REFLECTIVE INSIGHT #008 - FROM THE VOID TO THE LIGHT - WHY I’M SHARING THIS JOURNEY
They say the darkest part of the night is just before the dawn, but for a while there, I wasn't sure the sun was ever coming back up.
I’m going to be straight with you: this is the scariest and most vulnerable thing I’ve ever done. I’m opening up about a mental health crisis that took me right to the edge—scarily close to a final exit. I'm talking about a state of total "decoherence," where the weave of my world didn't just fray; it felt like it had completely disintegrated. In our Māori worldview, we might call this a heavy season in Te Kore—the Great Void. But as Reverend Māori Marsden taught us, Te Kore isn't just "nothingness"; it is the realm of raw potentiality.
I’ve decided to share my journey and these "Quantum Whakapapa" learnings for a few specific reasons. Firstly, I’ve realised that the act of communicating these deep concepts to you helps me to crystallise and reinforce my own recovery. It’s like running a diagnostic on my own internal "software." By explaining how quantum entanglement mirrors whanaungatanga, I’m stitching my own spirit back into the fabric of reality.
Secondly, I know I’m not the only one sitting on the porch feeling like the weight of the world is too much. If my struggle, and the tools I’ve found to climb out of it, can offer even a sliver of light to someone else in the dark, then the pain wasn't for nothing. We are all entangled. When one of us finds a path to oranga (wellbeing), it creates a "ripple-out" effect through the whole iwi.
I’m also doing this because I’m a genuine truth-seeker. I suspect this will be a lifelong hikoi, and I’m not claiming to have all the answers. My views are being refined as I go—some of my earlier thoughts probably have more holes in them than a discarded fishing net. That’s why I want to open this up for debate. To the skeptics and the cynics: bring it. Challenge me. Fact-check these ideas. I’d rather be corrected and get closer to the truth than stay comfortable in a "bad explanation."
Finally, I’ve started to see that my personal journey reflects a massive shift happening right now in Te Tai Tokerau. We are witnessing a spiritual revival that is running in parallel to a "re-indigenisation" of our minds. We are moving away from the "static" colonial models that told us we were a "deprived" region and stepping into a "dynamic" future where we recognise our own infinite potential.
My dream is that by putting these aspirations into words, I can contribute to the collective wellbeing of our people, our environment, and our economy. We are reclaiming the "Oikos"—our national household—utilising the best of ancient wisdom and frontier science to ensure that the "shoot" of our culture (Te Rea) grows strong and fruitful.
A Fix for the Mindset:
If you feel like you’re stuck in the "Void," remember that in physics and in whakapapa, the Void is where all creation starts. You aren't "broken"; you are in a state of high potentiality. Start by looking for one connection—one strand of whanaungatanga—and hold onto it.
Call to Action:
I want to hear from you. Have you ever felt that "decoherence" in your own life? Or are you a skeptic who thinks quantum physics has no place at the marae? Drop a comment or send a message. Let’s start the debate and weave a better explanation together.
Straight up:
Sharing my darkest moments is the only way I know how to step fully into the light of Mauri Ora.
