π Te Hopo Rehe β INFJ, SDG 3 & 14
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π Website: Pouakaihealing
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π² Mobile: +64 22 072 0157
Te Hopo is a traditional MΔori energy healer who works as a direct channel for ancestral wisdom. Authentic, direct, and deeply connected to the spiritual realms, he describes himself as living in te wheiao β the dimly lit space between light and dark. His healing practice, Hono Hono, is not just a technique but a calling he has been aware of since childhood , guided by his powerful connection to the ocean and his role as a protector.
π± THE HEALING PATH: βItβs in the DNA.β
Te Hopo recognised his healing abilities from the age of five. He describes this indigenous knowledge as being "in the DNA," a gift that everyone possesses but few activate. Rather than formal training, he honed his skills at festivals, a place where people were already open to the spiritual side of life. A critical part of his journey was a self-described "naughty phase," which included membership in an outlaw motorcycle club and time in jail. He views this period as essential training.
βI could never do what I do now without having been through that.β
This journey through darkness gives him the understanding and fearlessness required to clear negative energies for others.
π‘ HEALING MODALITY: HONO HONO
Te Hopoβs practice is Hono Hono, a form of traditional energy sharing. He acts as a conduit, or "the meat in the sandwich," allowing the energy of a person's ancestors, his ancestors, and other spiritual entities to flow through him to the client.
An Ancestral Connection:
The healing process begins long before a session. Te Hopo believes that a personβs ancestors guide them to him. About 95% of his clients report feeling an inexplicable pull to see him, which he interprets as a sign that their ancestors have already connected with his.
The Process: A Channel for Energy
Te Hopo does not need clients to verbalise their issues. Instead, he receives information from the ancestors through:
Visions: Seeing pictures in his mind that point to specific traumas, such as physical or sexual abuse.
Physical Sensations: Experiencing goosebumps and "electric shocks" that guide his work.
Intuitive Knowledge: Receiving numbers from his guides that correspond to the age a childhood trauma occurred.
He then facilitates a process where the client must volunteer the information, stirring up the "muddy water" of their past to allow it to be cleared.
The Healer's Role:
As an "active channel," Te Hopo remains present during sessions, interpreting spiritual guidance within a human context. He maintains control of the session, understanding that for healing to occur, the client must surrender to the process and relinquish their own defence mechanisms.
π§ ROOTS & INFLUENCE
Te Hopo's ability to navigate deep trauma is rooted in his own life experiences. Having survived both physical and sexual abuse, he has a particular forte for helping others with these issues, which he says affects a high percentage of the women who come to him. He has since forgiven those who harmed him. This personal history, combined with his time exploring the "darkness," allows him to work without fear and guide others back toward the light. His identity is also shaped by his children, whose love he describes as something he cannot survive without.
βMy tribe, my race has become the human race.β
π A DEEP CONNECTION: LIFE BELOW WATER
Te Hopo identifies as a "sea creature," with his main animal totems being the albatross (Te Hopo) and the killer whale (maki). His passions for sailing and diving are profound metaphors for his healing work:
Sailing: Working with the wind, moving effortlessly with natural forces.
Diving: Going deep into the dark, high-pressure environments where he feels most comfortable.
This connection was solidified during a near-death experience as a commercial rescue diver. At 50 metres deep, he lost his air supply and had to make a choice. His tohunga (priest) later interpreted this as being given the option to stay with the "merpeople" in another realm. By choosing to surface, he chose his healing path on Earth.
π€ THE PATH FORWARD
Currently, Te Hopoβs primary focus is raising his 12-year-old son, Tei, and teaching him how to be a good man by modeling calm, authentic behaviour. He has a clear vision for the future: once his son is grown, he plans to get a sailboat and travel the Pacific with his family, offering healing wherever he goes.
π Glossary of Terms (as used in the interview)
Hono Hono: Traditional energy healing based on energy sharing.
Atua: God, deity; a state of pure energy the soul returns to.
Karakia: An incantation, described as a cross between a prayer and a spell, used to interact with the natural world.
Kaitiaki: Guardian.
Tohunga: Priest, medium.
Tai pΕ: Lost souls, particularly those connected to places like war memorials.
Te ao marama: The world of light and understanding.
Te pΕ: The darkness, the unknown, the hidden, the mystery.
Te wheiao: The dimly lit, in-between space between te ao marama and te pΕ where Te Hopo resides.
Whare tangata: The womb.
Hongi: Traditional MΔori greeting where two people press their noses and foreheads together.