This July we invite you to bring a focus to the taonga – treasure – that is your health and wellbeing.
Each week we'll be exploring an aspect of wellbeing from the Te Whare Tapa Whā model of health. It represents a person’s hauora (health) across four areas of life – all of which are connected, like the walls of a wharenui (meeting house). Each wall is dependent on the others standing strong to maintain hauora.
Achieving a sense of connection and balance between the physical, social, mental and spiritual aspects of life is essential to cultivating holistic wellbeing. When all these are in balance, we thrive – individually and collectively.
Tā/Sir Mason Durie noted that his purpose in developing Te Whare Tapa Whā "was to encourage people to develop wellbeing – not just fixing up a health problem, but becoming well in themselves."
Hear more from Tā Mason Durie in this short video:
Overview of Te Whare Tapa Whā - Ministry of Health NZ
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If I give an overview of Te Whare Tapa Whā, I should really start by saying
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the purpose of it was to encourage people to develop well-being. Not just fixing up a health
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problem but becoming well in themselves. When I thought about these things I thought that really
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what I've got to do is try and pull together four elements. I've got to pull together the mind,
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hinengaro, I've got to pull together the body so it doesn't get separated from the mind, tinana,
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but every person I see has got a whānau connection of one sort or another so I had to see that as
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part of the solution. I had to try and look at much more of the spiritual experience that
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was wairua. So that's how it began to shape up. It wasn't that these were four separate elements
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they were elements of the same thing, and the same thing is a sense of being well and healthy.
Click the panels below to explore each aspect of wellbeing and a wealth of related resources.
A healthy body is maintained by good nutrition, regular exercise, avoiding harmful habits, making informed and responsible decisions about health, and seeking medical and wellness assistance when necessary.
Taha tinana – physical wellbeing is about how our body grows, feels and moves, how we care for it, and what we put into it. In Tā Durie's words, it's “being able to feel comfortable in your own body”. Learn more of his understanding of taha tinana here.
Connection and belonging are fundamental to human wellbeing. Everyone has a place and a role to fulfil within their whānau/family, and whānau contributes to our individual wellbeing and identity.
Taha whānau – family or social wellbeing is about who matters to us in our life, who we spend our time with, and who we choose to love. Whānau is not just our immediate family, it includes the networks, extended relationships, and groups we belong to. In Tā Durie's words, “in every health concern there is a whānau element. We all come from a whānau… it’s being able to establish relationships with other people, relationships that are helpful, not hurtful”. Learn more about taha whānau from Tā Duriehere.
Our NZDF social workers, chaplains and SAPRA (Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Advisors) are available to provide confidential support for any difficulties you may be experiencing in your personal or work relationships.
In addition to 24/7 confidential wellbeing support from an external provider,NZDF4U Wellbeing Supportnow offers relationship counselling for military members and their partners, and support for military partners for wellbeing concerns.
A new NZDF training course on preventing family violence has just been released. Check it on the Defence Learning Portal on the intranet.
Just like our physical wellbeing, taking care of our mental and emotional wellbeing is important for everyone, whether or not we’re experiencing mental illness or distress.
Taha hinengaro – mental and emotional wellbeing encompasses a person’s thoughts, feelings, mind, conscience, and heart. It’s about how we feel, as well as how we communicate and think.
When your taha hinengaro is strong, you can better cope with what life throws at you. As Tā Durie describes here, “taha hinengaro is about having a clear mind that can think and can respond in an appropriate way. Being filled with knowledge doesn’t necessarily mean a healthy mind.”
Taha Wairua – spiritual wellbeing is about all the ways in which we try to make sense of how we fit in with the large scheme of things, experiences of awe, and what our ultimate meaning and purpose is. Taha wairua can be thought of as the essence of who and what matters to you.
Different people have different perspectives of wairua. For some, wairua it is about religious faith, for others it is an internal connection to the universe or the sacred. It also links to identity, such as one’s cultural identity or one’s professional identity, including our identity as a member of the NZDF. Many members come to regard their NZDF Marae as a spiritual home or tūrangawaewae.
In Tā Durie’s words it's “a dimension which is often felt, rather than spoken about”. Learn more of his understanding of taha wairua here.
Check out the schedule below, and keep an eye on your Camp or Base newsletter and digital noticeboards for additional locally run events.
Got questions for our presenters? Put your questions to them directly at in person events and during livestream webinars. If you can't attend the live events, email your questions to Integrated.Wellness@nzdf.mil.nz. Your question will be provided anonymously to the presenter during Q&A.
Register for webinars even if you can't tune into the livestream. If you are registered, you'll receive a link to the recording and any resources provided by the presenter.
And don't forget to bookmark this page. Recordings of all webinars will be available here from August...
Week one: Taha Tinana – Physical Wellbeing (1-7 July)
Week two: Taha Whānau – Family and Social Wellbeing (8-14 July)
WED 10 JULY
0800-1600
Inter gym 8 Hour Fitness Challenge
Come along and get involved in a “Race of the Regions”.
Each Camp and Base will have 3 treadmills, 3 bikes and 8 hours to cover as much distance as possible!
Gymnasiums at all Camps and Bases
THURS 11 JULY
1200-1300
Building Blocks for Healthy Relationships
Tips on improving communications with colleagues, friends and whānau, and navigating extended time apart from loved ones, from our panel of NZDF wellbeing providers (Chaplain, Defence Community Facilitator, Op Respect, SAPRA and Social Worker).
Our physical wellbeing challenges are all about strengthening physical wellbeing, which in turn enables us to be more resilient through the ups and downs of life.
Take some time to reflect on what “being able to feel comfortable in your own body” means to you, and see what challenge –or three! – you might like to take on this July.
Need some more physical activity in your life or just bored of your fitness routine? What about trying out a new activity – check out your local gym, try a martial art or even a dance class!
We all know sugar isn't our friend. While going completely sugar free can be highly restrictive, consider taking up the challenge to consciously restrict foods and beverages that are high in added sugars such as sports drinks and sugary baked goods. Rather than focusing on what you're not having, make the choice to focus on fueling your body with nutritious foods, and notice the difference it makes to your mood, energy and overall sense of wellbeing.
Take a break from alcohol over the month of July and join theNZDF Dry July Teamfor 2024. Anyone can join so grab your mates or do the challenge as a unit. The money raised by being alcohol-free during July goes towards cancer support organisations. To join the team, donate, and otherwise show your support, head toDRY JULY.
Wellbeing month is also a great time to lock in your goals when it comes to stopping smoking. Quitting is one of the best things you can do for your health and that of your tamariki/children. Knowing who's on your team, what to expect and making a plan for how to deal with cravings and mood swings are great ways to set yourself up for success. Click here to learn how.
Do you find yourself scrolling on your phone at night or binging on Netflix more often than you'd like? Set yourself a personal challenge for the week – or even better the month of July – and see what a difference it makes. Click here for some helpful advice on how to cut down time online, and here for some tips on getting a good night's sleep.
The Coastguard BIG SWIM is a chance to get active with a low impact physical activity, whilst supporting water safety in New Zealand. You can nominate the distance you think you can swim cumulatively over the month of July. Encourage friends, whānau and colleagues to sponsor you as you go the distance in the pool! To join the NZDF team or sponsor them to help them reach their fundraising target of $1,000, click here.
