Silent Symbols - Guided by Tohu
- Joanne Hakaraia
- Jun 23
- 3 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
Silence is a vibration.
In the silence, there is a vastness of space — an emptiness of nothingness… and yet, there is sound. A frequency of stillness that, when attuned with, becomes a portal of pure potentiality. Within this state of sacred presence lives the subtle vibration that moves through everything, even in moments of deep quiet.
Pain has a sound—a vibration that echoes through the body, shaping and forming our physical reality. Within our tissues lives a memory, a silent record of past experiences calling for healing and restoration. This sacred information is carried through the realm of Te Whē.
The body is the final messenger. When something is out of alignment, it first reveals itself in wairua—the spirit. If unnoticed, it begins to ripple into the hinengaro, affecting the emotional and mental realms. Only when we have not heard the subtle whispers of our inner world does it finally speak through the physical body.
Often, it is only when pain arrives in the body that we begin to listen and seek guidance. But the body is not the beginning—it is the last voice in a long line of wairua calling us home.
When I place my hands upon the mamae (pain) of a whaiora (client), I often sense a deep sigh. The tissues have been witnessed, the memory of an event is brought to light silently. Messages come through. Though no words are spoken, the body responds with a vibration. In this sacred exchange, the whaiora begins to heal themselves. Their body emits sound and sensation from within. Touch brings a gentle awareness to their body and initiates an inner spark of healing — their own healing frequency.
This healing frequency is a sound that comes from the realm of Te Whē. And that sound creates a shape and forms what it needs to in order to restore balance. Whether that be in the form of sound induced heat, sound induced chelation or sound induced sleep. It initiates the release of endorphins in the body, easing pain and calming the nervous system. The vibration of the hands draws the whaiora back in to their body in a safe and compassionate way. For those who have become disconnected from their body through trauma, this reconnection is a gentle homecoming. It reminds the tissues and cells of goodness, of warmth, of joy. Where fear or numbness once lived, the body is gently reminded of what it feels like to be whole.
Our hands carry an ancient intelligence — an x-ray vision not of the eyes, but of the manawa (Spiritual Heart).
Whether through gentle touch or pure presence, the hands can sense what lies beneath the surface — reading the subtle language of the body, hearing the hidden stories woven into muscle and bone. With deep attunement and sacred presence, the hands can feel the pulse of inflammation, the weight of pain, or the sharpness of unresolved trauma. They learn to discern between heat, stagnation, contraction, or imbalance — each sensation revealing a quiet truth.
In this way, our hands become more than tools — they become sacred eyes, listening deeply, sensing with compassion. Often, they begin to tingle or heat up even before touching the body. And once placed, they know where to go — guided not by logic but by intuition. They move, hover, tap, or rest exactly where needed, responding to the energetic terrain of the client. The hands know when to stay, and they know when to move on — the energy begins to shift, to settle, to ease.
It is important to know when to regulate our energy while holding space. Remembering that we are but a vessel and a conduit and our state of sacred presence requires regulating. At times, we may need to deepen our breath or gently reposition ourselves to ensure we remain nourished and energised — so the healing flow comes through us, not from us.
Do your hands begin to tingle or warm when you're near someone who may be in need of healing? Have you felt energy stirring through your palms, sensing that your hands carry a deeper knowing?
Would you like to learn how to work with your hands as sacred instruments—how to read, feel, and interpret energy within a healing space?
A Kaitohu Wairua is one who listens deeply—reading the signs and messages that arise from the spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical realms. They can impart gentle guidance, helping others realign when they have drifted from their path. Pain, in this view, is not the enemy—but a tohu, a sacred signpost that something within is ready to be remembered, restored, and brought home.
If you feel the call to walk this path, I invite you to join me for a 2-day workshop. Visit our Workshops page to find a workshop near you.
Mauri ora
Joanne Hakaraia-Olson
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