Whether we are conscious of it or not, the Earth communicates with every one of us in one way or another. By way of experience, a trip to the mother continent, Africa, gifted me an expanded perspective of this diverse planet we call home. After 2 weeks, 8 flights, and 2,000 kilometers on the road, many different destinations, interactions, and experiences have culminated into a humbling wash of knowledge that has left me with a lot to think about.
Among the many individuals that I met along the way was a hero of mine, Michael Tellinger. 
Michael is a scientist, explorer and internationally acclaimed author of numerous books, and dozens of lectures available on YouTube. He is the founder of the UBUNTU Liberation Movement of UNITY & Higher Consciousness. Michael has become an authority on the ancient vanished civilizations of Southern Africa, the mysterious origins of humankind, resonance, cymatics, and the power of sound. His research includes a diverse field of subjects such as archaeology, mythology, human origins, religion, origins of money, spirituality, breakthrough science, and consciousness. By acting on principals of love and unification, he is wholeheartedly committed to bringing unity and peace to everyone and has become one of the most influential figures doing so on the planet today.
One morning while hiking atop the third largest canyon in the world, Blyde River Canyon, we came across numerous vendors selling their homemade trinkets. I had a chance to ask questions to the older woman pictured below about her life. Having crafted her pieces in a nearby village, she travels up the mountain daily with hopes of selling her crafts to provide for herself and her family. She earns a very modest living, with little opportunity to do much more than sell her handicrafts. Her values seemed to be centered on relationships and loving her family. In this sense, she has all the wealth she could ever ask for. She said that the people in her village were happy and while living was not luxurious by any means, they have access to most things that they need. The simplicity she embodied imprinted my heart with amazement, and meeting her was truly an experience that has gifted me gratitude for the privileged life that I have led.
Shortly after landing in Johannesburg, in the northeastern corner of South Africa, a white-knuckle drive littered with car accidents and unfamiliar cultural territory led us to begin the next leg of our African adventure in Kruger National Park.
Bordering Mozambique to the east, Kruger Park contains one of Africa’s largest game reserves, with an abundance of Lions, Leopards, Rhinos, Buffalo, and Elephants. It is one thing to see these animals in a zoo, however, when experienced in the wild their true nature is illuminated. While glaring into the eyes of this Leopard, I was given the sense that something more was at play. While it was beyond words, it was as if the intelligence of the earth was staring right back at me. The culmination of millions of years of evolution glaring right into my eyes deeply influenced the connection between my mind, body, and spirit. Feeling as though I was in communication with the animals via my heart’s perception, the messages coming from the soul of these animals spoke to the simplicity of mind that these creatures embody, almost as if to demonstrate a model of purity.
Hundreds of other mammals call this area home, including a widely diverse bird and reptile population. The plant kingdom here was like none other experienced in America, with bush plains, tropical rainforests, and unique wildflowers littering the landscape. Among the most remarkable, was this Baobab tree, which can live to be over 1,000 years old. Again, an energy of simplicity and old wisdom was palpable in the presence of this woody beast.
Another notable point in my travels throughout South Africa was the genuine kindness of the people that I encountered. Despite the prevalence of poverty and hardship, each local, black or white, expressed a clear emotion of satisfaction. It is said that the epidemic of depression has not yet reached South Africa and based on my experience, I would hold this to be true. To me, this was another example demonstrating that money does not equal happiness.
My friend Daniel here traveled to South Africa From Malawi, one of the least developed and most impoverished countries on Earth. His mission is to sell his paintings to tourists, to support his family and modest lifestyle in a nearby township. A kind individual at heart, I was happy to pick up one of his paintings and support his journey.
By way of chance, my travel to Africa connected me through the incredible city of Dubai, where I was able to explore the nightlife. This city is predicated on the spirit of ” Why not” and is essentially a sandbox for engineering and luxury lifestyle. This picture was taken from the tallest building in the world, The Burj Kalifa, and shows the breadth of the city at night. This building was so tall in fact, that you could watch the sunset on the ground, jump in the elevator to the 126th floor and watch the sun dip below the horizon all over again.
To experience such extremes of poverty and wealth conveyed to me the need for greater gratitude and compassion in our world for a more harmonized society. With a greater value of humility, we can bridge the gap between these extremes and value all human beings as the beautiful expression of this universe that we truly are. No matter the ethnicity, no matter the race, we are all equally deserving of love. With the energy of peace, we can dissolve self-constructed boundaries and act as one to co-create a more unified world. Coming together in this way first requires purifying ourselves, and realizing that we are the creators of our own realities. On the wavelength of humility and gratitude, we may come to manifest the highest and best good by acting on these selfless intentions.
Much gratitude for all experience that has come my way.
On to the next adventure ~
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