REFLECTIVE INSIGHT #026 - THE SACRED ORDER: SAFETY, FUN, AND PURPOSE

Prioritising Life

Here is a whakaaro that has been sitting on my heart lately, especially as we look at the challenges facing our beautiful Northland. This wisdom came from my pōtiki who was 11 at the time. It’s a simple rule of thumb for life, a hierarchy of needs that we often get twisted:

1. Be safe

2. Have fun

3. Do what you’re here to do

In that precise order. The wero (challenge) we face in our modern world, particularly under the pressure of what we might call the "Babylonian" operating system, is that we frequently swap numbers two and three. We put the "grind" before the joy, and in doing so, we damage the very spirit—the wairua—that fuels our purpose.

Safety First

The first step is non-negotiable: Be safe. In our research, we talk about the "Economic Pā". Historically, the Pā was a place of defence and storage, ensuring the survival of the hapū. You cannot thrive if you are constantly in a state of survival mode or high entropy (disorder). We need "Ontological Security"—a safety of mind, body, and spirit. Whether it is financial security through institutions like Te Au Rawa Mutual or simply the safety of a warm, dry home, this foundation allows us to lower our guard and breathe. Without safety, the "wave function" of our potential cannot collapse into a reality of abundance.

The Necessity of Fun

Next comes the part we often neglect: Have fun. This isn’t just about entertainment; it is about "Mauri Ora". In the Mauri Model, a score of +2 represents a state of thriving and negentropy—building life force. Having fun is good for the wairua because it regenerates the energy we lose in the daily battle.

If we view the universe as a "clockwork mechanism" of dead matter, as the old Newtonian physics did, fun seems inefficient. But in a "Woven Universe" of relationships and entanglement, joy is the binding energy. It keeps us coming back. It turns the "work" from a drain into a flow.

The Universal Constructor

Only once we are safe and our wairua is topped up with joy can we effectively tackle number three: Do what you’re here to do. This is our purpose. We are designed to be "Universal Constructors"—agents capable of transforming our world and solving problems. We are here to move from being "Static Subjects" to dynamic creators of value. But we cannot be effective constructors if our internal battery is flat.

Don't Flip the Script

The mistake we make is prioritising the "doing" over the "being." We operate in a "Leaky Bucket" economy where we export our energy and exhaust ourselves trying to fill the void. By flipping the order—by putting the work before the joy—we create "Social Entropy". We burn out. To realise "Te Whenua Taurikura" (The Thriving Land), we must respect the order. Secure the Pā. Feed the Wairua. Then, and only then, go out and change the world.