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Unlike traditional journals which rely on a linear notion of time, Waitohu invites you to record daily entries guided by the Māori lunar calendar. Each day, you are prompted by the many faces of Hina, the Māori moon goddess, to record your thinking. As each month ends you’ll return to the beginning of the journal and write under the same day of the month before.
This cyclical approach allows reflection on previous months. In time, notice which themes and patterns emerge under each moon phase. Rather than write and move on, you are invited to make meaning from past entries.
Author, Dr. Hinemoa Elder, has breathed life into the whakatauki ka mua, ka muri or walking backwards into the future. By learning from our past, we can inform our future. Te ao māori has long known the interconnectedness of the moon and wellbeing. For the author, the call to create a hautaka (journal) that better connected past, present and future arose after writing Aroha and Wawata.
Those unfamiliar to maramataka need not worry. Waitohu is simple to use. The meaning and significance of each moon phase is clearly described. Creativity is encouraged. Each page provides space for inspired writing, drawing or doodling.
Waitohu means significant and meaningful. An aptly titled journal for those looking to record and make sense of life’s experiences.
Review by Gina Speedy, School Counsellor
Disclaimer: Please note these reviews are not intended as endorsements or recommendations from the Mental Health Foundation. This feature introduces resources that may be useful for individuals with an interest in mental health and wellbeing topics.