It’s July 2019 and SOUL this month is 14 years old, we have literally seen thousands of people through our doors over the years - choosing to heal, choosing to grow, choosing to open their hearts to love and life.
This space is a legacy of love to the earth and to the people on it. We are every day dedicating ourselves to peace, healing, love and opening to the guidance of spirit to direct our path. We are a community. A people who choose to live our best lives and show up everyday to practice. Whatever that practice is - yoga, cacao, meditation, dance, sweeping the floor, doing admin…..it is all part of the practice.
Every year I ask myself - is this still the best way to serve? Is this still the best path to reach people? Is this still want I am meant to be doing with my precious life - my time, my energy, my flow. At times this journey has been achingly hard - giving all my savings, my child-bearing years and everything I have to serve. This is the path of the priestess, the healer and the wise woman. Together we grow a community. I couldn’t do it without you. Everyone who has passed through the doors has offered something to this alchemic melting-pot of SOUL. For you I am eternally grateful.
This year on our 14th birthday we where gifted with a very special toanga (treasure) from one of our kaitiaki (guardians). For the last few years we have been operating without a street sign - making it hard for people to find us from the street. Matua has changed that for us this year with the most beautiful creative work - that far surpasses any kind of street sign that I have ever encountered.
Earlier this year we made a call for the community to come together and write and draw what SOUL was to them. We gathered, sat together, drank cacao, meditated, breathed together, tuned into our tribe - the soul community, tuned into the wood, asked for direction and let the images flow……..during this gathering together - a new name emerged for SOUL CENTRE
“The sign came through the heart efforts and inspiration during our gathering - even through the Maori scroll patterns portray consistent flow, it’s simplicity reflects the natural lore of Nature - the letters are enhanced through an interesting sketch by one of the SOUL friends - crystal inserts of cream quartz are from my ancestral home - Coromandel - to acknowledge spiritual guidance - the pounamu, at the base honors the Patupaiarehe (little people) whom live in the Waitakere ranges - A new name given by them during an evening kai together is Puna Wairua or Spiritual Spring - The source of Pure Waters - flows through the kowhaiwhai design on the right and above the letters.” Matua Louis Kereopa
Matua took away our words, pictures, dances, song, mahi and love and began to create, carving away - here is our journey…..
In late June this beautiful piece was completed.
With the help of some of our man tribe (Grant Weaver + Russ) the sign was erected and a beautiful blessing created. From our wide and beautiful community from 5 years old to 67 years young - we sang, danced and sprinkled the sign with our love, our gratitude and our kawakawa leaves and flowers. I am so greatful to our kaitiaki (Matua and to Caroline Robinson) who made this beautiful ceremony such a blessing. Everyday we give thanks.
Please come and enjoy this beautiful carving, it drops us deep into the whenua here. For which we are eternally grateful. Come and get close to it - feel it, run your hands over the grooves. Send your prayers deep into it’s heart.
Kua hōhonu ki te whenua ngā pakiaka o te rākau e kore e taea te huhuti. / The roots of the tree are deep into the ground and cannot be pulled out.
Our deepest gratitude goes out to Matua Louis Kereopa - a master carver - a beloved friend.
If you would like to donate to this beautiful man for his work please see Willa at SOUL reception.
With endless gratitude also to Luke Gabites who came on this journey with us - he is not in the photos as he took them all!! Blessings to you Luke!!
