INTRODUCTION
A CONNECTION TO THE RHYTHMS & CYCLES OF NATURE
Aotearoa New Zealand has a long and varied history spanning many centuries. Many present-day Māori iwi (tribes) acknowledge that there were peoples here before the coming of the Māori. The relatively recent arrivals of both Māori and Pākehā has in many cases overshadowed the harmonious footprints of earlier peoples, with a harsh and heavy presence. A return to love, for ourselves, must also incorporate a healing of ourselves, the land and of the past.
The environment that we live in incorporates all that is of the Earth, Papa-tūā-nuku, as well as all that is above us in the sky and heavens, Ranginui. If we live in harmony with both of these realms together, we stay connected with our origins, ourselves and each other. If we don’t we disconnect.
A connection to, and an understanding of, the rhythms of nature is essential in connecting to our physical bodies, for our bodies are made of the earth. We can choose to respect nature and our planet Earth, and live on her lightly and with care. We can work in harmony with the plant life and the animal kingdom as we share the Earth with them.
An appreciation of the cycles of the heavens above can also connect us with our inner cycles. We know that the Moon, Marama, is a powerful cycle for us as human beings, and we also align with the yearly cycle of the Sun, Rā, through living with the seasons. The cycles of the Planets are also significant in our lives and an understanding of their rhythms can help us to work together for common purpose. The stars above can also guide us, for we are originally of the stars, and their light reminds us of this every time we look up at the night sky.
