I’m sure I mentioned Ho’oponopono on this blog before. It’s a prayer or blessing that is used for healing. It has a number of meanings to me and, as you know, with energy work, intention is everything.

The words of the blessing are

I love you

I’m sorry

Please forgive me

Thank you

I will be using these words as a mantra while I knit my prayer shawl. The Original Prayer Shawl pattern has a multiple of 3 stitches. Mine has four. This means that as I knit I can repeat silently to myself the four phrases for each set of four knit or purl stitches. Because I used a multiple of 8 stitches plus 4, I start every row with a Knit 4. (K4, P4) across the row, end K4. Really simple. Mindful (not mindless) knitting.

My view of the meaning of this blessing is as follows:

• myself to myself (I am healing hurts against myself)
• myself to others (I am healing my relationships with other people)
• myself to the Earth and the Universe (I am healing any transgressions against nature)
• on behalf of all humans to the Earth and the Universe

In this way, good karma is being created, which will benefit us all. My belief is that we are all connected. Anything that affects one person affects us all. Anything that harms Mother Earth affects us all. We are all part of one organism.

I don’t think I told you that a couple of months ago I received the Tao (pronounced Dow, rhymes with cow!). A couple of months before that, Tai Chi Man also received the Tao and invited me to do the same. Since that ceremony, I have been going to a book study where we are reading and discussing The Sutra of Hui-Neng – Grand Master of Zen. This is led by Master Yeh and his wife, who are Buddhists.

I have to say that knowing these people and reading the book, along with many other books on Zen and Buddhism, has changed my attitude enormously. Living in the present moment, being aware of what’s happening right now, not dwelling in the past or worrying about the future, really paying attention. I catch myself on autopilot, and then I realise how much of life we miss because we’re not paying attention.

Washing the dishes can be just that, not thinking about what I’m going to do tomorrow. Eating breakfast alone, without reading a book at the same time. Knitting, without thinking about what I “should” be doing next. Multitasking is out – monotasking is in. I cannot really listen to my husband or child talking to me if I’m staring at the computer screen.

The beauty of Zen is that you don’t need to do anything special, like sit in the lotus position for hours every day. You bring it into your everyday life.

Thank you for reading.