3 days deep 🏜️

As an American living in South Africa, I’ve developed a deep fascination with the bush. My first game drive at the start of 2023 ignited something in me, and since then, I’ve returned two more times.

Witnessing a lion exhale its hot breath beneath an Acacia tree or an elephant flapping its ears to stay cool—it’s a kind of magic that imprints itself onto your soul.

The wildness of the African bush led me to pick up Boyd Varty's The Lion Tracker’s Guide to Life. In his book, Varty intertwines the story of tracking a pride of lions with the principles of tracking to create a more meaningful and adventurous life.

My favorite concept he talks about is that of the "wild self":

"We are a part of nature, and inside each of us is a wild self that knows deeply what it is meant to do…The Aboriginals used to say of modern life, 'it’s 3 days deep.' In three days in wilderness, you can learn what’s important and your mind changes. Your way of being shifts."

Happy journaling,

Kelsey

Most journal prompts you’ll find here draw inspiration from the books I’m reading. Below, you’ll find the books and weekly themes so you can read ahead if you’d like. Reading isn’t necessary—it's simply an option if a particular theme sparks your curiosity and you'd like to dive deeper. 

Here’s the schedule:

• Week of January 6th - Theme: Self-discovery. Book: The Lion Tracker’s Guide to Life

• Week of January 13th - Theme: Creating rituals. Book: The Power of Ritual

• Week of January 20th - Theme: Connecting & communication. Book: Nonviolent Communication

• Week of January 27th - Theme: Finding purpose. Book: Man’s Search for Meaning

Was this email forwarded to you? Welcome! You can subscribe here to get tomorrow’s prompt.

Want to find more prompts? You can scroll through all previous prompts here.