Te Whare Tapa Wha

A couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to get to see Sir Mason Durie speak for the opening of mental health week. He was the main reason for my attendance. Mason Durie developed the Maori model of health Te Whare Tapa Wha which I don't just see relevent to maori, its relevent to all. It's based on a holistic approach with the recognition that 4 pillars of health need to be regarded. Te taha hinengaro refers to psychological health, with a focus on emotions. It is understood that the mind and body are inseparable,Te taha wairua refers to spiritual awareness, which to some may mean organised religion and to others not, but it is recognised as the essential requirement for health and well-being. It encompasses dignity, respect, cultural identity and personal contentment also. Te taha tinana refers to physical health and growth and development as it relates to the body. This focuses on physical well-being and bodily care.Te taha whanau. Which may mean family, communication, relationships, mutuality, and social participation. With the belief that expectations or opinions of the whānau can have a major impact on choices that an individual makes. Mason Durie also went on to say that wellness is about looking at what is 'right' with us as opposed to what's wrong. Sickness and diagnosis whilst a PART of the story, is not the whole story. It's what we do with our diagnosis that really matters. Te Whare Tapa Wha gives me a way to articulate my own personal approach to health and wellness, and it's principles form the foundation of my lifestyle management facilitation. When there is an inconsistancy in our four pillars, it reveals itself as stress in either our mind/body/relationships and our contentment levels, with eventually affecting all parts. Whilst at the time often stress may feel insurmountable and hope may feel elusive, connecting up the dots can sometimes be simpler than people think if that inconsistancy is addressed early enough. I have explored many pathways in health and wellbeing over the last 25 years and I believe that Te Whare Tapa Wha will be the model of health that will eventually become mainstream in NZ.. Exciting, especially as the potential is there to bridge some gaps and bring about a more inclusive society if we can keep our eye on the bigger picture and put less focus on our difference which only creates division. It's a framework that we all have the potential to explore and find some mutuality in. Our professionals who work in the current biomedical model of health are starting to work closer with those of us whose focus is on social development, and together we can make huge changes for the benefits of all. Looking back over my life I can now identify that all roads have lead to this holistic way of thinking for me and will be the cornerstone on which all my future choices will be made. This doesn't mean that I won't make poor decisions somewhere, or that Im excluded from negative things happening to me, but it means that when the wheels fall off as they often do, I will go back to this framework for my strength. From here I will need to identify what I can change or improve on, or who to network with for the type of support that I will need. Whilst, the bigger answers may not always appear that clear initially, what I have found is that one small step forward in one of the four pillars will always create a step forward in all areas. This model for health could be the glue that not only connects us back to who we are as individuals but as a community and a society. At some point in our lives we need to focus more on what matters to us rather than what is the matter and the sooner we understand that, the better shot at wellness we will have.

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