Are We Too Tame? How to Rediscover Your 'Wild' | Craig Foster, Director of 'My Octopus Teacher'
Finding Mastery with Dr. Michael Gervais
Dr. Michael Gervais
4.6 • 1.8K Ratings
🗓️ 25 September 2024
⏱️ 96 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Today, we’re venturing deep into the wild with someone whose life’s work challenges us to reconnect with the essence of nature and, in doing so, rediscover our own humanity.
Our guest today is Craig Foster—a renowned filmmaker, photographer, and naturalist whose immersive experiences in the wild have captivated millions. Craig is perhaps best known for his groundbreaking documentary My Octopus Teacher, which not only won an Academy Award but also sparked a global conversation about our relationship with the natural world. I watched this movie with my son – we were gripped, we shared tears together, and I immediately reached out wanting to meet him.
In our conversation, we dive into Craig’s profound journey through The Great African Sea Forest, exploring the intricate balance between ‘the wild’ and ‘the tame’ in our lives. Craig shares his insights on the importance of embracing the wisdom of indigenous traditions, the detrimental effects of our modern, tech-heavy existence, and how shifting our mindset from infinite capitalism to a regenerative relationship with nature can lead to a more meaningful life.
We also explore the transformative power of connecting with even the smallest aspects of nature and how these connections can reignite our sense of belonging in this world.
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Resources:
My Octopus Teacher (Oscar-winning film; available on Netflix)
https://www.netflix.com/title/81045007
Amphibious Soul: Finding the WIld in a Tame World (Craig’s New Book)
https://seachangeproject.com/projects/books/amphibious-soul/
Sea Change Project (donate to support global biodiversity)
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | When you understand these animals and you understand this oldest language, |
| 0:05.0 | it really gives you that feeling of belonging to this planet. |
| 0:09.0 | In every one of us, there's this wild person, and then the tame person the balance is so |
| 0:14.2 | unbalanced and that wild person that's inside all of us that's desperate to come |
| 0:19.2 | out is being smothered by that tame person it's a beautiful experience and it's quite simple. You just |
| 0:25.4 | have to spend the time and have the curiosity. |
| 0:29.1 | Welcome back or welcome to the Finding Mastery Podcast. I am your host Dr Michael Jervais by |
| 0:39.7 | Trade and Training a high performance psychologist. |
| 0:43.0 | In today's conversation, we venture deep into the wild. |
| 0:46.2 | With a guest whose life's work challenges us to reconnect with the essence of nature, |
| 0:51.2 | and in doing so, rediscover our own humanity. |
| 0:55.0 | Our guest is Craig Foster, a renowned filmmaker, |
| 0:59.0 | photographer, and naturalist whose immersive experiences in the wild have captivated millions. |
| 1:06.0 | Craig is perhaps best known for his groundbreaking documentary, My Octopus Teacher, |
| 1:11.0 | which not only won an Academy Award but has also sparked a global conversation |
| 1:15.8 | about our relationship with the natural world. I watched this movie with my son. |
| 1:20.5 | We were gripped. It is such a good movie. It forces you to really |
| 1:26.2 | examine how you go through your relationships, not only with yourself, with |
| 1:30.4 | others, but with Mother Nature as well. We shared tears together in the movie and when there's |
| 1:35.8 | moments like that you know that there's something very powerful almost primitive |
| 1:40.9 | that's taking place. So I immediately reached out and I wanted to meet him. |
| 1:45.0 | In our conversation, we dive into Craig's profound journey |
... |
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