The ability to travel is a precious gift that provides a roadmap for spiritual discovery, a compass for compassion, and a bridge to humanity. Through travel, we are better prepared to understand the grandeur and meaning of not only our own lives, but also the lives of others. This depth of experience brings clarity to the daunting question of what it means to be human, whole, renewed, and joyful.
The answer to this question becomes clear when traveling through the wild.
Deborah Kalmeyer, CEO and Founder of ROAR AFRICA, knows firsthand the physiological and psychological benefits of being in nature as a recipe for the soul. Raised in Zimbabwe, Calmeyer has a deep connection to nature. Her childhood was filled with close and personal experiences with wildlife; from swimming with hyenas in the pool to water skiing on a crocodile-infested lake; her family’s favorite lioness (Carmel) who thought she was a Labrador.
She launched ROAR AFRICA 16 years ago with the goal of curating retreats that use the power of nature to facilitate deep spiritual journeys for participants. Over the years, she has gained a clear understanding of how wilderness experiences can positively impact the human psyche and inspire us to become better versions of ourselves.
“It has become clear that the Western world’s obsession with self-improvement, self-optimization, and self-indulgence is overshadowing this most sacred and ancient connection—the connection between all living beings,” Kalmeyer says. “I call this ancient connectedness ecological intelligence, and I have seen how it can awaken the discovery of peace, purpose, and a deep sense of self that is vital to every journey we take. Those who travel with us come to understand the wonder and recognition that nature holds the key to our aesthetic, intellectual, cognitive and spiritual satisfaction, and the creation of this common ideal about the power of the wild to heal and nurture is life changing. ‘ she adds.
The upcoming Into the Wild with David White retreat in Kenya (February 2023) is just one example of what REV AFRICA is designing to change lives. Kalmeyer will take part in the journey with the world-famous philosopher, writer and public speaker David White. Designed to impress guests in unexpected ways, the retreat will allow participants to see nature as a portal, connected not only to their aesthetic and intellectual well-being, but also to their cognitive and spiritual satisfaction. The six-day retreat features the elements – earth, water, fire, air and ether – woven together by White’s poetry and practical experts in sound, breath, touch and energy to open mind and body.
There is a cathartic shift in the wild that can reprogram our own inner landscape and bind us to something far greater than ourselves. Being in the silence of the immense nature…
