Whether it is acknowledged or not, each of us has a yearn for connection. Today, many of us are still dealing with the effects of the pandemic; it is harder to develop relationships; we have a lack of human interaction; anxiety that something like it will strike again. All of these things are valid reasons to stay closer to home and secluded from the outside world, but that doesn’t mean that the wanderlust spirit inside us has gone. In fact our desire to connect with other cultures and experiences and to dream of future adventures and faraway places only grows. Even as we have come to embrace the slower pace and more time spent at home, our restless hearts still long to connect to the broader world, and our thoughts drift towards a time when we might safely explore the globe again.
In the spirit of travel, imagination and dreams of exploring and experiencing… as always we invite you to #JointheJourney with us.
Nevertheless, our minds and imaginations are powerful tools, and we needn’t necessarily have a physical journey or experience in order to reap the mental and emotional benefits of exploration and human connection. National Geographic recently published an article summarizing how just the act of planning or dreaming about travel can have positive impacts on our mental health and facilitate a sense of hope as well as connectedness to the world. Learning about different cultures or experiences and imagining the potential of future experiences and interactions satisfy a unique emotional craving, and give us positive and forward-thinking things to talk about with friends and family, further facilitating a sense of connection. Sharing knowledge and dreams with loved ones inspires our sense of closeness and our sense of optimism.
kanju was founded on the philosophy that story telling has the ability to profoundly connect us, and that through the sharing of cultural history, images or video of how something is made, or the artist’s inspiration for an object can actually foster a deep sense of meaning. The idea of kanju was first born from an experience of travel across the African continent, and we have always sought to bring you along with us on this journey and to help you discover your very own imaginative journey by creating your own story of your home and it’s unique design and carefully selected objects.
