what you understand determines what you see

And in dual fashion, what you see sets the parameters for what is available to try and understand. For instance, if you see people who look like you, who have similar sounding names to you, living their best lives, being good people, expressing themselves with integrity, supporting others and celebrating their heritage etc. — you could easily form an understanding that you could do the same. You have an example to follow.

If that is your understanding of yourself, if that is your understanding of what self-expression can be like, you will see it and seek it out always. Your understanding of the world and of yourself, your worldview, your outlook — your perspective informs what you see.

Opportunities, connections, magic, beauty or otherwise.

One word to describe understanding in Māori is ‘māramatanga’, which also translates to enlightenment, illumination, insight and awareness. And in terms of whakapapa, light in all its forms is senior to all other realms as this line comes from the eldest of te ira atua (the gods, eldest ancestors), my main guy; Urutengangana (atua of light, eldest of Rangi and Papa’s tamariki).

Another take on it could be how that formless realm of Te Kore is all potential, vision and dreamland which phases into the darkness and messiness of strands coming together (Te Pō), to result in the final expression of the thing (Te Ao Mārama), and therefore I present our basic creation whakapapa (process of creation). lol.

If you understood the world to be this way, how do you think it would affect your decision making? Or what you value? How you behaved? What you envision for yourself?

What kind of superpower would that be to understand how truly special and incredible you are just as you are?! To have that be your blueprint as you navigate life?

I mean, I grew up believing I could do anything because I was Māori.

My foundational understanding of myself and about the world was — Māori are intelligent, talented, innovative, caring, kind, loving, dextrous AF and can do anything. It was role modelled to me as well and hey, I’m Māori so the same applies for me too, sweet.

No solo option available though, it came as a package deal with other facts like an inherent duty and responsibility to whakapapa too which is a little trickier to embody but we out here, showing up and doing our best.

So if what you understand determines what you see, how can you use the future or present you want to see as a guiiding light to help you broaden, extend and expand your understanding?

Of yourself, the world and your contribution to it?

Tēnā tātou,

Hana.