Kia ora everyone!
This blog will contain my answers for our term 3 assessment about DDA.
1. What is this topic about, and what things have we covered?
So far this term for health our topic has focused on death, dying and the afterlife–specifically what occurs before, during and after death, and how different cultures cope with these events. Over the past five weeks, we have learned about the various stages and processes that take place during bereavement.
In week one, we watched this movie called Coco to understand how Mexican culture celebrates their loved ones who have passed, highlighting traditions such as The Day of The Dead. During week two, we evaluated this knowledge by completing tasks related to the movie, discovering the similarities and differences of the traditions regarding death across a variety of cultures. We continued this work in week three. In week four, we learned about the different processes that a person goes through as they begin passing away (unless they die due to an accident). We also covered the five stages of grief and learnt how we can support a person who may be experiencing it. Lastly, in week five, we focused on accomplishing activities about practical ways to cope with death and grief, while ensuring the continuous healthiness of our overall hauora across all dimensions.
These are examples of some work we have covered during the study of this topic:
This shows the work where we learnt about The Day of The Dead after watching Coco.
This displays the knowledge we gathered as we explored our own and other cultures’ ways of coping with change, loss and grief.
This showcases our task of choosing a specific stage in the five stages of grief and elucidating what it means.
2. How did I show respect, and how does that action enhance the wellbeing of others?
Throughout our exploration of the traditions different cultures use to handle death, I demonstrated respect by listening attentively and ensuring to remain open-minded when encountering practices that were unfamiliar to me. I remembered to be considerate, recognising that diverse cultures have distinct, meaningful traditions. This was displayed as I chose to stay quiet when my personal opinion wasn’t necessary, or when I maturely read each culture’s tradition with zero judgement. I believe that regardless of how a culture chooses to manage death, dying and the afterlife, it should be respected, even if it differentiates with our own beliefs.
Showing this level of respect actively enhances the hauora of others in each aspect of Te Whare Tapa Whā in the following ways:
- Taha Wairua (Spiritual Wellbeing)
Respect deeply validates and honours a person’s cultural customs, sacred rituals, and connection to their belief during a time of passing. When a person sees that their values are respected rather than questioned, it preserves their spiritual integrity and allows them to feel safe to do what matters to them, without the fear of being criticised. Ultimately, I think this strengthens a person’s sense of purpose, hope and inner peace regarding the spiritual transition and afterlife.
- Taha Hinengaro (Mental and Emotional Wellbeing)
Showing respect provides a profound sense of emotional safety and comfort, assuring a person who is grieving that their unique thoughts, feelings and reactions are completely understandable. It reduces their stress, anxiety and feelings of isolation by surrounding them with an environment that accepts them for who they are and what they do. This allows them to build emotional resilience, which lets them process their grief at their own pace without external pressure to conform standards of others.
- Taha Whānau (Social Wellbeing)
Respect enhances one’s sense of connection and belonging by showing that their identity and background are genuinely valued by others. It empowers individuals to express their grief openly and share their stories, ignoring the worries of social stigma, exclusion or judgement. Furthermore, it fosters positive, trusting relationships with people around them. This helps create a supportive network where a person feels truly seen and cared for.
- Taha Tinana (Physical Wellbeing)
Lowering stress and emotional distress through respect helps prevent physical burnout, headaches, and the extreme physical fatigue that is often associated with grief. It encourages a person to look after their physical health because they feel mentally clear and supported. This can be as simple as resting properly, eating well, and engaging in healthy coping strategies. Additionally, it respects physical mourning practices or traditional ceremonies involving touch and movement, which are vital for one’s physical closure and healing.
3. Why is it important we care for all areas of hauora during times of change, loss or grief?
It is important that we care for all areas of hauora during times of change, loss or grief, because these difficult life events do not just affect a singular part of us–they impact our entire wellbeing. Due to the fact that all four dimensions of Te Whare Tapa Whā are deeply interconnected, struggling in one area will often cause the downfall of others. Therefore, looking after every single aspect is necessary to achieve an overall balanced health, and to ensure we heal from whatever pain we’re experiencing.
The following explains how each aspect of hauora can be affected, along with multiple ways on how it can be managed:
- Taha Wairua (Spiritual Wellbeing)
Major loss and grief can shake a person to their core. This can lead them to question their purpose, lose hope, or feel a deep void inside that just can’t be explained in words. People may also experience a sense of total disconnection from their values, cultural identity, or beliefs about the universe and the afterlife.
To support spiritual wellbeing, the person can spend quiet time in nature, as many find this grounding and peaceful. They can also practice daily gratitude by focusing on positive daily memories or things they are still thankful for. Engaging in meaningful cultural or spiritual traditions, prayer, meditation or lighting a candle for a loved one can help them create a deep sense of closure, comfort and inner peace.
- Taha Hinengaro (Mental and Emotional Wellbeing)
Emotional distress can cause waves of overwhelming sadness. It often causes persistent anxiety, shock, anger, confusion and difficulty concentrating at school or work. It can also lead to overthinking, mental exhaustion, and a feeling of being completely overstimulated by basic daily tasks.
To support mental wellbeing, the individual can try expressive writing or journaling. This helps get their chaotic thoughts out onto a paper. Sometimes people prefer keeping their negative feelings to themselves, so this is a great method. Although, talking openly about their feelings with a trusted friend, family member, or counselor will also help lift the heavy weight. In addition, they can utilise mindfulness apps, grounding techniques, or even do simple creative activities such as drawing or listening to music.
- Taha Whānau (Social Wellbeing)
When going through tough times, people tend to frequently experience social withdrawal. They usually pull away from friends and family, because they feel misunderstood or too exhausted to interact. This isolation can strain relationships and make feel them alienated, removing the support system that they desperately need.
To support social wellbeing, the person should make even a small effort to stay connected with others. This might just mean sending a simple text message of help or quietly spending time in the same room as a loved one, rather than entirely hiding away. Instead of pretending like everything’s okay they should learn to accept help when it’s offered. Joining a support group or leaning on safe, trusted spaces helps reconstruct a true sense of belonging.
- Taha Tinana (Physical Wellbeing)
Grief and major life changes can severely disrupt the physical body of a person. This may constantly lead to extreme fatigue, chronic lack of sleep, or insomnia. People may also experience extremely painful headaches, a weakened immune system, and either a complete loss of appetite or a sudden stress that leads to overeating.
To support physical wellbeing, the individual should focus on establishing a gentle daily sleep routine. Drinking plenty of water and eating nourishing meals are also important, even when they don’t have the appetite. Moreover, engaging in light physical movement like gentle walks, stretching, or deep-breathing exercises can help release build-up physical tension.
4/5. What is my chosen topic of investigation about?
My chosen topic is an investigation regarding the theory that a flashback of your life plays for 7 minutes after death. In the article, it shares what happens in the human brain at the moment of death and shortly after the heart stops. For centuries, myths and religious traditions have spoken of a “life review”, where the past flashes before someone’s eyes. This investigation looks at how modern science are now beginning to catch glimpses of what really unfolds in the final minutes of one’s life. It explores recent studies and examiness whether the brain continues working for several minutes after death, potentially causing vivid memories, awareness and near-death experiences.
6. What are some pieces of information that caught my eye? How does this investigation link with hauora positively/negatively and long-term/short-term?
Based on the article from Healthandme, one of the most interesting pieces of information I found is the discovery that death is actually a biological process rather than a sudden event, as the brain doesn’t stop working immediately. For instance, in 2022, doctors in Canada were tracking an 87-year old epilepsy patient when he suffered a cardiac arrest. Even after his heart had stopped, his electroencephalogram (EEG) kept displaying rhythmic waves, which resembles memory recall, meditation, or dreaming. Researches noted surges in gamma oscillations linked to conscious processing and memory retrieval, making it seem as though the man’s brain was replaying moments of his life as a final act of reflection.
The subsequent explicates how the investigation links to each dimension of Te Whare Tapa Whā:
- Taha Wairua (Spiritual Wellbeing)
This connects to spiritual wellbeing because the research explores the boundary between life and death, touching on traditional ideas such as “life review,” the soul’s transition, and spiritual near-death experiences.
On the positive side, these findings help bridge science and spirituality, which validates traditional ideas and helps individuals create greater inner peace. On the negative side, it could create conflict if individuals feel that science is trying to over interpret or dismiss their spiritual beliefs.
In the short term, it could cause temporary confusion if individuals struggle to balance scientific data with their own personal spiritual or cultural beliefs. In the long term, it provides lasting comfort by showing that the dying brain is not completely silent. This bridges the gap between neuroscience and spiritual worldviews.
- Taha Hinengaro (Mental and Emotional Wellbeing)
This connects to mental and emotional wellbeing because it focuses on brain activity, consciousness, memory recall and how people process the heavy psychological reality of dying.
On the positive side, knowing that the brain undergoes a final wave of dreaming or memory recall can reduce anxiety and bring strengthened mental comfort about what happens during passing. On the negative side, thinking closely about death can trigger brief emotional stress, anxiety, or overthinking.
In the short term, reading about death and brain activity can activate immediate emotional distress or worry. In the long term, understanding that the brain remains active helps people process grief and accept the realities of life and death with a more peaceful mindset.
- Taha Whānau (Social Wellbeing)
This connects to social wellbeing because scientific discoveries about death, dying and near-death experience are meant to be shared and discussed among families, peers and communities.
On the positive side, discussing these topics helps break the taboo around death, allowing people to connect and support one another. On the negative side, if people disagree on the meaning of these scientific studies, it can cause social friction or arguments among peers.
In the short term, learning about these brain studies can spark deep, meaningful conversations that bring people together to share their thoughts and fears. In the long term, having a shared, open understanding of how the body handles death positively supports communities in talking about grief without fear, isolation, or social stigma.
- Taha Tinana (Physical Wellbeing)
This connects to physical wellbeing because it explores the actual biological processes happening inside the brain, neurons, and body when the heart stops and oxygen levels drop.
On the positive side, these discoveries help medical professionals and hospitals improve safety guidelines by giving doctors better scientific reasons to observe patients longer after cardiac arrest before declaring death. On the negative side, thinking about neurons being starved of oxygen and fighting for survival can be confronting, stressful, or physically unsettling to process.
In the short term, learning about dying neurons can cause immediate stress or shock when imagining the physical body shutting down. In the long term, however, it has a positive impact because it enhances medical practices and alters how doctors handle resuscitation and patient care.