TE WHARE TAPA WHA¯ – TAHA TINANA
OPINION: Now that we have discussed both taha hinengaro (mental wellbeing) and wairua (spiritual wellbeing) and the effects these taha have on our overall wellbeing, we will now be focusing on the taha tinana of Te Whare Tapa Wha¯ .
In te reo Ma¯ ori, tinana means body or our physical state of being.
In this part of our series, we will think about what we do to nurture our body and how we show appreciation for our tinana.
The food we feed ourselves, the way we move our bodies and the way we love ourselves in our own skin are all practices that are a huge part of taha tinana.
is a 100 per cent Kiwi-owned community platform that helps the neighbourhoods of Aotearoa thrive. By exchanging helpful information, goods and services in a safe and trusted way, it's never been easier to feel part of the neighbourhood. Join today at
There are a lot of assumptions that the only way to look after our taha tinana is by going to the gym every day and working out our muscles, but it’s far deeper than that.
Usually when I look at my body, I like to think of it as my home.
When I look at my body this way, it allows me to appreciate it more and to see it as my safe haven, rather than something that gets me from A to B.
Usually when my tinana is out of balance, it can put a lot of stress on my body and that leads to feeling mentally unwell.
Some things that I do to maintain my physical health are simply going outside and moving my body in whatever way I feel.
This could look like going for a walk in my neighbourhood or even doing something fun like dancing to my favourite song.
But not only do I focus on moving my body, I also look after my tinana by eating when my body tells me to eat, resting when I need some time out and doing the simple things like brushing my teeth, washing my hair and maybe even doing a face mask from time to time.
Every night I set aside 10 minutes to focus on my skincare – this has become my own self care ritual for my taha tinana.
Although it’s not a huge commitment, it’s a simple thing to do each night that impacts my wellbeing immensely.
It’s important that everyone has their own ritual or practice that allows themselves to connect to their physical being and show gratitude for the way our bodies are constantly working overtime for us.