A Simple Rule for Life

Here is a deep truth that has been sitting on my heart lately, especially when I look at the heavy challenges facing our beautiful home in the North. This wisdom actually came from my youngest child, who was only eleven at the time. It is a incredibly simple rule of thumb for life, a hierarchy of basic human needs that our modern world constantly gets twisted:

1. 1. Be safe.

2. 2. Have fun.

3. 3. Do what you are here to do.

The major hurdle we face today under the constant pressure of a cold, demanding system is that we frequently swap numbers two and three. We put the "grind" before our joy, and by doing that, we severely damage the very spirit, the wairua, that fuels our actual purpose in life.

1. Safety First

The very first step can never be negotiated: Be safe. In my ongoing research, I talk a lot about building the Economic Pā. Historically, the pā was a secure place of defense, shelter, and storage that ensured the long-term survival of the family group.

The war in my mind

Growing up in Taitokerau, my mind always felt like it was in a tug-of-war. My mum had a very strong faith, and she did her absolute best with what she was taught. But to my scientific mind, the stories I heard on Sunday mornings felt like fairy tales. They were nice stories, but they didn't seem to have much to do with the "real world" of physics, math, or running a business.

I saw a version of faith that people used to control others or a version that stayed trapped inside a church building. It felt separate from the land and separate from the facts of life. I thought I had to choose between being smart and being spiritual.

A challenge to seek truth

Everything changed for me when a kaumātua from my hapū gave me a challenge:

“Kimihia ma te tika ma te pono e whakaatu ai koe.” 

Seek truth and faith and let them show you the way.

This sent me on a journey where I started reading deep science alongside our own Māori traditions.