Spending time in nature is powerful. We as humans may not always be able to grasp its true power but every now and then, if we are open to it, we are able to get just a glimpse of how nature can have a profound effect on our lives. It may be the overall experience of a safari or even just the simplest moment of realization that has an everlasting effect.

A moment of realisation could be stimulated by anything from a sunrise to an incredible sighting during a game drive.

Over the years I have been lucky enough to have many moments of realization, some big, some small but all have helped me in some way or another along my path in life. However, there is one that seems to be recurring, no matter how many times I experience it, I am humbled by its power and the effect it has on me, and I am sure I am not the only one who feels this way. There is nothing quite like being near a lion when it calls.

A lion’s call, also known as a lion’s roar, is a deep, guttural sound that lions use to communicate with each other and to mark their territory.

The sound is produced by the lion’s larynx, or voice box, and can be heard from a distance of up to five miles (eight kilometres) away. Lions use their roars to warn other lions of their presence, to announce their dominance, and to attract a mate. When a lion roars, it opens its mouth wide and inhales deeply, filling its lungs with air. It then exhales forcefully, making the loud, guttural sound that is characteristic of a lion’s roar.

I will never forget the first time I experienced this, I had heard lions calling from a distance many times before, therefore I was expecting it to be loud and powerful, what I wasn’t expecting was that I would feel it. As the lion bellowed out his magnificent roar, I could feel the vibrations pulsing through my body, I was awestruck. He continued to call multiple times and it wasn’t long before I felt I was on the verge of tears. Thinking at the time it was only from the sense of being overwhelmed. What I didn’t realize was that this feeling would return on many more occasions. Over the years I have not always been brought to the verge of tears, but I have felt joy, fear, excitement, contentment and even hope. So how can a lion’s call have so much power over me?

Witnessing a lion roaring must surely be one of the most humbling experiences. In this photograph a male lion was doing his morning patrol, advertising his presence to other lions in the area

Lions can produce the sound it does because of the hyoid apparatus. It is a group of bones in the neck that support the tongue and larynx (voice box). In lions, the hyoid apparatus is enlarged and shaped differently than in other cats, which allows them to produce the distinctive, powerful roar for which they are known. During a lion’s roar, the muscles in the hyoid apparatus and larynx contract and relax rapidly, causing the vocal cords to vibrate and produce sound.

It wasn’t until the other day when I has a similar emotional experience when a lion was calling that I decided to look a little deeper into why a call of nature can make me feel the way I do. The timing also happened to coincide with guests who had recently experienced a sound therapy treatment in the healing house. We had been chatting a bit about it and how it made them feel. One thing that came up was that it seemed the bring up certain emotions. So, I thought, could the call of the lion be linked to sound therapy?

Londolozi’s signature Sound Therapy treatment will transport you back into your own true nature, pathing the way for deep restoration of the body during your journey.

Sound therapy is a type of alternative medicine that involves the use of sound waves to promote healing and relaxation. It can take various forms, including music therapy, vocal toning, and the use of instruments such as gongs and singing bowls. Sound therapy is based on the idea that the vibrations produced by sound can have a positive effect on the body, mind, and emotions. It is often used to reduce stress, improve sleep, and promote overall well-being. Some practitioners of sound therapy also believe that it can help to balance the body’s energy and improve physical and emotional health. Could the vibrations we feel when lion calls have a similar effect?

Could it also be that the rasp of a leopard, the rumble of an elephant, the rutting impala or even the bellowing of a buffalo, have some sort of effect on us that we might not be aware of? Ultimately I think just being in nature and being open to its powers has the ability to heal us all.