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May 1, 2024 • 2hr 9min
#735: Craig Foster of My Octopus Teacher — How to Find the Wild in a Tame World
The Tim Ferriss Show
In this wide-ranging conversation, Tim Ferriss interviews filmmaker, naturalist, and author Craig Foster about his lifelong connection to the ocean, his experiences with the legendary Kalahari Bushmen trackers, and the inspiration behind his new book "Amphibious Soul: Finding the Wild in a Tame World."
#735: Craig Foster of My Octopus Teacher — How to Find the Wild in a Tame World
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Key Takeaways
- Craig Foster has an incredible lifelong connection to the ocean, having been dunked in the Atlantic Ocean as a newborn and diving in the Great African Seaforest daily for over a decade.
- The Kalahari Bushmen trackers possess remarkable abilities to track animals and enter altered states to follow their prey, drawing on an ancestral lineage going back 120,000 years.
- Immersing oneself in nature, even in small ways like closely observing a single tree or insect, can lead to profound shifts in perception and a deeper sense of connection to the natural world.
- Craig's book "Amphibious Soul" explores the tension between our "wild" and "tame" selves, and provides practices to help reintegrate our innate connection to nature.
- Storytelling and framing are critical for inspiring conservation and environmental stewardship - using language that avoids triggering ideological divides is key.
- Craig's experience with sudden global fame and success after the release of "My Octopus Teacher" was psychologically and physically taxing, but he used nature to help rebuild his nervous system.
Introduction
In this wide-ranging conversation, Tim Ferriss interviews filmmaker, naturalist, and author Craig Foster about his lifelong connection to the ocean, his experiences with the legendary Kalahari Bushmen trackers, and the inspiration behind his new book "Amphibious Soul: Finding the Wild in a Tame World."
Craig shares stories of his intimate encounters with marine life, including a profound experience with a Cape clawless otter. He also discusses the importance of closely observing nature, even in urban environments, to develop a deeper sense of connection and understanding. The discussion touches on themes of ancestral memory, the role of storytelling in conservation, and Craig's personal journey of navigating sudden global fame after the success of his film "My Octopus Teacher."
Topics Discussed
A Lifelong Connection to the Ocean (8:39)
Craig describes a recent encounter with an enormous white stingray while swimming in the Great African Seaforest, highlighting his deep familiarity with the underwater world. He explains that his connection to the ocean began at birth, when his parents immediately dunked him in the frigid Atlantic Ocean as a newborn - a family tradition.
Craig has been diving in the intertidal zone since the age of 3, and his mother was in the water nearly every day while pregnant with him. This lifelong immersion in the ocean has shaped Craig's worldview and relationship with nature.
Tracking with the Kalahari Bushmen (13:24)
Craig and his brother had a "crazy wild mission" to film the last master trackers of the Kalahari Desert, who could run down animals without weapons by exploiting the animals' inability to tolerate the extreme heat.
Craig was amazed by the trackers' ability to enter altered states and seemingly "lock onto" the animals' location through some kind of primal, intuitive sense - what Craig calls a "radar system" in the body. This experience sparked Craig's lifelong fascination with indigenous tracking abilities and the deep connection to nature they represent.
Observing the "Secret Lives" of Nature (22:40)
Craig emphasizes that one doesn't need to be in a pristine wilderness to develop a profound connection to nature. He suggests that closely observing even a single tree or insect in an urban environment can lead to the revelation of an "invisible world" of activity and interconnection.
The key, Craig says, is cultivating intimacy and patience in one's observations, allowing the mind to slip into a state of "remembering" its innate connection to the natural world. This can happen even in small, mundane settings.
Breath Holding, Cold Exposure, and Tracking Underwater (32:43)
Craig describes his daily practice of breath holding and cold water exposure, which he believes sharpens his mind and intuition for underwater tracking. He notes that these practices must be done with great care to avoid dangerous outcomes like shallow water blackouts.
Craig's underwater tracking skills have led to remarkable discoveries, including finding a new species of shrimp that lives symbiotically with octopuses. He explains that the underwater world is full of subtle signs and patterns that take years of dedicated observation to decipher.
Connecting with a Cape Clawless Otter (42:55)
Craig shares a profound encounter with a curious Cape clawless otter that approached him in the water and made physical contact. He believes this experience may have been rooted in an ancient tradition of humans hunting cooperatively with otters.
This experience, and others like it, have led Craig to feel a deep sense of kinship and "family" with the marine animals he encounters, which he believes has positively impacted his human relationships as well.
The Inspiration for "Amphibious Soul" (49:39)
Craig explains that writing "Amphibious Soul" was a way for him to process the psychological and emotional toll of the sudden global fame and exposure he experienced after the release of "My Octopus Teacher" on Netflix.
The book explores Craig's struggle to reconcile his "wild" self, deeply connected to nature, with the demands and comforts of the "tame" modern world. It offers practices and perspectives to help readers find balance and reintegrate their innate connection to the natural world.
Storytelling and Framing for Conservation (1:42:35)
Tim and Craig discuss the importance of using compelling storytelling and strategic framing to inspire conservation and environmental stewardship, especially when navigating ideological divides.
They emphasize the need to find common ground and avoid triggering knee-jerk reactions by using language that doesn't automatically put people on the defensive. Effective conservation, they argue, requires building bridges rather than lecturing.
The Psychological Toll of Sudden Fame (1:23:41)
Craig shares his experience of the immense psychological and physical strain he endured after the unexpected global success of "My Octopus Teacher." The sudden exposure and demands overwhelmed his nervous system, leading to severe insomnia and other health issues.
However, Craig was able to use his deep connection to nature and the practices he had cultivated over the years to slowly rebuild his resilience and regain a sense of balance. He emphasizes the importance of having a strong foundation in nature to weather such dramatic life changes.
Conclusion
This conversation with Craig Foster provides a rich and multifaceted exploration of the human relationship with the natural world. Through Craig's personal stories and insights, listeners gain a deeper appreciation for the profound ways in which immersion in nature can shape our psychology, physiology, and overall sense of well-being.
Craig's experiences with the Kalahari Bushmen, his intimate encounters with marine life, and his struggles with sudden fame all underscore the critical importance of maintaining a strong connection to the "wild" aspects of our own nature. His new book "Amphibious Soul" promises to be a powerful guide for readers seeking to reintegrate that connection in their own lives.
Ultimately, this discussion highlights the transformative potential of shifting our mindsets and behaviors to be more aligned with the rhythms and wisdom of the natural world. Whether through close observation, embodied practices, or strategic storytelling, Craig's work demonstrates that rediscovering our innate kinship with nature can lead to profound personal and collective benefits.