Dr Hinemoa Elder’s reputation for her books on health and wellbeing in Aotearoa is so formidable that any publication she releases deserves to be read and embraced wholeheartedly. Her latest book Ara is no exception. Following the Maori goddess of the mind, Hinengaro, the reader travels through a series of caves, each one representing a place, time and thought in our minds. The trail gives us insights into who we are now and who we could be in the future and delving into each cave opens up instinctive and emotional responses based on appearance, feel, and sensory experience.
I love the way her narrative has intrinsically linked the Maori culture with natural elements that connect to our emotions. It’s a book that draws from history and culture but is so relevant for today’s world. “Hinengaro gives us the extraordinary power to construct the caves as we go. She has been playing her own special version of Minecraft for a very, very long time. I imagine her renaming the game ‘Mindcraft’.”
It is a very visual journey, and you truly feel you are walking side by side as you enter and exit each cave. You are never left alone but as each cave contains so many messages and questions that need to be thought through, it is best to absorb the book ‘cave by cave’. Put it down and return when you are ready to enter the next cave.
This book offers a fresh perspective on the concept of mindful awareness and Dr Elder has again delivered us an Aotearoa treasure that will always have a place on our book shelves.
