Anna Breytenbach

And elephants can display what's called displacement behavior, where they'll pretend to be casually doing something ordinary, but they're just trying to get close to you to give you a slap or to push you out of what they might consider to be their territory or they might see you as a threat.

And elephants can display what's called displacement behavior, where they'll pretend to be casually doing something ordinary, but they're just trying to get close to you to give you a slap or to push you out of what they might consider to be their territory or they might see you as a threat.

I didn't feel like I could come across as a threat because I was so weak and so sick and just in awe of this elephant. You know, nonetheless, who knows what trauma they had. They are refugees from neighboring countries where they've been persecuted and hunted and just horrible crimes against them. So he was sort of slowly coming towards me, not too directly, feeding the trees along the way.

I didn't feel like I could come across as a threat because I was so weak and so sick and just in awe of this elephant. You know, nonetheless, who knows what trauma they had. They are refugees from neighboring countries where they've been persecuted and hunted and just horrible crimes against them. So he was sort of slowly coming towards me, not too directly, feeding the trees along the way.

And when he came close enough for it to be a possible concern, my training kicked in. And I was like, well, you know, this could be displacement behavior, so best I get up and move. So I got up, left the chair there, and I moved back to stand behind a dead snag that was twice my height, which would have taken the elephant up to about his height.

And when he came close enough for it to be a possible concern, my training kicked in. And I was like, well, you know, this could be displacement behavior, so best I get up and move. So I got up, left the chair there, and I moved back to stand behind a dead snag that was twice my height, which would have taken the elephant up to about his height.

And I just stood behind there, just to create a bit of a safe barrier, but still stay, you know, on the scene. And he gently came closer, a lot more gently than he had been browsing, just gently, just sort of leaning in a little. And it felt to me like he was really concerned.

And I just stood behind there, just to create a bit of a safe barrier, but still stay, you know, on the scene. And he gently came closer, a lot more gently than he had been browsing, just gently, just sort of leaning in a little. And it felt to me like he was really concerned.

I'd been sitting there crying at my distress at having to leave, and that really felt this compassion and this care for me. And from the other side of this dead tree trunk, he slowly left his trunk to reach out towards me to have a bit of a sniff. And I caved in. My mind said, this could go south really quickly if he's up to something else or even just move suddenly.

I'd been sitting there crying at my distress at having to leave, and that really felt this compassion and this care for me. And from the other side of this dead tree trunk, he slowly left his trunk to reach out towards me to have a bit of a sniff. And I caved in. My mind said, this could go south really quickly if he's up to something else or even just move suddenly.

Then it could be injurious or fatal to me, which I don't really mind, but that's going to get the staff into trouble and the operator will lose their license and, and, and. And this whole sort of house of cards, this whole dominoes of consequences happened in my mind. And so I stepped even further back just four paces so that I was then under the shelter of my tent. He got so upset with me.

Then it could be injurious or fatal to me, which I don't really mind, but that's going to get the staff into trouble and the operator will lose their license and, and, and. And this whole sort of house of cards, this whole dominoes of consequences happened in my mind. And so I stepped even further back just four paces so that I was then under the shelter of my tent. He got so upset with me.

For the first time, he got so upset with me, stared at me because I'd stepped back. I'd broken the connection and I had rejected his care based on a fear-based thought process and I'd stepped away. And he huffed and he puffed. He didn't come any closer, but he tossed his head and kicked up dust and just so, just so upset, so upset at me not receiving what he'd been offering.

For the first time, he got so upset with me, stared at me because I'd stepped back. I'd broken the connection and I had rejected his care based on a fear-based thought process and I'd stepped away. And he huffed and he puffed. He didn't come any closer, but he tossed his head and kicked up dust and just so, just so upset, so upset at me not receiving what he'd been offering.

didn't mean he wanted to touch me but I did not receive the energy he was offering oh and he stalked off and I was even more cheesed off with myself you know but that was a strong lesson for me strong lesson and where are the boundaries you know anything can change in a moment as well he might have got frightened by a pot being dropped from the back of camp while he was close to me so anything could have happened and I probably still made the right choice with my mind but in my heart I just feel

didn't mean he wanted to touch me but I did not receive the energy he was offering oh and he stalked off and I was even more cheesed off with myself you know but that was a strong lesson for me strong lesson and where are the boundaries you know anything can change in a moment as well he might have got frightened by a pot being dropped from the back of camp while he was close to me so anything could have happened and I probably still made the right choice with my mind but in my heart I just feel

Maybe just acknowledge what he was offering and explain why I was being a silly human and going to step back. At least then he might have understood. Yeah, yeah.

Maybe just acknowledge what he was offering and explain why I was being a silly human and going to step back. At least then he might have understood. Yeah, yeah.

more humans do seem to be becoming aware of these more subtle ways of knowing and for that we have a few things to thank like the more modern sciences that are investigating this like what you're doing and bringing forward everything to do with non-speaking people and the ways in which we have a more ordinary consensus realities of you know humans have our standards around what is or isn't you know okay

more humans do seem to be becoming aware of these more subtle ways of knowing and for that we have a few things to thank like the more modern sciences that are investigating this like what you're doing and bringing forward everything to do with non-speaking people and the ways in which we have a more ordinary consensus realities of you know humans have our standards around what is or isn't you know okay