Going into nature

Why do I return to this spot? What draws me here? What makes me get out of the vehicle and immerse myself in this landscape? Why am I obsessed with trying to catch a hint of its perfection in a photo? The answers are hard to put into words – this landscape creates a feeling of recalibrating your soul.

In wondering what to write about these photos I thought of a favourite quote by American writer Henry David Thoreau, in 1854, from his book, ‘Walden’. “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practice resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms, and, if it proved to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish its meanness to the world; or if it were sublime, to know it by experience, and be able to give a true account of it in my next excursion.”

I’m currently reading a book published in 2021, ‘Black Lion – Alive in the Wilderness’ by South African Sicelo Mbatha and co-written by Bridget Pitt. It is Mbatha’s account of life as a wilderness spiritual guide. On his umkhiwanesacredpathways.com website he states, “The elements of nature have birthed me, and I am one with them. I breathe the same air as the lion roaring for the moonrise, I breathe the same air as the dung beetle foraging underfoot… My mission is to go beyond a superficial tourist safari experience of wildlife; to draw on my indigenous wisdom and knowledge of the bush to enable people to have a deep, transformative experience in nature; to walk with reverence, attention and humility on the sacred pathways of the wilderness… Every encounter with wild creatures has brought symbolic messages to me; has brought me teachings that I could never find in a textbook. It has been my life’s path to rekindle the wildness in all of us; to bring people into the presence of wildness, and help open their souls to its beauty, wisdom, and infinite power to heal. I believe awakening our souls to the healing power and wisdom of nature will help us reknit our broken relationship with the natural world and with each other, and help us repair the devastating consequences of climate change, pollution, environmental destruction, and social injustice.”

These authors speak my language, regardless of the century, with resonating phrases, observations and insights. And, like a hand that fits a glove, the essence is part of the Singita philosophy too. It is what we as guides try to mediate for our guests. Simply put it is not our aim at Singita to, “Go on game drive” - but rather to, “Go into Nature.” Together we can recalibrate our souls in this wilderness landscape.