Where, and when, we focus our attention and how we ‘face into time’ can be a determining factor in the results we get. How we choose to relate to time can make the difference between happiness and disappointment or joy and misery. If we choose not to let go of limiting past stories and to focus on what we lack now and worry about what might go wrong in the future we are setting ourselves up for a challenging experience.
However, we can make the most of how we orientate towards time. In Huna, the practices of gratitude, appreciation, and expectation can be viewed through the lens of how we navigate the past, present, and future to move through this adventure we call life. These three practices will be explored from a Huna perspective, considering their relationship to time and their role in shaping our spiritual and emotional well-being.
“The essence of all beautiful art, all great art, is gratitude”
Friedrich Nietzsche
In Huna, the past is seen as a source of wisdom, lessons, and the foundation for the present. Gratitude is a powerful practice for connecting with the energy of the past in a way that honours what has been given, experienced, and learned.
Gratitude acknowledges the blessings, challenges, and growth that have come from our past experiences. It is not only about thanking others but also recognizing everything that has played a part in supporting and shaping us. Being grateful helps us to release negative attachments to past events and reframe past experiences thereby transforming what might have been painful into wisdom and abundance.
The term hoʻomaikaʻi refers to thankfulness and gratitude which can be practiced in many ways. A simple way to do so is to offer verbal or silent thanks for the good in your life, no matter how small.
“Appreciation is a wonderful thing: It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well”
Voltaire
In Huna, the present moment is where our personal power resides. Appreciation is the practice of consciously valuing and acknowledging the beauty, effort, and energy present in our current reality. Appreciation is practiced with presence and awareness. It shifts our focus from what we lack to what already is. It is an active form of honouring ourselves, others, and the world around us.
Appreciation is part of the principle of aloha and can be practiced in many ways such as taking time to savour our connection with nature or through the simple yet powerful art of blessing which includes the recognition and valuing of something’s qualities, characteristics, or actions.
“To expect the unexpected shows a thoroughly modern intellect”
Oscar Wilde
In Huna, the future is a realm of potential shaped by intention, focus, and the energy we project. Expectation involves the conscious cultivation of hopes and beliefs about what lies ahead. It sets the stage for the future by planting seeds of possibility in the present. Positive expectations can be considered a form of prayer, that is, focussed thought accompanied by faith that things will turn out has hoped for (or perhaps even better).
Expectation is an important ingredient in manifestation. When thinking of the future, fostering an attitude of trust as well as flexibility that things may turn out differently but still well is important. Here we draw upon the concept of EWOP (Everything is Working Out Perfectly). By aligning our expectations we create a harmonious bridge to the future.
Living with gratitude, appreciation, and expectation are time-focused practices which enable us to flow in harmony with ourselves, others, and the universe. Isn’t it about time you made them part of your regular practice?
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