What’s in a name?

Last week we had a quick introduction into Rūaumoko and his frustrations as we headed into the new series and since acknowledging how I was feeling and being able to identify I was carrying mental, emotional and spiritual mamae (pain) and it had accumulated to a point where I started to dislike being me,

I’ve been able to let a lot if it go.

Being in Tahiti helps with that, not gonna lie haha but the biggest change has been making and taking time for myself, to disconnect from certain stimuli and to work on reshaping my internal environment into something that nurtures and nourishes me.

One of the processes I went through, was to bring it back to basics and rattle off all the things I’m grateful for. Besides particular karakia, intentionally expressing gratitude is the most effective way I’ve found to recalibrate and centre myself.  This is a longer than usual way of getting to the point of this post lol anyway, as I was going through my list, I made my way down to the features and attributes I have that allow me to serve my purpose and live a life I get excited about and love.

I reminded myself of how I’m built for purpose; I have everything I need to do, be, have and give anything I want - and more.  I have curly hair which inspires me every day to find my flow that works for me and just go with it, even if someone had a preference for the flow to go the other way... I think deeply and empathetically, so I can easily put myself into another person's shoes and see the situation from their perspective (whether it's right or wrong is another matter...lol) and gain a deeper understanding of myself, the situation and the other person. I have a blind trust in the process, that nothing that is meant for me will ever miss me -

so I take the leap of faith and back myself in my ambitious ventures..

Even my name, 'Hana', means to glow and radiate in Māori; which I try to live into on the daily. To make people feel warm or better about themselves in some way after spending time together, or after they engage with my content online. It might just be a name, but like Rūaumoko (earthquakes, volcanoes, geothermal activity), some of his characteristics and how he behaves can be attributed to his name:

Rū, to rumble and shake; moko, markings on the skin/earth.  Was he named after his characteristics? Which was common practice in our tupuna's (ancestors) time and is continued today as well.. or was he named Rūaumoko, and did his attributes and behaviours become synonymous with his name?

I'm still in wānanga (internalising) about that one, but take it as a template to reflect on yourself and consider all of the attributes, quirks and whakapapa you have as tools in your kete (basket) to do, be, have and give whatever you want. All of the clues woven into the different layers that make up who you are - maybe it's even in your name?

There's a good place to start, ngā mihi,

Hana.