FIRE
Energy | Evolution | Equilibrium
You must burn. Burn higher.
Burn for everything you have ever wanted. For everything you have ever lost, for every crack in your heart and every fraction of every irreplaceable moment.
Burn high for love. For fear. For life.
Burn as fast and as long as you can.
You must burn, burn higher.
Because nothing in this world will kill you faster than a dying fire.
―
All profits will be donated to The Global White Lion Protection Trust
Fire – the element of action and passion, the essence of being and becoming, the deepest and most primal spark of inspiration. It is felt in the heat of the moment, the light of day, and its mysterious glow spurs us onwards even in the darkest hours.
When there is passion burning in the heart we are propelled to expand beyond our perceived limitations, and it is through our own central sun that we find the courage to lead and take action on our dreams. A fire well tended will burn with a consistent radiance, however a neglected fire will either waver with little creative power or run wild, destroying anything in its path. In order to sustain a more balanced path of growth we are required to tend to the flame of our hearts and to listen to the quiet yet passionate whispers of the soul.
Humanity’s relationship with fire goes back thousands of years and the discovery of our ability to control this element opened the doorway to profound evolutionary shifts. Even though we are biologically designed to strive towards the maintenance of a state of homeostasis, it is through the paradoxical consistency of change that we are brought closer to a state of equilibrium. Change is the most natural and essential component of evolution – we grow in accordance to how much we are willing to learn and transform, and it is through the element of fire that purification and regeneration take place.
THE GLOBAL WHITE LION PROTECTION TRUST
“Today, all conservation issues are global issues.
If Brazil destroys its rain forests, the world has lost its lungs.
If South Africa destroys its White Lions, the world has lost its heart.”
-Linda Tucker
The Global White Lion Protection trust was founded in 2002 with the intention to protect a rare genetic strain of lion unique to the Greater Timbavati region in South Africa – the white lions. Since their discovery in 1938 they have been threatened by trophy hunting and brought extremely close to extinction in their ancestral homeland, however with the help of the Global White Lion Trust they have been reintroduced to this region – a reserved area of 4400 hectares of land specifically designated towards the protection and conservation of these majestic animals. White lions are classified under the same species classification as the less rare, yet still threatened, golden lion.
As a result they have not been able to receive the essential protection that they require under national or international law. According to current South African law it is legal to hunt all lions, and breed them en mass in captivity in order to support the commodities market of bones and body parts. The fact that is allowed and supported is a heartbreaking reflection of humanity’s overall relationship with the animal kingdom. Let this be an opportunity to stand in the fire of our hearts and stand with these animals, protecting their existence while challenging the systems that degrade it.
THE WHITE LIONS – THE KEYSTONE OF HUMANITY’S HEART
“All animals are eQual, but some animals are more equal than others.”
— George Orwell
By protecting the White Lions of Timbavati we are not only protecting a rare and beautiful genetic strain, we are also recognising the cultural significance that these animals hold in the local Sepedi and Tsonga communities, as well as their role as a keystone species in the greater biodiversity of the surrounding ecosystem. The natural world is comprised of multiple eco-systems in which energy circulates in a sustainable and balanced way – each component of the system supports the other and nothing is wasted.
When a system works it often goes unnoticed, it simply carries on and all components are able thrive, however when an ecosystem is disturbed by one component tipping out of balance there is a knock on effect that is felt by all other components.
The term ‘keystone species’ was coined by ecologist Robert Paine who recognised that some species have a particularly influential effect on an ecosystem and when they are removed there will be far reaching consequence throughout – a phenomenon known as trophic cascade. In most cases the keystone species are predators – their numbers are few, yet they influence the distribution, behaviour and population numbers of their prey. When this force of influence is removed the entire surrounding ecological community is altered, and more often than not we only see the effect of the removal once it has occurred.
Humans are unique in their ability to consciously manipulate their environment and in this way we hold the power and responsibility to dramatically tip the scales of life – for better or worse. It is in this way that we are all pioneers in the establishment of a new world, a world in which the value of each and every living species recognised, respected and protected.
For more information about the Global White Lion Protection Trust and their current initiatives click here https://whitelions.org/