A few years ago now
I experienced a sudden loss
my life as I knew it was turned upside down
the grief was so immense and often unbearable
I knew what I needed was to keep my hands busy through it
busy creating
to support in bringing myself gently through the grief
I took to weaving these beautiful puti puti
day and night
in amongst my work
my life,
I would weave and weave
cry
shed more tears
all the while keeping my hands busy
and watching my space turn into a mountain of woven puti puti
I have always turned to flowers
for beauty, comfort, support
as gifts
in my first job I was trained as a Florist
a gift passed down on my Fathers side
then came the creation of a huge funeral casket spray
from all the woven putiputi (flowers)
which somehow felt siginificant
as I was grieving
this sat in amongst my space as well
Sometimes I wished I didn’t feel things so deeply
but then this gives me the ability to sense and feel into the subtle realms and supports me in my mahi wairua (spiritual work)
still now I’ll reach for the harakeke (flax) and turn to weaving when things are challenging
Or there is some sadness sitting on my heart
that I can shift,
through this beautiful practice of weaving.
