Te Whare Tapa Whā and Groov’s six pillars of mental wellbeing
Understanding the key elements that lead to good health and wellbeing.
Just as a house needs strong walls and a good foundation to keep it stable, so too can we think of our health and wellbeing in this way.
There are some core components to wellbeing that each contribute to our ability to thrive in life.
Te Whare Tapa Whā is a Māori model for understanding health developed by leading Māori Health Advocate Sir Mason Durie. It describes these components as being like the four walls of the wharenui.
At Groov we use a six pillar model. Both the six pillars of Groov and the four cornerstones of Te Whare Tapa Whā reflect that good health depends on nurturing the emotional, physical, social and societal aspects of wellbeing. Let’s take a closer look at the two models.
Te Whare Tapa Whā
In Te Whare Tapa Whā the walls are imagined as follows:
Taha whānau - is the connection between us and the people we love. It is about the benefits that come from caring for and being cared for by others and having a sense of belonging and being understood.
Taha tinana - is about our physical health. How we nourish and nurture our body through movement, nutrition and relaxation as key components of staying strong and well.
Taha hinengaro - is about our emotions, thoughts and feelings. How we think and feel is intrinsically linked to our health and wellbeing. Being aware of and taking care of this side of ourselves is vital.
Taha wairua - is our ability to feel wonder and awe about the world around us. It could be about faith or spirituality, a sense of purpose or the ways in which we find meaning.
Finally, underpinning the four walls is the foundation of whenua, our connection to the land and our place of belonging.
Groov’s six pillars
Groov uses six pillars as the path to wellbeing. They are Connect, Do, Chill, Move, Celebrate and Enjoy.
Research shows that by taking small, daily actions around each of these six pillars we can not only reduce our stress levels but increase our resilience and feel happier in our lives.
Here’s how these pillars correspond to the four walls and the foundation of Te Whare Tapa Whā.
Connect is all about connecting with and helping others. As with Taha Whānau, it’s the things you do to strengthen relationships, socialise, give back, and volunteer.
Do is all about learning. It’s the things you do to keep your brain active and stay creative. Like Taha hinengaro it focuses on how we look after our minds.
Chill is all about reducing stress. It’s the things you do to calm your mind, relax your body, and switch off your fight or flight response. This aligns with Taha hinengaro because when we take time to unwind we are tending to our emotional needs. It is also part of Taha tinana in that it involves looking after our physical wellbeing. Whenua is also related to Chill as we tune into and appreciate the natural world around us.
Move is all about keeping physically active. It’s the things you do to move your body in a way that feels good. This is part of Taha tinana.
Celebrate is all about recognising and building on strengths. It’s the things you do to find the positive, exercise self-compassion, stay anchored to meaning and purpose, and live your values. This pillar speaks to Taha Wairua
Finally, Enjoy is all about having things to look forward to. It’s the things you do for pleasure and fun, and to practice self-care. Enjoy is a core part of Taha hinengaro.
Each of these pillars has a role to play in helping us as individuals to flourish.
Everyone will have their own approach to incorporating them into daily life and Groov helps people discover what works best for them. Through Groov and the six pillar approach we can begin to create everyday wellbeing for all.
