Came upon this spectacularly strange carrion cactus flower, Orbea variegata (thanks to @bastiaanvdyk for the ID), while on the Acacia Trail at Bontebok National Park! #FlowerFriday #carrionflower #corpseflower #carrioncactus #starfishplant #orbeavariegata #orbea #plantsofsouthafrica #flowersofsouthafrica #weirdplants #succulents 🌸🌵☠ Considering current events…death & mortality, the ethereal nature of our very existence — as individuals, as a collective society, even as a species — are of course at the forefront of many minds…& alongside this, the "death positive movement" is not as morbid as it sounds. It's more about appreciating life, accepting death as an integral part of it by reducing surrounding fear & anxiety, & even personalising the inevitable process to align with your living experience, values, and beliefs. Check out these amazing players in the movement: @thegooddeath, @sarah_calavera, @deathmatters, @talkdeathdaily, @deathafternoon, @deathsalon, @going_with_grace, @recomposelife, @deadmaidens, @katrinaspade, @lifedeathwhat, @lucyctalbot #deathpositive #deathpositivemovement #orderofthegooddeath #deathandthemaiden #deathdoula For me personally, working in both wildlife rescue/care + conservation biology, where disease & death is unfortunately a common part of the job, as well as in natural history museums, around/with millions of dead specimens & historical artefacts…surely had a massive helping hand in my own understanding & mindset around the end of life, on many scales…not just of my own, but as large as extinction, as well as our lasting contributions to the world as scientists, & generally as humans. (at Bontebok National Park) https://www.instagram.com/p/B9-AQkhAkdz/?igshid=1l9tpkvicwdj8
