Modern Huna

Archive for April, 2010

This is the start of a series on the Huna Journey. I will lay out a simple, step by step plan so that one can learn and adapt these ancient teachings into a modern way of life. My plan is to make a post on this series every Monday and Wednesday and possible, Friday.

These teachings originated many thousands of years ago, long before there was even a Hawaii. Mr. Max Freedom Long studied the ancient Hawaiian teachings for over 50 years and gave the teachings the name, “Huna.”  Max Freedom Long, who taught school in Hawaii in the 1920s, brought these concepts to the western world where he continued to study the Hawaiian teachings until his death in 1971.

Of course, many others have studied and advanced the teachings of Mr. Long. Several students took the time and went to Hawaii where they studied under the Hawaiian “Ka Hunas” thereby, learning first hand some of the methods involved in these ancient rites and secrets handed down for thousands of years. Some of these students became Masters and furthered the knowledge and understanding of Mr. Long.

Mr. Long wrote and I quote, “Huna is not crystallized, set and dead. It is a living, practical system which holds fast to the proven while reaching out eagerly to inspect anything new and promising.” It is not necessary to use the ancient words of the Hawaiian language the practice of this discipline. Huna is not, nor is it based on any esoteric practice or a discipline, as these concepts are universal, therefore not limited by language.

The ancient Hawaiians valued their words and prayers as their connection to their sacred gods. They used the breath, a loving spirit of everything, their family ties and the elements of nature to create mana, the vital life force. They taught that balance in everything was very important. This practice is not about going back in time and trying to recreate a past that is forever gone. We are striving to adapt these teachings into a way of life in our modern world.

Huna can be practiced by anyone who will take the time to read, meditate and practice these simple teachings. Although it is thousands of years old, it can be practiced in our modern times. Huna is not a religion and will fit in with any belief or non-belief system. Being religious is not a requirement to one becoming spiritual. Even an atheist can become a happy, spiritual person, without believing these concepts if they practice the teachings.

For most of us it is not what we believe that is our problem, but what we believe without proof, that can turn out to be false and hinder our spiritual growth. In modern Huna, we ask you not to believe anything that you can not prove with the results of the practice.