The Magic of the Peripheral
Out of the far corner of my eye I see a flash of movement, so brief and subtle I can’t be sure if I saw anything at all. But, I have been here before, noticing something on the very edge of my periphery that catches my attention.
I trust myself and I stop, look and wait. The very first hints of morning light are creating silhouettes of the trees but there is just stillness. Time passes. Just as I am about to look away I see a flash again, so quick it appears supernatural. And again. And then it comes into view - two Lesser Bushbabies pause momentarily, clear against the dawn sky before climbing into a small tree cavity as they settle in for the day. “There you are!”, I think as the space between the moment and my trust closes.
I feel this is how life is a lot of the time. We hope things will be obvious, clear, like a large elephant in full view on the road ahead of us. And yes, sometimes it is. But more often than not, things happen at the edges; a thought, an idea, a person, a dream. Sometimes so fleeting that doubt sets in. Did I see that? Did I feel that? Did I imagine that? This is where spending time in the bush cultivates trust in your peripheral awareness. You train to look for the flit of a wing, the flick of a tail, a distant alarm call, an obscured scuff in the dust. It is in these little, subtle signs at the edges of our focus that we redirect our attention and find magic. Over time you begin to trust yourself more, and allow that pull of attention to flow.
- Written by Andrea Fitzpatrick
We create safaris in 12 African countries. Your adventure starts here.
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We wanted to give all of you a gift but with friends spread across the globe, a tangible gift wasn’t possible. We hope this handcrafted card carries the same intention. Download, print, cut and fold - may it remind you of the abundance you’re part of, and may it ripple outwards as you share it with others. Use it to celebrate a birthday, send thanks, or simply pass on a message of love.
Amy shares how running shoes and rhino tracks can leave the same kind of legacy: one that safeguards wild places and uplifts people!
Founder, Private Guide and Safari Planner
Being born the daughter of David Attenborough (it’s true but he’s probably not the one you’re thinking of) I don’t believe I ever really had much choice about what direction my life would take. I grew up in the city of Durban, South Africa but for as long as I can remember nature has called to me. Whenever I could I would escape to the forests around my home barefoot and in search of chameleons and red duiker to befriend.
And so in 2010, after completing my Journalism and Media Studies degree, I followed that calling to the wilds of Southern Africa to become a game ranger. I planned to stay for a year but it turned into ten. During that time, I worked at Phinda Private Game Reserve, Ngala Private Game Reserve and Londolozi Game Reserve, some of South Africa’s most prestigious lodges and immersed myself in the natural world. I learnt to track animals with Zulu and Shangaan trackers and spent as much time as I could on foot approaching animals with my guests. I also put my photojournalism degree to use by becoming a specialist photographic guide. I travelled to Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Uganda, Israel, Jordan, Egypt, India and throughout South America in search of wildlife. My greatest adventure was living in Gabon training local guides for the WWF and Smithsonian Institute, where we spent weeks at a time living like early nomads in the dense and remote coastal forests, fulfilling a life-long dream of tracking and habituating wild gorillas. Seeing how embodied and present animals are inspired me to begin practicing yoga. I am a qualified vinyasa and yin teacher and spent six months training under a Hatha master in Boulder, Colorado. I am also a certified Martha Beck life coach. With this mixture of knowledge, interests and skills, I started Wild Again to help others really experience the wild places I know and love so much. Through my specialised Wellness Safaris that incorporate yoga, meditation, mindfulness and personalised life coaching I continue to grow more conscious safaris that return people to nature and to themselves. As we re-wild ourselves we hear the earth, our common mother, again. It is only then that we can co-create with her healing.
Tell us if you’re keen to plan a safari or join a retreat. We’re ready to create your dream experience.
