Winter Solstice Reflections
Te Ao Māori is a way of life that is attuned to the subtleties of the natural world, grown out of the experience of being rooted in the earth. It is understood that our wellbeing is sourced from our food, our home, our relationships to others, our connection to something greater than us, our purpose, our access to support when we are in need, and the wider social structure that we find ourselves in.
Understanding hauora (holistic health) begins with understanding the many aspects of our health that make up our whole being, including but not limited to our physical body. All these aspects and more contribute to who we are and how we show up in the world. Let’s take a look at a Te Ao Māori perspective to acknowledge all that brings us health, even when our bodies might not be well.
Here are nine aspects of the self that nourish us as a whole body-mind beyond food and physical medicine:
Iho Matua - our connections through our family lines all the way to our ancestors
Tapu - our unique sacredness, including our body, mind and soul
Mana - our way of showing up in the world with integrity
Pūmanawa - our skills and attributes passed down from our family
Whatumanawa- the deep-seated source of our emotions instilled from childhood
Waihanga - the source of our creativity
Ngākau - the doorway to our emotions
Hinengaro - the source of our thoughts, whether conscious or subconscious
Mauri - the source of our unique life essence, our soul’s expression of who we are.
Winter Solstice is a powerful time of year, a threshold from past to future, a symbolic
seasonal ritual to gather together and begin again. Honouring all that has come to pass over the year, including loved ones, outworn dreams, relationships that we’ve outgrown, and parts of our own identities that no longer serve us.
It is a magical and mysterious time to reflect on one’s relationships, dreams, fears
and foibles. It is also a time when many of our ailments flare up, aggravated by the cold, and for our most vulnerable it can be a very dark, lonely time.
This year, Matariki falls on 10th July, almost three weeks after the Winter Solstice,
symbolising a time of renewal as we welcome this constellation back into our night sky, along with the slow return of longer days. Like the Winter Solstice, Matariki is a time of magic and mystery, where we are invited to both grieve and celebrate during the darkest days of the year.
Loss, grieving and decomposing are necessary rites of renewal. So, before we
welcome the return of the sun, let us honour the process of decomposition, darkness, and death, as a very real part of life. Within the Matariki constellation, there are two whetū (stars) I will highlight – Pōhutukawa and Hiwa-i-te-Rangi.
Pōhutukawa - governs the deceased, signifying the rite of passage and release of those who have died over the past year.
Hiwa-i-te-Rangi - governs future growth and prosperity, it is known as the wishing star, signifying the fulfilment of aspirations for the year to come.
NGĀ HURITAO MATARIKI | Matariki Reflections
Here are some questions that you might like to contemplate this Matariki to honour
Pōhutukawa and all that you are releasing from the year that has been, and to honour Hiwa-i-te-Rangi and all that you are calling in for the year to come.
Who or what loss do I need to grieve?
What aspects of my life have I been pushing, forcing and failing at over the past
year?
Where in my life have I grown hard, rigid, or stubborn?
Where in my life have I been retreating, withdrawing, or collapsing?
In what ways have I grown and evolved in my emotional maturity?
In what ways have I grown and evolved in my intellect and beliefs?
Who challenges me to be my best self?
Who have I been pretending to be, and who actually am I?
What kind of person do I aspire to be?
What dreams do I need to let go of? And what new dreams am I ready to nurture?
How can I commit to living in alignment with my values, dreams and aspirations?
When we consider these questions, and release what is needed to allow new growth to come with the spring, it can support mauri ora - a state where a person’s life force is balanced, healthy, and thriving — physically, emotionally, spiritually, socially, and
environmentally.
Tīhei Mauri Ora!