Unihipili

The little one inside us who remembers everything.

In the teachings of ancient Hawaiian shamanism, known as Huna they believed in a psychology model that resembles the Western concepts of super consciousness, consciousness, and  subconsciousness. These are referred to as the three selves:

·       the higher self (Aumakua),

·       the middle self (Uhane), and

·       the lower self (Unihipili)

This triad symbolizes an inner family, which are often referred to as The Father, The Mother, and The Child.

Unihipili, known as the lower self, represents the subconscious aspect of being, the unconscious mind, our inner child.   It possesses an inherent guiding power that operates autonomously and does not require conscious supervision. It is where memories are stored, and “gut instinct” dwells.

In Huna mythology, there are three primary roles for the lower self: storing data, managing the database, and controlling unconscious bodily functions.

Unihipili retains both conscious and subconscious memories, including ancestral memories, through genetic programming and cell memories. Imagine a vast library where memories from your life are stored, along with traces of intergenerational programming, beliefs, decisions, and traumas, all neatly categorized as either positive or negative. Your lower self has the ability to tap into this collective database. The librarian is often referred to as the inner child.

A child easily controls realities by choosing one or another option, the speed of consciousness is so great that they do not notice the movement from one option to another. They live in an effortless eternity, which is limited only by the people closest to them: parents, educators, siblings.

The consciousness of an adult is not so malleable, most often we see only the past, and we imagine the present, and very often not in our favor.  Often, we are taught to look at the world with operational vision, which is only 15° out of a possible 360°, and we gradually stop seeing the world as a whole, isolating one fragment from it and not noticing the remainder. This leads not only to a narrow perception of realities, but also limits reality.  We practically stop living in the present, here and now, and linger between the past and the future.

Your unconscious mind is like an eager child wanting to serve you and give you everything that you desire. Unihipli has only your best interests at heart and knows what it must do to support your physical and emotional health. Yet today, many of us treat our unconscious mind abusively.

We ask it for more physical energy because we need to work more. We ignore our unihipili’s attempts to surface repressed pain for healing because we don’t want to deal with the discomfort. We thwart the survival instincts of our unconscious by placing ourselves in dangerous or unhealthy environments. And when the unconscious mind attempts to do its job by forcing us to sleep to repair the body, presenting painful issues for resolution, or activating our fear response to keep us from risky actions, we browbeat it into submission or berate ourselves.

But the ancient Hawaiians were much more respectful. They understood the wisdom and responsibility of their unihipili. They also knew that their connection to their higher conscious mind, their higher self, was through the unconscious, not in spite of it.

The root word "pili" signifies 'to stick to' or 'to adhere to'. Just as a young child seeks comfort and wisdom from its mother, the lower self remains attached to the uhane, the middle self.

Every idea or opinion that the middle self presents regarding itself or others, known as the inner dialogue, is preserved as truth by the lower self. Your middle or conscious self is tasked with recognizing truth and decides which truths may enter the depths of the subconscious as a reflection of yourself and the world.

You, (uhane/the middle self), have the power to choose the labels that become attached to memories. The beliefs held deep within your heart, known as the subconscious, shape your expectations and consequently influence how you perceive your surroundings, known as neural conditioning, a concept familiar to brain research for over 40 years.

The interior mirrors the exterior - spanning from the inner family to the external family. Our inner dialogue has the power to influence our emotions, either leading us to happiness or sadness, while also shaping our self-image. We frequently inherit a dialogue from our parents, where their beliefs and words about themselves tend to shape our own perceptions and truths about ourselves. Similarly, the lower self internalizes our inner dialogue as truth. The image you hold of yourself, and your current focus will mold your inner dialogue.

Uhane translates to 'self-speaking being'. The unique trait of any individual lies in their manner of speech. How one speaks about others can reveal their character and spiritual maturity.  This is what uhane represents - a presence that manifests itself through communication. When we speak, it is like casting a stone into the waters of our existence, where each word creates ripples of thoughts that gently influence the shore.

The manner in which you address yourself has a direct impact on your physical well-being, while the way you communicate with others significantly influences the dynamics of your relationships. We express ourselves using language, therefore each word carries significance. Uhane represents the conscious aspect of your personality. It is the part that functions purposefully and with intent.

You have the responsibility for yourself, and as the intermediary, you assume the role of guiding your lower self. When developing your conscious being, you are accountable for the significance you assign to events and for the inner dialogue you select and hold.

Aumakua, the higher self, oversees our cosmic plan. It represents an innate sense of duty and accountability to the greater whole, viewed as a calling intrinsic to all living beings.

The higher self plays a pivotal role in our journey, serving as a mindful observer, a kind companion, and a supportive friend. The higher self, also referred to as the higher consciousness, embodies our profound spiritual notions, and serves as the wellspring of creativity.

For many, the highest aspiration is to attain a state of happiness and inner peace. The most significant barriers to achieving happiness include harbored resentment, lingering negative memories, and a sense of personal inadequacy. Yet we often tend to attribute our own discontent to external factors such as circumstances, politics, institutions, global events, or other individuals.

We pinpoint a culprit to hold accountable for our own feelings of unhappiness. Leaving us to focus on a particular person/place/thing that we hold a low opinion of, though we expect it to miraculously transform, so that we can be happy.  Ummm???

As I was recently reminded by my incredible sister, happiness is a state of mind largely driven by inner qualities rather than external circumstances. It's a character trait that you must engage in order to nurture a mature persona. The key is to liberate yourself from the detrimental echoes of the past. This is the sole path towards experiencing a life abundant in purpose and joy.

People with maturity and social awareness have the capacity to assume accountability for their own lives and be forgiving, whether of themselves or others. Whereas, individuals who hold onto past events with anger, sorrow, and regret are akin to driving while fixating solely on the rear-view mirror, and neglecting to look forward.  By dwelling solely on the past, the present will go unnoticed. Worse still, it can cause more harm than that which has already befallen.

In the journey of our lives, particularly during our formative years, experiences may occur that leave profound scars, yet believe it or not, life seeks to mend and restore us. The essence of life embodies the concepts of healing, acceptance, reconciliation, love, and forgiveness.

When you accidentally cut your finger, your body springs into action, harnessing all its innate healing powers to seal the wound. Wounds have the potential to heal, provided they are not reopened. Forgiveness is the path to cultivating a mature character and harnessing personal growth. Forgiveness enables you to move on from the past and begin anew.

I hope you will join me in connecting with your Unihipili, mending your inner dialogue, forgiving what has passed, and focusing on the present Uhane, in order to reach your Aumakua.

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