Making Changes & Breaking Habits

January 1, 1951

For Huna Research Associates
Covering the experimental approach to the use of Huna in HUNA and related religious and psychological fields.
From Max Freedom Long
P.O. Box 2867, Hollywood Station, Los Angeles 28, California, U.S.A.

THE NEW BEGINNING was the inner significance of the New Year to many of the elder races. They looked upon the arrival of a new year as a time when nature and the processes of growth closed the old cycle and opened a fresh new one.

The na kahuna had ritual or outer observances for the New Year, and from the roots of the words combined to make their name for the new year, ma`ka`hi`ki it would appear that there was once a deeper significance in the whole concept of the “arrival of a new year.”

THE NA KAHUNA BOOK OF LIFE

A page from the na kahuna Book of Life, figuratively speaking, may well be taken by us as HRAs. We find in their ancient knowledge of consciousness and forces much that has been both informative and useful. Now let us consider what may be gleaned from their ideas of the significance of the new year.

As with civilizations the world around, there was the common custom of looking on the beginning of the new year cycle as an opportunity to do two things:

To bring to an end the activities of the old year, and to (a) decide upon the very best things to do in the year ahead, (b) to use every possible means of impressing oneself with the necessity and the determination to do the things decided upon – with vows, new year’s resolutions, and prayers to Higher Beings for aid in so doing – and (c) to begin at once, without procrastination, to ACT in the newly determined way.

In the old days the pledges to the gods were renewed by the nation and by the individual. Old debts were paid off and every effort was made to begin the new year with a clean slate.

Christmas began as the celebration of the new year – the day when it could be seen by watching the rising sun, that it had actually and definitely begun its return journey along the edge of the world.

The more primitive races had to watch the sun until it was done reversing its course to know that the new year was at hand. The more civilized races, when they had evolved calendars which were faulty or had lost the knowledge of correcting the calendar periods of great races before them, often allowed their calculations to become cumulatively in error so that they celebrated the new year as much as a month late. Because of this, we see the same new year giving us TWO days instead of one to be observed – the true and the false new year.

The roots of the Hawaiian word for the new year, give us significant meanings when taken separately. All of the meanings may be applied by us, as HRA members, in observing the new year’s beginning. Here the roots and some of their meanings: (ma`ka`hi`ki).

Ma: Used in swearing an oath or taking a vow.

Ka: To radiate from a center, or to bail out water as from a canoe. Perhaps we can see here the reaching out to the na Aumakua and the offering of mana as a vow or resolution is made and affirmed to be in full use.

Maka: (The two roots combined) mean “to begin” or “to commence” and would indicate that the new way of living was to commence with the beginning of the new year.

Hi`ki: (Two roots joined) give the meaning of “to be able to do a thing, to accomplish a purpose.” It also means “to begin” and “to take an oath.” In addition, it has a meaning that is very significant to us, “to affirm a thing or an event as true.” (Andrews Dictionary)

In making our resolutions for the new year, we must not only vow to carry on in the way we have decided to act, but we must affirm that we will and that we are acting in the new way. This amounts to full conviction and faith – faith in ourselves and our strength of mind to carry through, day after day and right through the whole of the year.

The root hi means “to flow away and to fade or weaken.” It takes us back to the use of water as the symbol of the three manas, The root ki means “to spurt water as from the mouth – a forcing of water or mana for some purpose.” For our purposes, we can read into these roots the lesson that each day, as our will or middle mana weakens, it must be renewed and forcefully used to re-establish our determination to live up to our resolutions. Each day should be a new beginning for us in this respect. Living is something which we do not accomplish with a single rush of effort. It is not a job hurriedly done which STAYS done. Each night when we fall asleep, we enter the “little death.” Each morning we awaken, born anew, taking the gift of a new day, and – if we are really to LIVE – beginning afresh to try to make progress on the three levels of being: the level of the physical and the Aunihipili mind, the level of the Auhane mind in its relation to the other selves and the physical, and, third, the level of the Aumakua consciousness and its world of thoughts that grow into things.

If you study the history of ancient Egypt, you will be struck, as I have recently been, by the fact that almost no changes took place in the way the people lived. Rulers changed and there were changes in formal religion, but the basic customs and ways of life made almost no advance in 5,000 years. It was as if men were born into these conditions for the purpose of making individual growth rather than that the mass of men should rise together to greater knowledge, finer understanding and more perfect and helpful cooperation in works for the mutual good of all.

Today we see the old inertia being broken by a swift advance in scientific knowledge. We feel that change is being forced upon us – that perhaps a “New Age” is here. However, if the basic MAN remains the same, it is still to be a matter of each person seeing to it that he progresses. Others may teach him the ways of living better, but once the teaching is finished, the individual must get to work and go ahead under his own steam.

In this New Year – which may well be part of the New Age, we may safely predict that humanity will change not at all in the mass. The vast majority will hold back and try to prevent all change. Constantly the cry is raised that we should go back to the safe and good ways of yesterday. Anything that threatens a basic change in our social structure will be fought to the bitter end.

Will Levington Comfort, who gave much thought to such matters in his writings, urged his readers and those who looked to him for guidance, to break away from the inertia of the masses. He constantly affirmed the fact that the only possible way for a human being to make an iota of permanent progress, physically, mentally or spiritually, was to get to work IMPROVING HIMSELF.

Our trouble is that we fall into the deep ruts of HABIT and cannot get up sufficient strength of Auhane mind and will to force ourselves to begin climbing out of the rut.

In our approach to the materials of the psycho-religious field and to the practical use of Huna, psychology, metaphysics or religion, we have found it difficult to break the habit of constant reading and speculation without DOING SOMETHING about it. This condition is partly due to the lack of real authority in the many conflicting “teachings.” Not being able to decide what was valid and what was not, we fell into the habit of discussing at great length each new set of ideas presented to us by book, course or lecture. Many of us found that we could take the same ideas and manufacture a good system of our own.

In the end the habit of study was replaced by the habit of talk. It is so much easier to read and then TALK than to get down to actual work – to force ourselves to decide on a course of action and then to follow through on it for a given period of time. In our HRA work together we have had this condition weighing heavily on us. The three groups which I tried to organize and lead into real experimental work with Huna, literally were TALKED out of existence one after the other. I sometimes wonder whether or not the Egyptians of old failed to progress for fifty centuries for the simple reason that they used up all their spare time and energy talking about what to do to improve things, but NEVER getting to the point where there was agreement on what was to be done, or to the point of taking action.

Considering all these stumbling blocks, and the fact that if anything is to be accomplished, each of us as an individual must get down to action, we can only progress in our experimental and research work if each one of us DOES act. No matter what one elects to try out, the steps are the same. First comes the plan, then the decision to follow it, and then the daily pause to accumulate a surcharge of mana, become mentally very positive, and take George in hand while the work is put through with vigor.

BREAK A HABIT

Here is a tip for those who may wish to give up smoking (or other habits). Get a good surcharge of mana aboard each time you feel your George beginning to nag for a smoke. You can keep on top if you do that. Habit – which is really only our Aunihipili doing what we have taught it to do – can be broken by the same process by which it was formed. It is a matter of attention on the part of the Auhane. Attention can only be kept at a high and steady level if the mana supply is kept high. One depends on the other.

If you wish to memorize a short poem – to make it into a recall habit – you must fasten your attention on the verse, grip your George with a firm mental hand, and hold him to the task while you make him go over and over the verse until he has learned or habituated himself to it.

Breaking a habit is almost the reverse of the process, but not quite. If one learns a verse or a bit of a tune, and if the Aunihipili takes a fancy to it, one may find the verse or phrase or bit of song “running through one’s head” until it becomes annoying. To break George of this habit of repetition is a good example of the way things work. One cannot force George to forget the words or music. (Nor can one force George to forget the sensations which go with the smoking.) But, by keeping a constant watch of attention on George, he can be made to stop running through the steps which mark reaction to the habit. George is like the pet dog or cat or horse in this matter. In training a pet NOT to do certain things, it must be watched constantly and be called back each time it makes a break, as to run away or to chase the family cat. If the pet is punished for his breaks, once he is made to understand what is NOT to be done, that often helps. George will also react to punishment and to reward.

In breaking a habit, the key point is NEVER to allow the first break-over if humanly possible when once the work has begun. This demands attention, mana and effort. One must be constantly on the alert until the habit is well broken. It is in the moment of tired relaxation that George suddenly grabs the reins and runs off with things. He makes us think that we want to smoke – not just he alone.

All habits have elements in common. If you swear off something this New Year, study the problem carefully in advance, and from all angles, watching for the danger points.

In passing, I wish to say that I select smoking as an example of a habit because it is one which so many of us know and which I broke for myself – to my great and enduring satisfaction and sense of freedom – several years ago. However, smoking seems to be no particular barrier to the development of psychic abilities as long as we do not BELIEVE that it is a barrier. The same may be said of eating meat and drinking in moderation. As I have said in SSBM, Dr. Brigham found active na kahuna who smoked, drank at times and ate meat when able to get it, usually fish. In a recent letter from a friend in New York, I was told that Kuda Bux, the famous fire-walker who was tested by the scientists in London and who demonstrated “eyeless sight” by reading through the skin on his back, was a heavy smoker and had always eaten meat. In passing, it is interesting to learn in this connection that he worked daily for fourteen years with a lighted candle in order to perfect his ability to fire-walk. (From Dr. John H. Manas, head of the “Pythagorean Society” New York City.)

FROM AUSTRALIA

HRA Olive M. Stevens-Sutton, who organized the Sydney group, reports that Huna continues to work for herself and husband, Basil. They have overcome difficulties which seemed impossible to surmount – what with restrictions and regulations – so that now it looks certain that they will be able to build the new home in the place where they miraculously got exactly the desired ground. This ground is on a headland in Queensland of which she writes, “Burleigh Heads is a wonderful place, for beauty and health – one of the most beautiful in Australia. Imagine my amazement when a local resident told me it was the ancient praying ground of the Australian blacks, and that they always came to this headland for this purpose.” She promises a later report, in full, on her experiments with her husband and (I believe) the help of another HRA. This promises to be a very excellent report, which will point out actual findings and suggest what may still be lacking in our practice with Huna and how it may be filled in. She writes, “…. on the other hand you are doing a wonderful work, a most inspiring piece of work, and as you said a while ago in one of the bulletins, even you cannot see where the repercussions of what you are doing will end. Just look at what is happening to me, and through me to so many more, largely as a result of your findings.”

MORE NEWS ON THE PRAYER BOWL healing is given by Mrs. Sutton in the same letter. I quote: “Put it on record that the healing of that bowel fissure by the contact with the ancient healing bowl, was permanent and complete. The subsidiary condition was also cleared up.” It will be remembered by HRAs that in the early bulletins there was given an account of the finding of the strange and very old clay prayer bowl in a museum collection in Sydney. It had been made in Babylon with magical rites, for a Jewish family. It seems to have retained its power to connect the one holding it with some higher healing power. In any event, it gave results in this painful case which was of long standing. Other lesser ills were likewise treated, but these are not mentioned in this report. Mrs. Sutton is an occultist of high standing and long and wide experience. Her final report on HOW she used Huna, what results she got, and what changes she made in the practice or theory in her approach to the experimental use of the “Secret” will be well worth waiting for. Our HRA thanks to you, Mrs. Sutton, for such fine exploratory work.

ALSO FROM AUSTRALIA came a letter recently from the editor of the spiritualist magazine, HARBINGER OF LIGHT, Rev. J.T. Huston, who is also a naturopathic doctor and a widely known student in the field of the psycho-religious sciences. (His 75-page book, DOMESTIC REMEDIEA, will be of interest to all HRAs who wish to know more about herbal and home treatment of common ailments. $1 should bring a copy, post paid. The address is G.P.O. Box 64A, Adelaide, So. Australia.) It is with much pleasure that I quote parts of this letter of approbation from so experienced a senior student.

“Dear Mr. Long:
Thank you for sending us the HRA Bulletins and for your friendly reference to Harbinger of Light, in one of them.

The writer had the pleasure of reading and reviewing in Harbinger of Light, Recovering the Ancient Magic when it was first published. I was keenly interested, and when Wing Anderson sent me your Secret Science Behind Miracles, I put aside all my work and settled down to read and study it. I also indexed it for future reference. Huna was a revelation to me and gave me the key to much that I had read.

For years I had been feeling my way in darkness and stumbling along a similar road, but it was not until SSBM shone upon my pathway that I saw I was going in the right direction, but now the path was clear although the distance was still in fog.

Just as eagerly I read the bulletins you sent, which clarified several points. I cannot adequately express the pleasure and satisfaction that the study of this subject has given me.

Now I want to pass on this pleasure to others. I cannot do much myself for I am in my 82nd year, but the Harbinger of Light is read by thousands and I intend republishing that very fine review of your book by E.F. Prevost Battersby in LIGHT, May, 1948. By doing so I hope to interest someone in this part of Australia who may be able to form a Huna centre.

I would like to obtain the first three bulletins, even if soiled or secondhand for our library.

With my sincere admiration for your devotion to the great cause, and an equally sincere appreciation of your book and bulletins,
Fraternally yours,
(Signed) J.T. Huston”

TMHG WORKINGS

A STRANGE NEW SITUATION WITH “GREGG” came up recently. While his return to sanity has steadily continued, the last few weeks have seen what can hardly be explained in terms of anything but spirit obsession. Together with three other patients suffering from the same general type of mental trouble, and housed in the same part of the ward, he has been repeatedly subject to attacks. Such attacks had been lessening for all in this group of patients until this strange recurrence. Fortunately, the slow but definite return of sanity has continued for Gregg. Let us keep up the constant pressure of our TMHG prayer actions for his full return to the Light. His mother writes, “I would appreciate it so much if you would again mention in the bulletin my deep gratitude – particularly now, as we begin a new year – to all those who have desired the blessing of balanced life and living for Gregg.”

HRA Mrs. E.M.W. of Denver who has had a long and difficult struggle in trying to win back to health, also wishes to express her thanks for the TMHG work. She writes, “Words cannot express my gratitude for the prayers so lovingly made for me. I am feeling so much better. I have less pain and am getting stronger right along. I am keeping those thoughts you speak of just as positive as I can, and with your help and the help of the HRAs I know I shall be much improved.” (This has been a case of ups and downs in recovery over a period of months. At present a combination of medical care, corrected thinking and mental attitude, together with the TMHG aid, seems to be getting the desired results.)

HRA W.H. McNeal of The Dalles, Oregon, is an advanced student who gets down to work and carries out experiments. He acted as editor of a private newsletter for two years and came to be in close contact with many members of the Oregon Rural Letter Carriers’ Association. These he enlisted to help carry out experiments in group prayer at set times corresponding with our TMHG evening.

Prayer-action period. (7 P.M.) The first patient selected was a carrier named Canby, who was afflicted with a cancer. Let me now quote parts of the long and detailed report.

“We joined in prayer, asking for his recovery and thinking good health for him while picturing him in good health as he had always seemed to be at our meetings. We also thanked our Guardian Angel na Aumakua for the good things they had helped to provide for us. At the end of 30 days, the doctor was astounded to find no evidence of the cancer and it has not returned. The carrier was mighty thankful.”

Another case was treated in the same way, this patient being the wife of an Astoria carrier. She suffered terrible pain from spinal arthritis for which the doctors found no cure. She also recovered.” Mr. McNeal continues, “The most valuable lesson you have taught us to date is the MECHANICS of prayer – HOW and WHY we should pray. I have never seen this brought out so clearly in any other religious study as in Huna. If you never accomplish anything else, I think you can rightfully claim credit for teaching mankind HOW TO PRAY and get results. Keep up the good work.”

I am warmed and encouraged to carry on by such generous praise of my efforts to uncover more of Huna and of workable methodology. The Christmas season was made a very happy one for me by your many beautiful greeting cards and notes of good will and affectionate appreciation. My heartiest thanks to you all, and may this year ahead bring great happiness in Service and much personal progress.
MFL

BOOK REVIEWS

THE MAGIC BAG, Part I of a promised series (64 pages, mimeographed and bound in fine form with a blue and gold paper cover, $2.00 post paid from BSRA, 3524 Adams Ave., San Diego 16, Calif.)

As all BSRA members and subscribers to HRA Meade Layne’s magazine, ROUND ROBIN, will already know, this book is one being given by a group of spirits through the mediumship of Mark Probert.

Different spirits from different lands and ages have given short chapters on a surprising variety of subjects, such as “Man on the Physical Plane,” “Earth’s Age,” “The Etherians,” “Material via Thought,” “Man the Seeker, and Man the Creator,” “Time, Space and Consciousness,” “Man and the Eternal Silence,” “Creation,” “The Nature of Germs,” “Languages and Man,” “Mind Force,” “Man, Know Thyself,” “The Nature and Origin of Matter,” and “The Human Personality.”

While the “There-living” usually speak with a great assumption of authority, they offer about as much contradictory information as the “Here-living.” Most of the material is speculative and will bear study in that light. A little is aimed at helping in practical living on this level, and can be tried out if one wishes. In any event, we have here much material for thought and much that will entertain an “occultist.” A very excellent picture of Mark is bound into the book.

Congratulations on Part I of the MAGIC BAG.

MUSICAL THERAPY is the title of a booklet by HRA Marion VerHoven, (1833 American Ave., Long Beach 6, Calif. Price 7511). It reviews the short history of music therapy and gives a digest of the theories and practices. Like the use of color, the use of sound is still very much in the experimental stage. The use of music may be an outgrowth from the sound manipulation in ancient chanting and the use of mantra. In passing, it is of interest to note that HRA Edward S. Schultz has just written in to say that he and a few close friends are making some most promising tests with the use of combined sound and color. (A complete report is promised in due time, and perhaps an instrument which will be a new departure in this direction.)

1952 THE YEAR OF CRISIS by HRA Wing Anderson, is a well printed and paper covered 80-page little book bringing up to date his series of book studies on secular prophecies, combined with other material that may point to what lies ahead in world events and conditions. This is a companion book to his recent large book, PROPHETIC YEARS. It is not a book to read before going to bed – if one values a quiet night’s sleep. A very wide coverage has been given to show how the several crises in international relations, economics, cyclic financial trends and other matters each builds so that in about mid-year of 1952, the lid will be blown off of “business as usual,” and off of “life as usual.” The last chapter, copied from one of his earlier books, fits well the situation of today as it seems to be building up. The basic prophecies in Oahspe are pointed out in their relation to modern conditions which seem to have come to the point at which the world will move into a new age – probably with an upheaval that will shake our societies and conventions to their roots – to say nothing of the chances of geological upheavals noted in secular prophecies. Read it and ponder. (Price $1, post paid. Kosmon Industries, 2208 W. 11th Street, Los Angeles 6, Calif. Or, with PROPHETIC YEARS as a combination offer for $3.)

AN INTERESTING PENDULUM

While not a book to be reviewed, mention must be made of a very interesting type of pendulum which was sent in for testing and comment. It is made in the form of a wire pointer set in a wooden handle so that the wire coils around the handle and makes full contact with the palm of the hand in holding it. The instrument is two feet in length and into the pointer are bent spring-like coils where it leaves the handle and at the end near the tip – the tip being presented horizontally, in regular pointer fashion, and held over various markings on a paper chart that comes with the outfit. The pendulum, being made very sensitive to the slightest movement of the hand that holds it, moves so that the tip traces “YES” on the chart by following an up-and-down line, or may move from side to side to follow the “NO” line. It can also indicate on the chart one of the twelve months of the year, or numbers. In addition, a part of the chart makes it possible to indicate anything from 1% to 100% – a means being thus provided for assaying ore, or getting a reading on values of any kind in terms of percentage. No instructions were sent to me with the sample, but I believe I have described the method to be used. The maker and his friend, HRA Howard Clark, report all the usual results common to pendulum tests, and several of which I had not heard – as the assaying of ore as well as the locating of the place of its origin. My own tests with the instrument convinced me that it was an improvement on the usual pendulum for many types of test. I imagine it would serve as a means of spirit communication also, if the user was mediumistic. ($3 post paid. Address the inventor and maker, George W. Wallace, Box 158, Beaumont, Calif.)

NEW TMHG DAILY PRAYER-ACTION SERVICE

Announcing a new TMHG daily prayer-action service for those endangered by war. Since the fresh outbreak of war, requests have been coming in for special work through the TMHG to enlist the aid of the na Aumakua in building a wall of protection around those who are now actively engaged in conflict, or who may soon be.

The matter of building protection is in no way different from our regular Huna method of working to get the future changed from a possible bad one to a good and desirable one. The na kahuna were constantly engaged in the work of bringing about such changes from bad to good on the part of the ones they served. In our work for health or betterment of financial or social conditions, we use the same steps, (1) decide what is wanted, (2) visualize NOTHING but the desired condition, and (3) present this picture with a flow of mana to the na Aumakua in the usual prayer-action.

If the one who is now in danger, or who may be in danger later on, can cooperate in this work and make with us the positive picture of protection and the possession of a “charmed life” (as it will actually become), then the best possible results may be expected. If, on the other hand, the person involved cannot, for some reason or other, be told of the method we are using or take part in it, his friends or loved ones may do much without his knowledge. This is a true Service and is designed to help. It is, therefore, under our Huna system of action, entirely good and entirely justified.

In addition to the individual who is actively engaged in the fighting, or who may be, there is a similar need for protection on the part of those whose lives are bound up with his – the wives, parents, children or others held close in the bonds of love. For these there is a similar need of the carefully-built-up wall of protection. For the soldier we visualize personal safety in body as well as a happy final outcome and return to civil life. For the ones who remain behind there must be a similar visualization of safety from bodily harm, from breaking mental stresses, and for faith and confidence. The pictured end of the war and its happy outcome and the return to civil life, is the same because it includes the whole of the group within the bounds of mutual love and dependence.

Those who wish to do so, are invited to take part in this special branch of the TELEPATHIC MUTUAL HEALING GROUP work, whether or not they are regular HRAs. Also, HRA volunteers are needed for this work. If possible, I would like to have one or more of us praying in the Huna way on the even hour all through the day and into the night so far as possible. It may be that each volunteer can be provided with the signature of all the ones being held in this way to the Light. This would give the fullest contact via the aka threads and would make the best working conditions. For the present, the list is read and the work carried on through the aka thread connecting the one who requested the prayers and his or her loved ones who are to be surrounded by a stronger and stronger wall of psychic protection. Write to me if you are interested in any way and either wish to add names to the list or to take an active part. Keep up the prayer-actions for world peace. Keep sending empowering mana. MFL