Why Survival?

by Tom Brown Jr.

Many people I speak to at lectures and seminars, who are not into the natural world, seem to ask the same old question: "Why do people want to learn how to survive?". The answer to that question usually takes quite some time to answer, not only because there are many answers but also because they are touching on a rather deep philosophy and philosophical subject.

The most obvious reasons that a person seeks survival is that survival training gives that person an insurance policy that insures his survival if he finds himself in a bad situation during a campout or backpacking trip. Other reasons would be that the person likes the old ways and learning the ancient skills and truths, or the satisfaction in knowing that no matter what the economy does he will be able to provide for his or her family, a sort of self confidence builder. The reasons go far deeper than these few obvious, superficial ones.

Survival is a philosophy, a technique, that reconnects a person to the natural world, and gets his feet back to the soil, like nothing else can. All the camping, hiking, endless conditioning, and other activities that are done close to the earth will never allow that person to pass through that veil and become one with the earth. Survival living opens up that veil and allows that person to pass through, entering the world of oneness with creation, and establishing the natural world as a viable part of himself. He learns to communicate with things and get in touch with his inner voice and the voices around him.

Survival living, where everything we use, is taken from earth mother in a real way, makes us realize that connection, and we begin to see the earth as our mother and all things of the earth, brothers and sisters. The beauties of the natural world are no longer something to be enjoyed and marveled at but a real and viable part of our existence and love. Survival living connects us back to the earth as nothing else can, in a real way, a working way, that stays part of us, and one with us, forever. Choose survival, for that is the only way back to the Creator.