimages to the Golden Temple Amritsar in India.
For some, expeditions to scale high mountains and uncharted terrains can have an element of pilgrimage to
them.
I was interested to find out that in England during the time of the rise of Protestantism, Oliver Cromwell
banned acts of pilgrimage, yet before that, undertaking a pilgrimage was a fairly commonplace practice. The
benefits of pilgrimage include a sense of purpose, increased focus and contemplation and connection. In some
traditions, a sacred place was considered to be sone where spirit and matter met. For example, where heaven
meets the earth.
I recall my first trip to Hawaii years back and how it was something out of the ordinary and something that
was much more than a tourist trip. It was to experience a calling that I felt within. As I look back now, I
realise that that experience was a form of pilgrimage following my desire to connect physically with the
islands and the sense of spirit I perceived to be there.
A recent trip to Big Island again had elements of pilgrimage to it. It is fascinating to see and experience
the power and sense of awe, for example, at Kilauea Crater in Volcanoes National Park and other sacred sites
on the island which goes far beyond admiration for amazing and unique scenery and touches on something deep
and spiritual within. In some cases, the element of a shared experience with others added to the experience,
such as sharing sunrise rituals at the crater. In other cases, solitude and deeply contemplative connection
with something bigger than myself was most effective.
In the kalakupua tradition, we are fortunate to be able to make journeys in both the outer and inner
worlds, and perhaps it is to be expected of a Huna adventurer that some form of pilgrimage takes place from
time to time.
Other Practices
The three other practices, that were not discussed in the talk, were: connecting with nature; relating to
plants; and singing and chanting.
In Huna tradition there are many techniques for working with the elements, including plants. Chanting and
singing are also practiced in both ritual and non-ritual contexts.
It is interesting to note that vibration such as stimulated by chanting and humming has been found to
stimulate the vagus nerve. This is the longest nerve in the parasympathetic system which passes through the
neck and thorax down to the abdomen. The vagus nerve is linked to parasympathetic functions of the organs in
the body that govern the "rest and digest" aspect of body functioning. It is also considered the system in
which healing takes place.
Will scientific evidence encourage more spiritual practices? The aim of the book was not to justify these
practices, as clearly the benefits exist whether or not we can scientifically measure them. In fact, the
only way to derive any benefit from these practices is through application and direct experience regardless
of whether there is a significant body of peer reviewed research papers or not. It is interesting when
science corroborates what we already know. Science has it's place but it is only one way of viewing the
world. I am mindful of a tweet I saw a while back from the actor John Cleese which got a bit of attention.
It read "I would like 2016 to be the year when people remembered that science is a method of investigation,
and NOT a belief system".
Everything has its place and perhaps scientific evidence and validation will encourage more people to
revisit and benefit from such practices which I believe would be a good thing.
Pete Dalton © 2017
Pete Dalton is an Alakai of Huna International living in the UK. For more information on his work visit
his website www.urbanhuna.org
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