THE WOVEN UNIVERSE #906 - THE POWER OF THE GAZE: MANA AND HOW WE SHAPE OUR WORLD
Not Just Bystanders
In our journey through the Woven Universe, Rev. Māori Marsden taught us that we aren't just sitting in the audience watching a movie. We are part of the cast, and more importantly, we are helping to write the script. Through the traditions of Te Tai Tokerau, Marsden understood a deep truth that science is only just beginning to catch up with: the way we look at the world actually changes what the world becomes. He called this power Mana.
The Power of Mana
Many people think of Mana as just prestige or being "famous," but for a Navigator of the North, Mana is spiritual authority. It is the ability to influence the field of potential that surrounds us. Think of Te Kore as a cloud of infinite possibilities, like a menu where every choice is still on the table. Mana is the act of making a choice. When we focus our intent, our prayers, and our actions on a specific goal, we are using our Mana to pull that possibility out of the cloud and turn it into a solid reality in Te Ao Mārama.
Collapsing the Wave
In modern science, they call this the "Observer Effect." They have found that tiny particles don't decide what to be until someone looks at them. Our tūpuna knew this centuries ago. They knew that if we look at our land and see only poverty and "deficits," we are choosing to manifest that reality. But if we use our delegated Mana to observe abundance, to see the potential in our whānau and our soil, we begin to collapse the "wave" of scarcity and replace it with a state of Mauri Ora.
Authority from the Source
Marsden was always careful to explain that this Mana doesn't belong to us personally, like a possession we can hoard. It is a functional authority on loan from the Creator. Ihu (Yeshua's name in the Paipera Tapu) is the Source of all Mana. He is the one who gives us the right and the responsibility to manage the life force of our region. When we align our "gaze" with His vision for peace and love, our ability to shape reality becomes much more powerful because we are plugged into the Alpha Frequency.
The Source of Authority
Ihu (Yeshua's name in the Paipera Tapu) made it clear where the power to change our world comes from:
"And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.'" Ethiopian Orthodox Bible (Matthew 28:18)
Original Ge'ez Text: ወመጽአ፡ ኢየሱስ፡ ወተናገሮሙ፡ ወይቤሎሙ፡ ተውህበ፡ ሊተ፡ ኵሉ፡ ሥልጣን፡ በሰማይ፡ ወበምድር።
Direct Ge'ez to Te Reo Māori Translation: I haere mai a Ihu, ka kōrero ki a rātou, ka kī, "Kua tukua ki ahau ngā mana katoa i te rangi, i te whenua hoki."
A Wero for the North
This isn't just nice poetry; it is a practical wero for all of us in Taitokerau. We have been told for too long that we are victims of a system that is broken. But if we reclaim our "Voyager Mindset" and realise that our Mana can influence the field, we stop waiting for permission to thrive. We start prioritising the well-being of our hapū and our environment because we know our observation counts. We are the ones who decide if the North will be a place of struggle or a shining light to the rest of the world.
Fixing the Soil
When we speak life into our communities and act with the authority of Ihu (Yeshua's name in the Paipera Tapu), we are fixing the soil of our society. We are choosing to observe abundance until it becomes the only reality we see. By taking up this mantle of stewardship, we ensure that the Woven Universe remains healthy and strong for our mokopuna. We aren't just watching the future happen; we are observing it into existence.
