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Breathe with me - Book Review

Breathe with me: Using breath to look after my Tinana, Hinengaro and Wairua 

Tutagalevao A. B. (2022). CulturalHubb. 

Culturalhubb is a New Zealand-based Pacific-owned company that is dedicated to producing positive and meaningful stories from Aotearoa and the Pacific to inspire young readers to become confident storytellers. Cultural integrity is important to them, so they consult with educators and cultural communities when developing resources. As with other titles in their range, this book is trilingual, comprising Te Reo Māori, NZ Sign Language and English. Many of their books touch on cultural identity and wellbeing. Breathe with me highlights how we can use our breath through simple meditative breathing exercises as a tool to calm and connect us: 

‘Your breath is a taonga that you can use anytime to calm you. Breathing is easy to do and can help relax your tinana, hinengaro, and wairua. We can be on our way to a happy day!’ 

The design and layout of the book are well thought out, with a mix of bright drawings and photos of children in traditional dress performing the actions transposed on top. It encourages the use of Māori stories (pūrākau) aligned to Te ao Māori principles to engage and connect with children to help them calm their breath while experiencing different feelings/emotions throughout the day. Each page introduces the supporting sign language action. 

Te Whare Tapa Whā is acknowledged as an important resource for teaching wellbeing in schools. This book incorporates aspects of this indigenous model of health developed by Professor Mason Durie. With a focus on tinana (physical dimensions), hinengaro (emotional dimensions) and taha wairua (spiritual dimensions). A practice that positively impacts our health in a holistic way both through breath work, body postures and incarnations that recognise the connection between oneself, and the natural and spiritual worlds.  

This book is a great addition to the class or whānau when it is time to start or take a pause in the day. The glossary and activities at the end of the book make it easy to incorporate into the curriculum and give opportunities for further self reflection.   

I think the folk at CulturalHubb have achieved their goal of designing a book that will produce confident storytellers who will feel connected to the wairua of this pukapuka. 

Review by Tonya Wyatt, intermediate teacher

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.

Monday

MONDAY

Start the week off with an act of kindness. On the first day of MHAW, take some time out of your day to help someone in a small but meaningful way. Even one simple thing, like carrying groceries or holding a door open for a stranger, can create a chain reaction of kindness that uplifts the whole community.

Ideas for how you can help someone today:

Tuesday

TUESDAY

It’s no secret that the pandemic, rising costs and extreme weather events have made things tough for our local businesses and organisations over the past few years. Today, we encourage you to tautoko/support an independent merchant or community organisation. Why not purchase a small gift for a friend from a local creator, or post about an awesome business or community group on social media? A little tautoko can go a long way in difficult times.

To support a small neighbourhood business or community organisation today, you could:

Wednesday

WEDNESDAY

We’ve made it to the middle of the week!

Feeling connected to others is strongly associated with better wellbeing, because it gives us a sense of meaning, safety, support and purpose. Give yourself — and your loved ones — a mid-week boost, by reaching out to a friend or whānau member you would like to catch up with.

You could connect with the important people in your life today, by:

Thursday

THURSDAY

As we move closer to the weekend, find some time in your day to connect with someone in your community that you don’t usually talk to. Introduce yourself to a neighbour, a parent at your child’s school, or someone at your local café . Building relationships with people who live in your community can create a supportive network, right at your doorstep. 

To get to know someone new in your community today, you could:

Friday

FRIDAY

What better way to finish off the week, than by saying thank you to someone in your community? Spread some good vibes by showing your gratitude today —  it could be to the courier driver, to a local volunteer, or to a workmate or neighbour…anyone who helps make your community what it is. 

You could express gratitude to those in your community today, by: