Spiritual health
Spiritual health | Wairua represents the spiritual wha (aspect) of wellbeing. This is what gives us meaning, purpose, and a deep sense of connection to ourselves, others, and the world around us.
Wairua (spiritual wellbeing)
Spiritual health | Wairua is about the connections that bring a sense of belonging and fulfilment. Whether expressed through culture, religion, relationships, nature, creativity, or personal beliefs, it helps us feel grounded and gives direction to our lives.
Wairua
- Reflects your values, beliefs, culture, and traditions
- Connects you to the environment, people, and your sense of identity
- Helps you understand what grounds you and what makes you unique
- Can include faith or religion, or come from nature, creativity, or cultural practices
- Brings a sense of purpose and meaning to life
- Supports your roles in life — as a sibling, friend, teammate, leader, or caregiver
- Strengthens your understanding of your gender, culture, and place in the world
- Encourages a sense of belonging and inner peace
Ways to connect with your wairua
- Spend time outside
- Reconnect to your language and culture
- Give back to others
- Practise reflective journalling
- Visit a marae or church
- Use the Prayer Room (G304, Dunedin campus)
- Connect to the natural environment
- Connect with your communities (e.g. Rainbow, International, Pasifika, TPO, Neurodiverse)
- Practise self-care
- Take time alone to recharge
- Express yourself creatively (art, music, hobbies)
- Try mindfulness and grounding (gratitude, colouring in, 5 senses exercise)
- Return to places that help you reflect and feel connected
Chaplains at OP
The chaplains based at Otago Polytechnic provide a range of pastoral care and spiritual services for staff and students.
Our Māori chaplain, Shari Roy, is like an aunty that can help you make sense of your spiritual health. She does this through whakawhanaungatanga, basic cultural support, pastoral support and karakia, all through a Māori lens.
Contact Shari
Maori.Chaplain@op.ac.nz 027 7025966
Steve is the full-time chaplain at OP, available to absolutely anyone, by phone, email or face-to-face.
Contact Steve
chaplain@op.ac.nz 021 338800
Attributions
This work includes material from the following sources, in order of appearance:
Hero image: A group of rocks on the beach by David Ramos. Retreived from https://unsplash.com/photos/a-group-of-rocks-on-a-beach-7dXlQqKbFVI. Licensed under the Unsplash licence
Woman with heart shaped hands by Hassan OUAJBIR. Retrieved from https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-sitting-while-showing-heart-sign-hands-1535288/. Licensed under a Pexels.com license
Rocks balancing, Hans-Flöckinger-Promenade, Innsbruck, Austria, by Deniz Altindas. Retrieved from https://unsplash.com/photos/gray-stones-t1XLQvDqt_4. Licensed under the Unsplash licence