Philosafaris began with a simple recognition: my most important lessons about resilience were not learned in theory alone, but on the move, on foot—through African landscapes of wildlife and warfare, through difficulty, and through time.
I’m a wilderness trails guide, ex-soldier, ex-corporate director in offshore financial services, and fellow traveler with regular returns to the safari trail throughout my career to re-calibrate my personal compass. I’ve spent my existence walking—literally and philosophically—through questions of human nature, resilience, and how to live well in a world of tumult and uncertainty.
My background weaves together a lifelong engagement with Nature, a deep interest in Stoic philosophy, and a commitment to understanding the modern science of mind and behaviour. Over time, it became clear to me that these were not separate domains. The Stoics were early resilience thinkers. Modern therapies like CBT and ACT are practical descendants of their work. Neuroscience shows how emotion and regulation emerge from embodied, embedded systems. The science of Social-Ecological Resilience reveals that the principles that allow savannahs and ecosystems to survive disturbance also apply—quietly but powerfully—to human nature.
Philosafaris is where these threads come together.
The name reflects both method and mindset. A safari, in its original Swahili sense, is a journey taken at human pace, through terrain that must be respected rather than controlled. That is how I understand philosophy: not as abstract argument alone, but as a way of walking through life with greater steadiness, attention, and ethical clarity.
Here, I write as one constantly learning. The blog format allows ideas to unfold gradually, tested against experience rather than presented as finished doctrine. Some essays are reflective, some more scientific, others grounded in Stoic practice—but all are part of the same ongoing journey: learning how to remain resilient, responsive, responsible, and humane under whatever changing conditions life throws our way.
If you are looking for quick fixes, certainty, or motivational slogans, you will not find them here. If you are willing to walk—thoughtfully, patiently, and in good company—you are warmly welcome.