I want to tell a story today, it is one of many stories that pop up now and then from Miss 6 and 3/4 year old Teia… We were having dinner tonight (roast chicken!) and she says quite confidently, “I think the wish bone can come from either the leg or the wing.” “Oh” I [...]

This rock is very definite today; the lines and colours are solid and permanent. Trust is a big word. I’ve started to write about this in many posts before, but for whatever reason the kōrero didn’t feel right, so I left it… and now it has come back! And sometimes the things that are hardest [...]

I was walking today, being present in my surroundings and I was amazed at how much I took in. I walked to town which is only half an hour but in that time I saw so many things… scenes presented to me, full of messages, I would have missed them if I was not fully [...]

I’ve just looked back over the past few days and realised that the rocks I’ve painted have been either white, grey or yellow! Maybe a bit boring, but for me the colours suit my moods and what has been going on in my life at the time. And I’ve definitely been in a contemplative space [...]

Why do I paint koru? A friend prompted me to write about this, when she asked me what the circles that I paint mean to me… For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been drawn to circles and spirals. As a child in school I used to create borders for my assignments that [...]

I heard this kōrero today from Trevor Moeke – the regional manager for Te Wānanga o Aotearoa here in the East. It was at the wānanga graduation that he spoke about kina… and he went on and on and on about kina… But the gist of his kōrero was about how kina is such a [...]

Marie my osteopath was talking to me about the physical body today and how we have to keep our bodies moving, in “motion” otherwise we get tense and tight and things shut down. Which makes perfect sense ne? It was like a revelation for me, not because it was something new but for the first [...]

As we head into the second half of the year, I find myself delving deeper and deeper into my life, why am I here, what is my purpose? The restlessness and the tiredness I mentioned a few days back, it all make perfect sense with where I’m at… And where I’m at is listening; listening [...]

We watched Operation 8 tonight at the Dome Cinema here in Gisborne. I don’t know where to start with this documentary other than, I cried, I got angry, I laughed in bits too but deep down in my heart I realised that nothing has changed from when our ancestors lived to today… I thought about [...]

I listen to my heart because this is where my truth lives, and my truth gives me permission to be me and allows my spirit to soar… Arohanui, Jo x

It’s one of those times when I’ve got so much to do and I want to do everything at once! And restless – so so restless, but tired at the same time. I’m tired from all the travel and have only just got my feet on the ground again… and it won’t be long before [...]

I’ve been prompted today to think about what really matters… Life is not about waiting for the right moment or having regrets but taking action and living, really living with love in your heart and appreciating every moment… I believe everyone wants to love and be loved, to be cared for, to be joyful and [...]

We’re here at Pungarehu marae beside the Wanganui river and I’ve just come to the waters edge… This river is beautiful – I hear sounds travel up the river and echo all around me… When I bend over to wash my hands in the awa (river), I think to myself, how far up the awa [...]

In Wanganui at the moment with Todd for his final te reo o Wanganui wananga… I love wānanga for many reasons: They bring people together to share kōrero and stories about many different things. People leave with a full kete – with new ideas and perspectives, often challenged. Overwhelming at times, they can take you [...]

I flew from Gisborne to Auckland, Auckland to Wanganui today. The trip to Wanganui was at night and it was the first time that I’ve flown with a full moon. I’ve heard that the second full moon is the Māori moon, and this is the moon that was shining tonight. I looked out the window [...]

Puanga kai rau – an abundance of food at Puanga… Ngā mihi o te tau hou Māori ki a tātou! Happy Māori New Year to us all! They say that the Māori new year begins on the new moon in June which was on the 1st of June and today the 15th of June is [...]

So I’m home and grounded but I feel like I’m on cloud nine! And there’s more to come! It’s amazing what intention can do. Speaking your truth and being who you are can create magic everyday and bring to fruition those dreams you first thought impossible. My vision is: “Inspire, Uplift and Heal through Nature [...]

The kahu (hawk) followed me all the way home today. Every corner I turned, the kahu was there… I’m used to seeing kahu while driving but today was extra special – so many! I must have saw at least 20 of them flying and it all started in the morning when I woke up at [...]

I was pleasantly surprised when I boarded the plane home today and the guy at the counter said to me “kiaora” and then as I left he said, “Tēnā koe” I thought, wow that is SO awesome that someone has taken the time to learn our reo and is using it to greet people as [...]

Di gave me The Alchemist by Coelho to read and so it is coming home with me, kind of like a companion… I first heard about it 13 years ago when I was taking photographs on the Kaituna River. One of the rafting guides mentioned it to me and I thought, wow that sounds like [...]

Cousin Tina picked me up today so it was nice to catch up with her and reminisce about the times we’ve spent together and how far we’ve come since then… And then catching up with cousin Kiri was, as always a joyful and interesting experience! But so wonderful to spend time with her again too! [...]

Memories of times gone by, beautiful healing with Di, present moment, going with the flow and just doing what ever you feel in any point and time… Challenging, growing, changing, new beginnings, every day a new life… Arohanui, Jo x Happy birthday to my darling niece Ani who turned 16 today. How appropriate that a [...]

I woke this morning in the bush, a stunning day and something happened that took me back in time to when I was a teenager going through a lot of stuff and I realised that this was a part of my healing. It was so profound I knew it was for me… So I left [...]

In nature – seeing is feeling… the leaves talk to me… I was out in the bush today, creating in nature. I found a beautiful spot with a rock in the middle and I painted it. As I painted I tuned in to the land, the birds, the trees and thought about the snake and [...]

This place is so alive. Floating Land is over and I’ve said goodbye to my sacred space beside Lake Cootharaba and am now at Ross and Tamzyn’s sacred space just out of Cooroy. The first thing I noticed is how alive this bush is. Spiders SO big and my fear of being in that very [...]

Sunday 5th June – today is the last day of Floating Land and the conversations about water are coming to an end although I feel they have just begun. One of the things I remember in amongst all the korero was not an answer but a question…What If? And so it has prompted me to [...]

Floating Land is nearly over and I’m feeling a little sad to be leaving this beautiful place but realize my attachment to the land and water here is something that I need to let go of in order for me to continue on my journey. I’ve been conscious of this attachment to time and place, [...]

I woke up this morning to birds singing and when I came down to the space there were birds there as well just as they were when I first arrived. I feel like this journey is coming to a close… the lake has been such a place of healing and reflection for me… a space [...]

These two ducks went swimming by today. Well, paddling or swimming, whatever they do to move in the water! I’m not really into ducks but these ducks were something else. I couldn’t help but notice them gliding peacefully through the water, leaving a trail of patterns behind them. And such a beautiful colour… anyway, no [...]

There’s this amazing tree in the space beside the lake where I am working at the moment. It’s like this totem pole in amongst all these other trees which are also like totem poles. I took photos of it today and it is very feminine as Ilka said and to me it looks like a [...]