THE ALPHA FREQUENCY #713: UNDERSTANDING OUTER DARKNESS & THE SPIRITUAL WASTELAND
Beyond the Fear
In our journey through Te Tai Tokerau, we often encounter teachings that are used to make people feel afraid. One of the biggest areas of fear is the idea of "Hell" or "Outer Darkness." Many of us were raised with stories of a basement of fire where people are sent as a punishment. But when we look at the original words and the whakaaro of our tūpuna, we see a very different picture. These terms aren't about a scary place under the earth, they are about cause and effect, and how we manage our mauri.
The Rubbish Dump
Ihu (Yeshua's name in the Paipera Tapu) often used the word "Gehenna." In English, this is usually translated as "Hell," but in the real world of that time, Gehenna was a physical place. It was a valley outside Jerusalem called Ge-Hinnām. It wasn't a spiritual pit, it was the city rubbish dump. It was a place where rubbish was burned and where things that had lost their value were thrown away. When Ihu spoke of this place, he was giving us a pragmatist's warning about spiritual waste.
Te Wāhi Whakangaro
In Te Reo Māori, we can describe this as "Te Wāhi Whakangaro," the place of destruction or waste. It is a warning to us as Tāngata whenua that if we do not prioritise our spiritual health, we can end up wasting our potential. Just as a piece of fruit that has rotted is no longer useful for the feast, a life that has lost its connection to the Wairua Tapu becomes like spiritual "rubbish." This isn't a threat from a mean God, it is a simple realisation about how the universe works.
The Outer Darkness
The other term Ihu used was "Outer Darkness," or "Pōuri Kerekere." To understand this, we have to think about a great wedding feast or a community hui at a marae at night. Inside the wharenui, there is light, warmth, laughter, and plenty of food. Outside, away from the lamps, there is only the cold, dark night. To be in the outer darkness simply means being left out of the party. It means missing out on the joy and the connection that comes from being part of the community and the Source.
Guarding Our Mauri
This teaching is a wero for us in the North. We are the navigators of our own lives, and we must be careful about what we allow into our hearts. If we fill our lives with the "BS" of greed, anger, and selfishness, we are essentially creating spiritual waste. We are moving away from the light of the feast and toward the cold of the darkness. Realising this helps us to guard our Mauri Ora and make sure we are building something that lasts, rather than something that will just end up on the rubbish heap.
The Feast of Light
Ihu spoke about the reality of those who choose to stay outside the circle of light and connection:
"But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Ethiopian Orthodox Bible (Matthew 8:12)
Original Ge'ez Text: ወውሉደ፡ መንግሥትሰ፡ ይሰደዱ፡ ውስተ፡ ጽልመት፡ አፍአዊ፤ በህየ፡ ይከውን፡ ብክይ፡ ወምሳሕ፡ ስን።
Direct Ge'ez to Te Reo Māori Translation: Ko ngā tama ia o te rangatiratanga ka makaia ki te pōuri o waho; ko reira te tangi me te tetea o ngā niho.
Choosing the Light
Our goal in Taitokerau is to be a "shining light" to the rest of the world. We cannot do that if we are living in the shadows of waste and regret. By tuning into the Alpha Frequency and staying connected to the Source, we ensure that our lives are full of value and purpose. We are building a society where everyone is invited to the feast of well-being and equity. Let us stop living in fear of old stories and start realising the power we have to stay in the light.
