Matariki: A time for reflection, renewal and reconnection.

Recently I was chatting to with a fellow Teacher, Keryn about the significance of Matariki and was surprised to find that it was not only a time for celebration but also a time for reflection. . Thank you Keryn, for this beautiful reminder that you don't need a cluster of stars, a time of year or even a date in the calendar to reflect, renew and reconnect. Every time you step upon your mat you have an opportunity to do just that. 

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Each winter, just before dawn, a small cluster of stars rises in our eastern sky. Matariki. For Māori, this marks the beginning of the new year. It’s a time to reflect on the year that’s been, to honour those who’ve passed, and to set new intentions for the year ahead. A time to take stock, breathe deep, and reconnect with what matters.

Matariki might be unique to Aotearoa, but the stars themselves, known as the Pleiades or the Seven Sisters are honoured across the world. In Hawai‘i they’re Makali‘i. In Japan, Subaru. In Greek mythology they were the daughters of Atlas, turned into stars. Many Indigenous cultures across the globe have their own stories too. What they all have in common is this idea of renewal, navigation, and reconnection. These stars have always reminded us to look up, reflect, and reset.

When it comes to yoga, we don’t need a star cluster to remind us that we can begin again. Every time you step into the hot room, you’re creating space to reconnect with yourself. The heat becomes a kind of fire. It softens, burns away the excess, and clears the path. It’s not just movement. It’s medicine.

Your practice can be a ceremony. A quiet, powerful space where you choose to let go of the things you’ve been carrying. Old stories. Old habits. Tension in the body. Resistance in the mind. It’s a space where you can set intentions that actually mean something to you, whether that’s around healing, strengthening, softening, or showing up for yourself in a new way.

Matariki aligns with the new moon, which is symbolic in itself. The darkest night. The most potential. A chance to start fresh. And just like the moon and the seasons shift, our intentions shift too. We set them. We try things. We reflect. We adapt. Then we begin again. Your yoga practice can follow that same rhythm. You don’t have to wait until next Matariki to check in. You can reflect every time you’re on the mat.

And it’s important to remember that progress doesn’t always look the way we think it should. Sometimes people say, “I haven’t gotten that much better.” But if you were to be really honest with yourself, and look back at where you started, there’s no way you haven’t improved. Sometimes the changes are quiet. But they’re there.

Bikram says, “Even if you do the posture one percent correct, you receive one hundred percent of the benefit.” Why? Because that one percent is still one hundred percent more than doing nothing. It’s intention. It’s energy. It’s forward movement. That matters.

So as the stars rise again, and we step into the Māori New Year, take a moment to pause. Let your breath lead. Let your body speak. Set your intentions gently but clearly. And know that every time you step into the hot room, you’re coming home to yourself again.

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Written by Keryn Jones.

Keryn Aroha Jones (Te Aupōuri, Ngāi Takoto, Ngāti Kahu, Te Rarawa, Ngāpuhi) is a writer, yoga practitioner and lifelong student of wellbeing. Raised in a Māori whanau where manaakitanga (the practice of care, generosity and uplifting others) was central, she brings a deep sense of connection to her work. Fluent in te reo Māori, Keryn draws from both her cultural ​​foundations and global wisdom traditions in her

pursuit of wholeness, peace of mind and the joyful expression of life.  Her work invites others to reconnect with te taiao (the natural world), their whakapapa (heritage), and the spiritual journey that connects us all.