There is magnetism in the wild. Something that no matter who you are and what life you lead, it draws you in. For a moment, be it brief, you are reconnected. It is this primordial pull; this intense tugging at the heart that lures us back to wild places, that allows us to gaze in wonder at a budding flower, to be entranced by the theatre of the night skies and to be hypnotised by a jackals piercing call ringing through the early morning mist. We are taken back to a time when we were integral components of earth’s magical system. An ecosystem that we were never supposed to have divided ourselves from.
Environmental artist Andy Goldworthy writes,
“We often forget that we are nature. Nature is not something separate from us. So when we say we have lost our connection to nature, we’ve lost our connection to ourselves”
A male lion from the south sits regally in the warm evening glow. Silhouetted by gold, his presence at complete peace with his surroundings.
Therein lies one of human kinds greatest mistakes and most monumental tragedies. When we isolated ourselves from nature, and began to believe ourselves above it and not apart of it, we broke a link so crucial to our continued survival on this planet that we now find ourselves in an environmental crisis.
“We have to stop speaking about the Earth being in need of healing. The Earth doesn’t need healing. We do. It is our task to rediscover ourselves in Nature.” Ian Mc Callum
A Zebra stares on at dawn: a moment of contemplation for the day.
We have a lot to learn from the natural ebb and flow of the wild. The acceptance of what is, the sustainable way in which it evolves and the value of life.
I am one of the lucky ones as I live here at Londolozi. I have an endless tract of beautiful wilderness to lose myself in, right on my doorstep. But how do we, as modern humans, reconnect ourselves in a city context? How do we begin this process when we are surrounded by concrete and fumes on a daily basis? There is an old African saying that goes; How does one eat an elephant? And the answer is… one bite at a time! So while I am definitely not advocating a change in diet here, this old proverb gives us one crucial piece of advice: we start small. We start with ourselves.
A pause in the excitement of afternoon game drive to appreciate the wonder of a setting African sun, and acknowledge our privilege of being able to witness it
So here is my recommendation: Take time to notice. It doesn’t have to be a massive chunk out of the day. But I urge you to cognitively recognize an aspect of the natural world each day. This can be a beautiful cloud formation, the sun warming up your skin, a sip of cool still water. And then when you do have the time, opt for a walk on the beach or in the park. If you have a garden, spend time in it! Plant flowers and vegetables that you can observe transforming in front of your very eyes. When planning trips, get out of the city, whether this is to a reserve nearby, the coast or even coming to visit us here in the South African bush. It is a conscious choice. And, it starts with you.
Stop, breathe, rediscover.
Written and photographed by: Andrea Campbell
Awesome blog Andrea. It is so true. We are part of nature and should recognize it. Stop rushing and to use that old cliché “smell the roses”.
I love your blog Andrea, and it’s true…take that moment each day to just stop and appreciate the beauty around you and restore your soul. It’s so important to not let that bond between nature and ourselves fade away. Thank you Andrea, for the reminder of what’s really important in life.
Ah, the talents at Londolozi. Excellent guides, amazing trackers, stupendous kitchen staff, wonderful wines. And, of course, all the people who work at Londolozi. To top it off, brilliant writers. Very nice, Andrea. You have a well-inked pen.
Thank you Dave
Thank you Andrea for a beautiful reminder to connect with our surroundings and one another. It was a life-changing experience for me in Londolozi. I experienced a reconnection with myself and what is really important in life.
Sending hugs through the miles.
Life changing indeed! Sending big hugs to you and the whole family!
Dear Andrea, reading your post drew me into such a quiet & wondrous place …the Lion’s & the Zebra’s stillness went beyond the limits of photography & I had a sense of their utter grace.
Andrea. what a brilliant observation. I started doing exactly that after my very first visit to Africa almost twenty years ago. when I fly to a town for work I attempt to lay on one extra day to explore and photograph the local countryside. I have visited literally thousands of places but, none yet that compare favorably with Londolozi.
Never a truer word spoken Andrea! The youngsters today need to focus on what will be there future or if not, they will only see concrete, pc’s, iPods etc & will have very lonely lives.
My garden is my haven when I can’t afford to get to the bush, but it restores my soul. Thank you & all of you for your wonderful blogs!
We were lucky enough to experience your guiding talents at Sabi Sands and are now enjoying your photography and ‘penpersonship’ via the wonderful Londolozi website. Part of my noticing and valuing the things around me includes dipping into the Londolozi newsletter and losing myself in the wonderful sites and experiences there.