As city dwellers, our lives revolve around manmade neighbourhoods and experiences that are far removed from our ancestral roots. To humans from a millennia ago, we might as well be aliens. There is now a clear distinction between urban dwelling and the lives that are led in smaller towns and rural communities. While rural residents might make their way to cities, it is only a small percentage of city dwellers who go the other way. The lush greenery of semi-populated hinterlands, the cleaner air of communities that live around forests, a lifestyle that revolves around creating with one’s hands - all of these are aspects that are far removed from the lives of urban residents. Wrapped in this cocoon of convenience we miss out on the layered experiences which natural landscapes and ecosystems provide us.
Worldview helps participants reconnect with nature through immersive journeys across natural landscapes. Led by experienced guides, our journeys offer curated experiences that nourish the mind, body, and soul. As they walk through forests, forage for food, trek under the stars and break bread with rural communities, participants experience a lifestyle that, when juxtaposed with their urban lives, provides a sandbox for introspection and self-discovery. Each day spent at our campuses in the Telangana hinterlands offers a glimpse into a slower but more focused life. Participants who visit our campuses learn to notice the differences in soil as they plant trees. They discover how the geography of the land drives the rural economy and the traditions that arise from seasonal changes. They explore the reciprocal relationships that join together to create a thriving ecosystem for all organisms.
The experiential diversity of our programs allows each participant to find their own unique way to reconnect with nature. Our aims, however, go deeper than facilitating self-discovery. It takes decades, if not centuries, for ecosystems such as these to arise. Our city-driven lives have not only distanced us from the therapeutic presence of natural habitats, they have also impersonalised nature. Thus, tigers become statistics we read of in the news, not majestic beasts we see with our eyes. Rivers become sources of drinking water and not the lifeblood of small communities that live on their banks. By experiencing what an ecosystem truly is and understanding the myriad connections that create one, we begin to understand that we too belong to this same collective. We are not an ‘other’, but an essential part that arose from within these same environments. This shift in thinking of ourselves as a part of the planet and not the planet itself is critical to tackle some of the most pressing challenges of our times.
By fixing this broken relationship with nature, not only do we discover natural means of self-healing and growth, but we also learn how essential it is for us to protect these habitats. Through our Environment Conservation programs we hope to help participants of all ages reconnect with nature and find meaningful ways to integrate the learnings nature offers into their lives.
