Hoʻoponopono (ho-o-pono-pono) is an ancient Hawaiian practice of reconciliation and forgiveness. Similar forgiveness practices were performed on islands throughout the South Pacific, including Samoa, Tahiti and New Zealand. Traditionally hoʻoponopono is practiced by healing priests or kahuna lapaʻau among family members of a person who is physically ill. Modern versions are performed within the family by a family elder, or by the individual alone.

Dr Hew Len worked at the Hawaii State hospital in the high security ward for the criminally insane from 1983 to 1987, where he cured and entire ward of criminally mentally ill patients using the simple ancient Hawaiian healing method of Ho’oponopono.

During that time, Dr Hew Len didn’t do any therapy on the patients. He would walk through the ward, and review the patient’s files, not for the purpose of therapy but to see what there was there for him to clean up.