It assumes a three-part partition of the mind/self into a Conscious Mind, an Unconscious Mind, and – crucially – a Higher Self.

Alongside these 3 selves, the ancient Hawai’ians were specifically concerned with the flows of unseen (electrical, etc.) energies (“mana”) in the body similar to the conceptions of Hinduist, Buddhist, and Taoist philosophies, familiar today by such practices as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Accupuncture, as well as various forms of Yoga and related energy cultivation practices.

In fact, before becoming known as the secret “Huna”, these practices had collectively been referred to as “Ho’omana”, “to make/create [life force] energy”.

The Kahuna held the view that there were actually 4 such progressively more subtle bodies, similar to other Eastern views on auric bodies. From the bottom up these are the physical, the emotional, the mental, and the spiritual body, with each following a precise logic of control by the Three Selves.

For example, the Unconscious Mind equates mostly to the emotional body, but it also controls the body below it, the physical body.

Western psychology has given more and more credence to these views in recent times with its recognition of psycho-somatic illness factors, so-called “somatoform” disorders, and a host of other examples of strong unconscious control over bodily processes such as phobias.

Despite this formal segmentation of the psyche, the underlying philosophy of Huna holds that all of creation including the human mind is ultimately one. This represents a form of pantheism and/or monism similar to e.g. the Hinduist views expressed in the Upanishads, those inherent in Buddhism, etc.

The Higher Self, the so-called Aumakua, is conceptualized as the direct connection to the higher planes, the Highest Being inside each human being.

Aumakua translates to “totally trustworthy parental spirit”, which gives an indication of its role similar to concepts of the “Holy Spirit” or the “Holy Guardian Angel” in Christian and Hermetic schools of thought. It is the seat of the godhead in man, and for the purposes of spiritual evolution a somewhat separate spiritual being assigned to the two other selves.

In many traditions across the world it is literally “drawn in” in pictures as a halo, or sometimes as a ball above the head (e.g. the yin-yang “Tao” symbol in Ancient Eastern depictions, which relates to the idea that it is a balanced male and female energy) when present in the event.

Despite the appearance of separation, the Kahuna thought that in fact the ultimate goal of all practices was the integration of the Selves and Bodies to work in perfect harmony and health (somewhat similar to C.G. Jung’s concept of the individuation process), and that the “growing up” and evolution of the separate selves was indeed the meaning of life itself.

Huna also contains the concept of Karma, and it is thought that “Karma” is in fact stored in the Unconscious Mind, the “Unihipili” (the little creature or animal self). Therefore, the path to healing any condition would have to include the cleaning up of such unconscious contents and programs that would get in the way of the desired results.

By the principles of correspondence (“as above, so below” and “as inside, so outside”), the Kahuna thought that the outer circumstances of one’s life would closely resemble the inner world (sometimes people refer to these ideas as “the law” of attraction).

Therefore, cleaning up this – one might say “magnetic” – Karma would be a first step to all other positive developments (E pii ana o lalo – “take from darkness into the light that which is below”), such as the seeking of specific guidance from one’s Higher Self (E iho an o luna – “bring down that which is above by means of the light”).

• Monism – All is ultimately One: Buddhism, Taoism, Qabalah, some forms of Christian Mysticism
• Principles of Karma and Forgiveness: Eastern philosophies including the Upanishads, and Buddhism
• Guardian Spirit: Native American systems, Hermeticism, Christian Mysticism
• 4/5 Elements: Alchemy, Eastern Philosophies, etc.
• Dream Time: Native American systems, Maori, Aboriginals
• Herbalism: Western herbalism, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Ayurveda, etc.
• Energy Work: Reiki, Qi Gong, Accupuncture, Yoga, etc.