what comes to light may be unpleasant, but was already there beyond our awareness

Nobody can make us feel a type of way that didn’t already exist in us. Much in the same way that we can’t pull something out of a person that wasn’t already in them. Love, joy, excitement, hate, anger, sadness etc. the potential for all those things and more is already within us with the pūrākau (story) of Hineahuone and how each of the atua gave expressions of themselves to her as one example. And us as the culmination of everyone who has come before us another, just off the top of my head.

There’s gonna be some magic, powerful gifts and talents, some mamae and trauma jam packed in there and it might be dialled up or down depending on the whakapapa effect:

how our ancestry, upbringing, environments we’ve been exposed to, experiences we’ve had have contributed to how we think, how we behave, what we believe in.

Whakapapa describes the process of something coming into being and all those elements contribute to how we come to be who, where and what we are today… take some time to really sit with that and when you’re ready, I’ve got another example to wrap us up with.

As you were…

The kīwaha (saying), “he kai kei aku ringa” is often used to describe the abundance and potential we already have within us to do, be, have and give whatever we choose. It’s as true for the aspirational, inspiring, fulfilling stuff as it is for the self-sabotaging, counter-intuitive to our highest good, destructive habits as well. That very same potential exists in us too because, whakapapa ?!?!

Think about it, reflect back to the happiest moment you’ve ever experienced; where you were, who you were with and what you were doing. That level of joy already existed in you as potential, but you just needed those other elements to bring it out, to spark something in you or to peel away the layers that were in the way of you feeling that kind of way.

Now, think of a time you’ve felt mad, angry, upset, frustrated, jealous… those fun ones. what was it that caused this stir, this shift within you?

What shook you up inside to bring those feels or thoughts to the light?

It doesn’t mean we can’t evolve and learn to adjust the dials, that’s the beauty of it — we can! Awareness is the first step, because we can’t fix a problem we don’t know exists. If we’re not aware of it.

And here’s a line from last week’s post that sums it up pretty nicely,

“at the time, we’re just unaware of it.

unaware of our potential, of parts of ourselves,

why we’re here, how to harness our gifts etc.

and so until the moment we become aware

— it doesn’t exist for us.

but the potential is always there…

If we can acknowledge that about ourselves and about others, we might see the value of dialling up the compassion and love but also the courage to enter those spaces beyond our awareness and bringing what we find to the light to allow for the healing and loving to happen.

It’s no easy task, but worthwhile nonetheless and with a boundless amount of support and wisdom already within you as whakapapa in action, I have a feeling you, that we will be alright.

Tēnā tātou,

Hana.