Sharing the Breath

Dear Friends,

This letter is being written in Aotearoa (New Zealand), where I have the opportunity to learn from the ancient wisdom of the Māori - although they are among the most recently settled indigenous people on our planet. When it comes to the language, they are among those who have preserved it most successfully from colonial repression. I like to think that cultivating the warrior identity is sometimes a good thing. Their fierceness may have helped to protect their language and identity, although both have also been hugely damaged by the injustices committed by the more recent European inhabitants of this green island in the Pacific Ocean.

One of the Māori rituals when people meet, is called Hongi. It is the pressing of noses to share the breath (picture). I find this so moving. Our breath is what connects us to this present moment (we can only breathe now), to life force (we only live as we breathe) and to all that is breathing and giving us breath (the trees and the ocean so wildly present here). How beautiful it is to remember and honour this when we connect to each other.

Another concept I came across while being here is Le vā - a Samoan term that means as much as the relational space, the space in between. So, instead of focussing on things, on the visible and the tangible, we could choose to focus on the space in between. This is not an empty space for Samoans (and for me), but the very essence that connects us to all there is. It’s always there, waiting for us to remember it.

Hongi and le vā, two expressions of ancient wisdom, two reminders of the interconnectedness that we share, and that we are. Needless to say, I am finding beautiful and useful inspiration here for the Moving Language project.

Moving Language is an ongoing living research. At Amiglia, we will further explore how using Moving Language, helps us remembering that we are le vā - relational space - more than anything else. I love that I cannot do this research alone. I need people like you to take part in this project. You are warmly welcome if you feel called to be part of this life-changing exploration. You’ll find more information on my website.

Tomorrow evening, Monday 12 January, I’ll be giving an online talk about how we can step into a more connected way of living, and how to stay at Amiglia. You’re more than welcome to join. It’s free, but you have to register here.

Arohanui,
Zoë