Time vs Wā: Reclaiming our wā
Every Kōanga or Spring when the clocks shift for daylight savings, our tinana and hinengaro feel the change. It’s subtle but science shows these disruptions to our circadian rhythm can lead to fatigue, poor sleep, irritability, and stress. Around this time, many of us feel emotionally off-balance. This shows us that wellbeing is shaped not only by what we do, but by the systems of time we live within.
In Te Ao Pākehā or the Western world, time has become a system of control, measured, divided, and governed by the clock. It moves in a straight line from the past to the future, pushing us to fill every moment, to measure every breath. The more we chase it, the more it escapes us. This linear model creates anxiety where we are feeling that we are forever running out of time.
Psychologists such as Zimbardo and Boyd describe how people trapped in “future” or “past-negative” mindsets experience more stress and lower wellbeing. The roro responds as if it's under threat, activating the amygdala which is a part of the roro that triggers the fight, flight, freeze or fawn response. Over time, this constant activation erodes our rest, clarity, and calm. Time becomes something to fight against, rather than move with.
In Te Ao Māori there is wā. Wā is not a countdown; it is a current. It flows in cycles, connecting the marama, tides, whetū, and all living things. The maramataka teaches us that time is relational; it’s part of the living fabric that connects people to te taiao and to one another. There is no running out of time, only wā tika or the right time, the natural rhythm for each season of life.
When we view time through the maramataka, emotions like fear, anxiety, or fatigue are not personal flaws but they are tohu from the environment that something is out of sync. Whiro and Korekore phases may bring low energy, inviting reflection and rest. Rākaunui and Turu bring fullness, creativity, and action. Observing these cycles helps us live responsively rather than reactively, restoring balance between hinengaro, tinana, and te taiao.
Daylight savings, by contrast, pulls us out of rhythm, a man made attempt to reorder light and dark. This results in disconnection from our internal clock and mirrors a wider disconnection from te taiao. What if instead of bending ourselves to mechanical time, we shaped our systems around wā, aligning mahi, rest, and wellbeing with natural cycles of energy and light?
Imagine Aotearoa guided by both science and mātauranga Māori:
Kura, wāhi mahi, and health systems recognising the importance of natural sleep and energy cycles.
Hapori using maramataka to plan activities, kai, and rest in alignment with te taiao.
Policies that honour Indigenous knowledge as part of mental health and prevention strategies.
This is the systems change we seek, a world where wellbeing is supported not only by personal choices, but by the rhythms of the world around us.
As we move through daylight savings and coming off Mental Health Awareness Week, let’s each notice our own rhythm. Seek light in the ata to reset the tinana. Rest more deeply on low-energy nights. Observe how your emotions shift with the marama. Talk with whānau, kura, and workplaces about living in rhythm with wā and not against it.
Wellbeing begins not with control, but with connection. When we remember that wā is whakapapa, linking our tīpuna, our present selves, and the generations yet to come, we rediscover calm not in the ticking of a clock, but in the breath of the cosmos itself. Watch this space for the release of a resource to support you on your haerenga to living in rhythm with wā.
To learn more contact our Rautaki Māori Jade Kameta via jade@healthyfamilieseastcape.co.nz
Reference: Zimbardo, P. G., & Boyd, J. N. (1999). Putting time in perspective: A valid, reliable individual-differences metric. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 77(6), 1271–1288.
