The Seven Principles underpin Huna philosophy and are extremely useful concepts. Although they are an all-pervasive part of Huna, I wanted to take this opportunity to provide a brief reminder of their utility and share some ideas for their application.
The Seven Principles as we commonly know them now were developed by Serge Kahili King based on the knowledge passed down to him from his adoptive uncle William Kahili. The presentation that we now have is not the same as Serge was originally taught – Serge has adapted them and distilled them into the format we now have which is clear, simple and easily accessible.
While it is never claimed that the principles are undeniable truths or laws of the universe, it is interesting that many esoteric philosophies across the world contain some similar elements although their outer expression may be different.
One might consider that the continued survival of the principles and similar counterparts from other traditions has been dependent on them having real practical applications, which they certainly do.
Although they are not a set of objective truths, adopting and integrating the seven principles of Huna appears to have the uncanny effect of increasing your personal effectiveness in life. The principles will show up in people’s lives in different ways depending on each individuals purpose, perspective and where they are in their development, so how we perceive them and apply them can be very different. I offer just a ew of the ways in which I have worked with the principles outside of the obvious teaching process.
When I first started working with the seven principles, I got into the habit of reciting each of the principles at random points throughout the day. This was a useful way for me to become more consciously aware of them and to embed them in my thinking and day to day life through establishing the pattern of bringing them to conscious awareness on a regular basis.
I developed the practice of tuning in and discovering whether a principle had more resonance at any particular point in my life. This can be a telling exercise and can indicate where a particular principle and the associated concepts around it are more present in your life.
On the flip side it can also indicate if there is a particular principle that resonates less with you. This can provide clues to things that you might be avoiding or even rejecting and can provide a useful starting point for further exploration.
For example, over a decade ago, the principle that resonated most with me was Ike – awareness. This showed up lots in my life at the time and knowledge and increasing my awareness was really important to me. Perhaps it is no surprise that at that time Serge Kahili King suggested the name he kanaka ‘imi ‘ike ana for me which translated as ‘man seeking knowledge’. At that time Makia – focus was a challenge for me, something which I felt very out of touch with. Some time after, Makia in fact became the principle I most resonated with as I had taken action and changed things in my life.
Up until recently, the principle that I have most resonated with is Manawa and all the energies and practices around the simple yet deep concept of presence. I had expected that to remain the case for the foreseeable future until just recently when things changed unexpectedly.
I made a decision to really dive deeply into a particular principle and devote a considerable amount of time and attention to exploring it. I had fully intended that principle to be Manawa, yet when I came to commit to this on paper, I got a firm ‘no!’ and an overwhelming urge to explore Aloha – love, and devote my energies to exploring that principle deeply which I am now in the process of doing and it feels just right.
While I have applied this approach to big cycles of my life covering a number of years it can of course be applied to much smaller time frames or even particular topics.
At times I have used the principles as a barometer of where my thinking and experience is on a particular subject. This involves considering each principle in relation to a particular topic and to somatically tune in to my Ku and to get a response in whatever way that comes up – words, images, sounds and feelings. This can give me an indication of where I might focus some attention or activity to improve a situation or to work with my Ku to change the current pattern of reaction.
The Seven Principles have a great utility value and can be applied in many situations. I have applied the principles in a wide range of contexts from their use as a coaching tool to providing a framework to write funding applications! There are so many possibilities for applying the wisdom of the seven principles. The principles can provide a useful lens through which to view particular situations and circumstances.
Another way in which the seven principles can be worked with is through meditation. I have found that using a specific principle or aspect of a principle as a topic for mediation has provided useful insights. There are many approaches to this. One approach is not too unlike that of contemplating a Buddhist koan. For example, consider ‘Ike: ‘the world Is what you think it is and the world is not what you think it is’ – there can be a great deal to contemplate there.
While we present the seven principles as seven distinct concepts, once you engage with them you soon come to realise that this is just one way of perceiving them and one that is useful for convenience and ease in particular contexts. However, clearly the principles are interconnected, they merge, intermingle, interweave and intertwine.
They are simple and yet paradoxically complex. Like a hologram there are elements of each principle within each of the other principles, none of them are really separate. As a result, my exploration of Aloha will take me on a journey through the other principles and I will see the other principles reflected in Aloha – everything is of course connected.
As I initially wrote, the seven principles are an all-pervasive aspect of the Huna philosophy. That can be a strength and it also presents a challenge.
The challenge lies in risking taking the principles for granted – they are after all presented simply and on the face of it easy to understand. However, this can result in a limited and cursory engagement with them. Even if we think we ‘know’ them, we change and so does our relation to, and perspective on, the seven principles and there is always more to learn and insights to be gained.
Revisiting the Seven Principles from time to time with fresh eyes and an open mind and exploring new ways to engage with them is a worthwhile and extremely rewarding process which I would strongly encourage.
Pete Dalton ©2020. This article first appeared on Aloha International
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