a time to stop and reassess; how to know if you’re on or off track

Just like that, another cycle done. Hineahuone is one of my favourite pūrākau to refer back to and I’m sure I’ll find a way to weave it back in throughout upcoming #atuablogseries pieces. But new moon, new pūrākau, new story!

I feel like this one found me, in a way. It came from wānanga (deliberations) earlier this week about the importance of rest and reflection, making moments to take a step back and

see what pattern is forming from the smaller, daily acts and decisions we make.

When Ngāti Ohomairangi (now known as Te Arawa) were getting ready to leave Hawaiki for Aotearoa, Tamatekapua sent Ruaeo to retrieve his comb and as he did so — the waka (canoe) left without him.

Upon his return to the beach and realising what had happened (his wife was on board, sailing away by the way), he chanted karakia (incantations) which changed the arrangement of stars in the sky. Other things happened too, but important to note — he got to Aotearoa eventually and dealt to Tamatekapua. Anyway, we’ll focus on this part for now.

Ngātoroirangi was the Tohunga, navigator and priest of the waka and after some days had passed, he realised the night sky wasn’t behaving as it was meant to, recited his own karakia, undid Ruaeo’s handiwork, readjusted course and Ngāti Ohomairangi were back on track again… until Tamatekapua’s next act of mischief but more on that another time.

A story of mischief, betrayal, abandonment, vengeance to name a few, wouldn’t you say? To start us off on this new stream of wānanga, I can interpret this entire sequence as one whole process of moments in time,

a blueprint to follow, to help us keep check of how we’re doing.

For instance, what procedures or identifiers do you have in place to let you know you’re drifting off course, or out of alignment? Could there be earlier signals to look out for?

What methods can you activate to reconnect to self? To get back to you, your path and continue as you were?

How could you better recognise distractions in the future, so you’re not left behind by whatever metaphorical waka that might propel you closer to living your aspirations ?

One of my signals is when I start to worry and stress. That’s not my natural state. I trust the process, I give it all over to the universe to make it happen and I keep doing what I do. There’s no doubt ‘if’ something I want will happen, it’s bliss. But when I start to fuss and stress about outcomes and little things that really don’t matter — that’s one marker. I feel like it’s too late down the track but I’m still working on what some earlier signs could be.

So take this as a sign to step back, reassess and recalibrate. Ask yourself those questions and continue to weave that good stuff into the life you’re creating for yourself.

Tēnā tātou,

Hana.