The Hawaiian word ho’omaluhia means to have peace or to be peaceful. Here is how to gain the peace you need right now.
This is one of my favorite Hawaiian words because the way it sounds is just as beautiful as the meaning. Ho’omaluhia encourages us to live in a way that, no matter what challenges come our way, we feel at peace. We feel a sense of calm. Personal preparation and confidence have helped us attain this peace and serenity in our lives.
“Ho’o” means – to do or to be
“Maluhia” means – peace, calm, tranquility, security, and safety.
Therefore ho’omaluhia is being secure—in ourselves, our beliefs, our relationships, and even sometimes our circumstances. Ho’omaluhia is feeling peace with who we are. We can feel safe with ourselves, no matter what storms of life come our way.
Learn ho’omaluhia from Hawaii’s many storms
While Hawaii is beautiful most of the time, it does have an occasional storm here or there.
Sometimes the most beautiful days turn into huge storms. Living in Hilo taught me to always carry an umbrella. Even if there was no cloud in sight, the day was bound to have some rainfall.
When I was a teenager, I remember a big typhoon coming our way.
It was going to be a really big one.
Since my family was poor, we lived in an unfinished house (no running water, no electricity–just a skeleton house), my brothers nailed up extra plyboards over the windows. It felt kind of silly, since the house wasn’t even done yet, but, like I said, this was going to be a huge typhoon, and we needed to be ready.
So we sealed up the house and camped inside. The typhoon came with some wind and rain, but it didn’t feel too different from any of Hilo’s other, more common (and sometimes more violent), rainstorms.
Personal preparedness brings peace of mind – the essence of ho’omaluhia
Even though the typhoon wasn’t as huge or dramatic as we expected, we still had a peace of mind knowing that the house was boarded up. Should any huge gusts of wind or rain press against the windows, they’d stay intact.
Like the boards we put up to protect ourselves from the elements, we can have peace in our lives by being prepared for challenges.
That’s not to say we’ll always know what’s ahead of us, but if we have a system in place to protect us, we can have peace even in the craziest storms of life.
For some, preparation comes in the form of setting personal boundaries with family members, friends, activities, and even one’s self. For others, preparation comes in the form of having a relationship with God, others, and one’s self.
How can we best prepare?
Ho’omaluhia is an attitude that helps us prepare for any situation. It’s knowing who we are and being ok with that, even accepting the hard stuff, in order to have peace. Ho’omaluhia is understanding that things aren’t perfect, but when we trust in God and know who we truly are, we’ll be ok.
Here are some of the key ways to implement ho’omaluhia in your life.
Ho’omaluhia through Christ
The scriptures repeatedly tell us we can find peace in Christ. Why? Because he’s already triumphed over death and hell for us. We don’t have to struggle by ourselves, because he feels our pain, and he can comfort us.
No matter how low we feel, or how dark times may be, we can find light and love by turning to the Savior of the world. He provides the ultimate and lasting peace we need to survive and thrive in this life.
Reading scriptures helps me understand who he is. Praying to God helps me feel loved and worthy. These small acts can help us find peace in Christ. I really like this song about finding peace in Christ!
This talk also helps remind that Christ is always there for me–there is ALWAYS something to look forward to because of Christ.
An High Priest of Good Things to Come
Visualize the good
When we’re in the middle of a big drama or dark life experience, it may seem impossible to feel peace. But ho’omaluhia is all about action. Is there a place you just love and find peace in? Maybe it’s a warm, sandy beach, or a fresh spot in the mountains. Maybe you find peace when you’re in the comfort and coziness of your own home.
If you don’t have access to your favorite spot, try visualizing it and/or using YouTube videos to help. There are a lot of YouTube videos of scenic places with ambience.
Here is a video of Hawaii I enjoy!
In that special place that you feel peace and quiet, let your mind visualize the good in your life. Ask yourself:
What things are going well?
What’s not going so well?
What can I control?
What can I let go of?
Then take a moment to write your answers in a journal or notebook. Make notes of how you can better handle situations. Making decisions ahead of time helps us be better prepared to handle uncomfortable or painful circumstances with grace and aloha.
Set personal boundaries
Life hands us so many things to fill our time and distract us from what matters most: relationships, self improvement, learning, etc.
Setting personal boundaries helps us live ho’omaluhia. It helps us pre-determine where and what we will spend our time on. Instead of feeling anxious about upcoming circumstances, disappointed about things not getting done, etc, set boundaries on the things that cause stress, anxiety, and sadness.
For example, if spending too much time with certain people stresses you out, then maybe it’s time to consider your relationships. Which ones drain you? Which ones draw you away from the feelings of peace, ho’omaluhia?
Ask yourself this question with other areas of your life, like physical health, hobbies, social media usage, etc.
Setting boundaries frees you from things that draw away from ho’omaluhia.
Know who you are and be OK with it
Do you know who you are—who you really are? It’s easy to let the storms of life whirl us around when we don’t really know ourselves. The nice thing is, we don’t have to know ourselves perfectly in order to have peace. We just have to know who we are to God.
As sons and daughters of God, we have the power within us to choose. We can choose the good in our lives.
We are royalty. We were destined for greatness. When you look at who you are to God, it provides peace.
In a world that grows louder and louder, it can be difficult to find tranquility. However, with the Hawaiian value of ho’omaluhia, we can create the peace. When we are at peace with ourselves, we allow more aloha to flow into our lives.
We create paradise right where we are.
With joy and aloha,
Leialoha
Your turn!
How do you implement the value of ho’omaluhia in your life? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Save this pin for later!
