Filmmaker Craig Foster shares with us his wild education in this Netflix production out of South Africa.
It’s a tale of Foster’s mythical quest in search of his self: his approach to healing himself, putting himself at the mercy of nature as an apprentice, a teacher appearing to him in the form of an octopus. This is a story with the form and elements of a mythic love story, a fairy tale.
This is really a rare film - rare in its vulnerability, gentleness, and introspection. The film is of course visually beautiful, comprising footage collected by Foster on daily visits below the waves over the course of a year. Through the monologue, we see his earnestness in trying to truly understand the octopus and her world, his broken-heartedness and healing, and we hear some of his internal transformation. Foster tells us he has been working for so hard for so long, and feels spent: a state he can’t work his way out of. He makes himself vulnerable and begins the journey with no expectation or aim, just an openness and an instinct for what might heal him.
Unlike so many stories by and about White men, this story is important because it is not about brute force, not a journey of vertical ascent, conquest or revenge. It takes an older form by traveling down and in - literally into the ocean, below the surface - rather than up and over.
Through this hero’s journey, day to day visiting the octopus in her home in the kelp forest, Foster undergoes a great transformation, having allowed himself to be her student and effect his own healing. There is no swashbuckling, there is no urgency, there is no achievement-seeking.
As in a love story, the lover is entranced by the being he encounters. He doesn’t understand her, but feels an undeniable connection. Unlike most men in most stories, he takes his time, patiently and carefully getting to know her, learning about her life, in awe of her, while taking care not to interfere, and making sure he is not harming her.
In this case, the enchanting beloved is an octopus.
Just like a fairy tale, the beloved from the Otherworld is bound by non-human rules. As such, this tale will inevitably lead to loss.
I think this fairy tale in the guise of a documentary contains some strong archetypal bones that we can piece together and learn from: story archeology, in the praxis of Jungian teacher Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes.
The remedies for repair or reclamation of any lost psychic drive are contained in stories. [...] Stories are embedded with instructions which guide us about the complexities of life. Stories enable us to understand the need for and the ways to raise a submerged archetype. (Estes, from Women Who Run with the Wolves, 1992)
Apprenticeship
What I think is the crucial lesson of this film is the process of apprenticeship, which we find in so many fairytales where, for example, the protagonist must complete a series of difficult tasks. Foster instinctively set up a practice for himself that made the experience into a meaningful transformation.
Here are some ways you could emulate this journey to explore your own healing and reintegration into the wild:
Foster found a place that was accessible and meaningful to him, a relatively small, bounded place he could visit daily: the kelp forest.
He made a practice of returning to the place daily, through all seasons, at different times of day and night. This is like the home base practice (also called power place or sit spot) as described by the Wiccan activist and permaculture teacher, Starhawk.
He instinctively entered the ocean world without the usual technological armor that would both distract him and keep him from being fully immersed in the unfamiliar experience. He was able to experience the pure sensuousness of being a naked animal in the ocean, the feel of waves and kelp on his skin, and ultimately moments of intimacy, holding and touching the octopus.
While he was fascinated (one could say, infatuated?) by the octopus, he undertook the learning of all the creatures and the environment around her as well, understanding that his teacher was part of a whole home system.
He allowed himself to feel the emotional connection with this non-human being, to care for her, without unduly interfering in the rules of her world. And he came to understand that it was not just himself who benefitted from the relationship.
Your Wild Education
These are simple practices that I believe are instinctive and inherent in us humans: we generally like to be in the water, we like to have animal companions, we like to be in the forest and under the sun.
The survival mechanisms we take on as conditioning from consumerism need to be set aside: not an easy task, but possible with willingness and the discipline to try a few key practices.
I believe we can transform the world and heal our culture by taking on this wild apprenticeship, even in small measures that become daily, then seasonal, and yearly practices.
Here’s how:
Nurture a daily practice with the natural world.
Undertake the study of a place, a phenomenon, a species, an element, just for the sheer geeky joy and enthusiasm of it, not for gaining any competitive advantage or evaluating an “ecosystem service” for potential profit.
See nature as a companion and co-conspirator, not an inconvenience.
Become emotionally involved - but cultivate the discipline not to interfere. That means, getting comfortable with death and despair.
Remove some barriers between your animal body and the natural world.
Don’t feel compelled to make it a project or “do it for the ‘Gram.” What if you keep it a secret? What if you experience your whole apprenticeship without photos or notes?
Still not sure how to start?
Are you into plants, minerals, animals? Follow your gut feeling, in the form of your most enthusiastic, geeky reactions. But try to find a natural teacher apart from domesticated animals and pets, or the typical cute/inspiring big mammals.
You don’t have to free dive in the ocean, and you don’t have to meditate in the woods. Try to find something you can feasibly do every day. The more body parts involved, the better, but do tailor this to your abilities. Flower arranging, nature sketching, walking are great. You don’t need to be adventurous. Start small. Try to engage as many senses each day as possible.
Be smart, but don’t be afraid. If you’re getting off the paved roads, make sure you’ve done some research and know how to identify and react to common potential dangers, from poison ivy to bears.
I hope you’ll give your wild self a chance to try these practices, and see what you learn. If you feel called to, I hope you’ll check in here and leave a comment about your experiences.
Read more about the film production here.
This Twitter thread is also an interesting review, with a queer theory lens. (Don’t read the comments, of course.)
Photo credits: film stills (c) Netflix; man with baby, @KreatedMedia; others, unattributed.
My Octopus Teacher: a review, and an assignment
Freddy Boombatz and I have a daily ritual +/- 5 mile walk, always stopping by the reservoir, which was full to the brim in April. Watching the water drop to now drought level, all the while revealing more and more of the (generally submerged) landscape seems to me a metaphor…I'm still working it out, but something to do with grounding and intellect will fill the bill right now, keep emotions in check, beware of ignition