Wild Wonder - by Stephen Proctor (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

An invitation to explore the life-giving lessons we can learn from the Earth, featuring stunning photography and reflections from an acclaimed visual artist

The Earth is the first tangible gift we were given. Yet when did you last pause to appreciate the immensity of the ocean, wander in silence through an ancient forest, or behold the grandeur of a mountain? How long has it been since you've felt grass beneath your feet?

Accompanied by awe-inspiring full-color photography from landscape cinematographer and visual artist Stephen Proctor, Wild Wonder: What Nature Teaches Us About Slowing Down and Living Well combines pastoral observations about creation with an exploration of how it can provide healing to our minds and bodies. Divided into five parts that are each devoted to a unique aspect of nature--oceans, forests, rivers, ice, and mountains--Proctor encourages readers to recognize how being outside restores us and offers us a renewed sense of awe and wonder for the Creator.

In each of the thirty brief essays, he points to some of the deep lessons nature can teach us. We can appreciate the gift of silence while observing a glacier, gain a new perspective on top of a mountain, learn the skill of slowing down from a river, and experience a metaphor of redemptive life after death through nurse logs. Each part includes an interview from an artist whose inspiration has been drawn from nature and ends with a "Time to Fly!" section that features reflection questions, simple action prompts, and sources for further exploration.

Whether outdoor enthusiasts or armchair adventurers, readers of this book will be drawn into a more holistic and contemplative way of life and a deeper awareness of the beautiful world around them.

Review Quotes

"With cynicism being the air we breathe nowadays, this book is a much-needed reminder of the beauty, truth, and goodness often hiding in plain sight. Fortunately for us, Stephen Proctor has the eyes to see. His images teach us a way of being in the world that reminds us to keep our heads in the clouds with our feet planted on the Earth, ever rooted in the Ground of Being, Who is always Love. This is good medicine."--Marc Byrd, musical artist, songwriter, and author

"Stephen Proctor is an enthusiast and one of our generation's most profound visual storytellers. When he loves something, he can't wait to share it. I have been the beneficiary of his generous spirit for almost twenty years and found myself enveloped in his book, at several points with tears in the edges of my eyes. The same way a sommelier finds the perfect wine to pair with a meal, Stephen has given us the most stunning images that perfectly enhance each story he tells. Wild Wonder will leave you feeling inspired to take your own adventure and to reconnect with nature, God, and yourself."--Leslie Jordan, executive director and co-founder of the Fold

"Wild Wonder cuts through this age of distraction to gently remind you to slow down and let beauty abound. Through deep reflections, engaging practices, captivating stories, and awe-inspiring imagery, it challenges you to discover the hidden beauty in your surroundings and embrace the sacredness that permeates all of Creation. If you let it, you will feel a much-needed and renewed desire to explore the places of wild wonder that surround you, seeing them as gifts to be enjoyed, nurtured, and treasured. Ultimately, Wild Wonder is profoundly wise, beautiful, inspiring, and motivating. I can't recommend it enough."--Dirk Dallas, founder of From Where I Drone and dean of the College of Architecture, Visual Arts, and Design at California Baptist University

About the Author

Stephen Proctor is a visual artist who specializes in landscape cinematography and aerial photography to curate calming, imaginative experiences. Many of his current collaborations are with film composers, ambient artists, and modern classical musicians. For the past twenty years, he has toured with various bands and authors, producing visually immersive experiences for live concerts and conferences all around the world. Stephen lives in a small cabin in the Columbia River Gorge just outside Portland, Oregon.