The Meaning and Origin of the Name “Hakomi”
In 1980, a group of people involved in healing work and inspired by Ron Kurtz’s work collaborated with him to evolve his body-centered psychotherapy method into a teachable format.
After months of searching for a name for this body of work and their newly forming educational institute, one of the group’s members, David Winters, had a dream in which he handed a piece of paper to Ron that had the word “Hakomi” written on it. All who were present agreed on this part. Still, as is common with history handed down orally, there are differing memories about the other words that followed the word “Hakomi” on that dream paper. However, they were all words that indicated relevance for the name search. Some remember it saying Hakomi Institute, while others remember Hakomi Therapy or Hakomi Body-Centered Psychotherapy.
After seeking the meaning of Hakomi in several Eastern languages, David found the word in a Hopi lexicon. He discovered it was a greeting that meant, “Where do you stand in relation to these many realms?” The group was struck by how deeply and poetically this phrase captured their work – a healing method devoted to transforming limiting core beliefs that affected peoples’ relationships with themselves, others, and the world.
In 1981, David consulted his teacher, Grandfather David Monongye, a Hopi prophet, and elder, to seek counsel on the dream and the word Hakomi. The Hopi elder confirmed the meaning of the word and, after inquiring about the nature of this healing work, gave his blessing for the newly forming institute to use the name.
Hakomi Reciprocity Committee (HRC)
Honoring Our Name, Deepening Our Relationships
The Hakomi Reciprocity Committee, formally the Name Committee, was formed to explore our relationship with the Hopi People, whose ancient word hakomi inspires and grounds our work. Through a six-year journey of listening to Hopi representatives, Indigenous consultants, our global Hakomi community, and both HI and HEN members, we have learned that our path is not only about naming—it is about connection, gratitude, and reciprocity. In 2026, we now seek to move toward reciprocity with Hopi people.
Our Path Forward
Hopi voices we consulted did not view our use of hakomi as harmful. Instead, they encouraged us to stand in the truth of who we are and to build relationships rooted in respect and balance.
After these years of heartful deliberation, in 2025 we made a proposal to both HI and HEN leadership teams, and both organizations approved our recommendations. With gratitude for all we have learned, HI and HEN have decided to continue using the name Hakomi while stepping into a new chapter of relationship and reciprocity.
Continuing to embrace the name Hakomi also involves committing to the following:
- Cultivating ongoing, reciprocal relationship with Hopi people
- Honoring the spirit and meaning of hakomi through our actions
- Using our platform to uplift Hopi wisdom, artists, and community needs
- Working collaboratively within our global Hakomi Institute and HEN communities
- Stepping forward with humility and gratitude and inviting a new chapter of relationship and shared purpose
Our Next Steps
To support this ongoing process of relationship-building, we intend to:
- Expand the Hakomi Reciprocity Committee (HRC) to include paid Hopi representation and more members from both HI and HEN
- Engage in a Hopi-led assessment of community needs—such as clean water, mental
health services, education, cultural preservation, and sacred site care - Create online spaces that highlight Hopi wisdom, cultural teachings, and ways to directly
support Hopi artists and initiatives - Partner with Hopi-connected organizations already doing meaningful work in their
communities - Develop sustainable structures—financial and organizational—to support long-term reciprocity
Read more about the history of the Hakomi Reciprocity Committee.