It always catches me by surprise how fast the last Friday of the month arrives! At this speedy rate 2022 will be here before we know it.

The last Friday of the month is the date on which bloggers from around the world post an item of news that caught their interest, that is/was uplifting, and that helps to lift the gloom in these trying times. This one certainly did. A South African documentary afterall! Filmed in the beautiful False Bay off Cape Town shores. It IS Good News, not only for the award it deservedly won, but also because of it’s message – an excerpt below.

“What has been most exciting for us as an organisation has been the feedback. We have received thousands of messages from people around the world. Many have started diving, studying marine sciences or using My Octopus Teacher as a tool in mental health workshops,and in discussions around emotional ecology and deep nature connection.
We wanted to showcase this wonderful ecosystem, the Great African Seaforest, to the world, and we have succeeded.”

My Octopus Teacher Wins an Oscar for Best Documentary Feature

I hope you read the full article –

Our thanks to our co-hosts this month – a skeleton staff this time round. Do pop by and say hello. Their stories are bound to be uplifting. And as always our thanks to Ashlynn Waterstone who works behind the scenes to keep us up and running.

<a href=”https://www.professorowlsbookcorner.wordpress.com/“>Sylvia McGrath</a>, and <a href=”https://bwitzenhausen.wordpress.com/”>Belinda Witzenhausen</a>.

Thank you for reading. I hope this finds you well. May the month of May be a blessed one. May the Force be with you all.

59 Comments on #WATWB The Octopus Teacher

  1. PS: The book I was talking about is entitled The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness ,Paperback – April 5, 2016
    by Sy Montgomery. I recommend it!!!

    • Thanks Pam, yes I’ve heard of this book and it’s been acclaimed! The book ‘The Octopus Teacher’ is coming out I believe later this year –

  2. I am thrilled about this win. Firstly because I SO enjoyed this documentary, it was so beautifully filmed and so interesting and secondly because being South African, well that made it all the more meaningful to me.

    An interesting side note is that I have quite a few friends who have stopped eating octopus since seeing this documentary. Sometimes it takes understanding that all creatures are sentient beings and I am grateful when someone illustrates this so clearly to an audience. And has impact.

    Bravo.

    Peta

    • Thanks so much Peta for coming by. I can imagine your extra pride on account of being a South African💥
      I’m in agreement about all creatures on land and sea are sentient ones and the film certainly brings this across. I applaud all who’ve taken the step of not eating octopus.

  3. I read the book The Octopus Teacher about two years ago and then gave it to a friend of mine who was preparing for intense scary surgery. He read the book right before his operation and then I wrote him a poem about an octopus and drew a picture and he put it next to his recovery bed. He says the octopus helped him get better. Weird huh? The documentary was incredible and I’m so glad it won an award.

    • Thanks for coming by Pam – I’m surprised to hear there is a book? Your story of of creating a poem and drawing a picture for him pre-surgery and his belief/affirmation that it helped in his recovery is just too wonderful for words! Have a lovely weekend!

      • Yes, book first, then documentary. I recommend it! I sent my friend a octopus stuffed “animal” also and even though he is a man in his 60s he still loves it🐙

  4. Great share, Susan. The names sounds familiar, and your post renews my interest to take a look at it. Anything uplifting and inspiring sounds good in my book. Thank you.

  5. What a wonderful story, Susan. I think we could all do with a little more connecting to nature. I’d love to watch the film. Thanks for sharing. Enjoy May!

  6. A wonderful share Susan. I love what this doc is all about, underwater sealife awareness. <3

  7. A wonderful title, Susan, and I am immediately curious where this will lead. I loved this documentary. Interesting about the concept of “emotional ecology.” You remind me how nature is not only tree hugging. You have inspired me to rewatch this documentary. I am sure there is a great deal more for me to learn. Thank you for sharing and have a wonderful month. xx

    • So pleased you’ve seen it Erica, I’m thinking to have a re-watch as well. I suspect it may raise even more the/my sense of ’emotional ecology’ and broaden the view and scape & scope beyond tree hugging.
      You too have a wonderful month and since it’s the 4th May, may the 4th (force) be with you and the rest of the month 🙂 xx

        • That’s very special Erica – my late Father’s tomorrow – always acknowledged even though it’s about 25 years ago xx

  9. So many people have told me of the wonders of this movie. I didn’t realize it was South African because I don’t watch movies or listen to music other than bird songs and peeper frogs outside–or the call of a Mourning Dove or an Owl. Music electronically received into my electronic ears is just too distorted, so I save hearing for a few Zoom classes (the worst for hearing) but mostly for person to person interactions with friends. I’m in love with butterflies and birds so can imagine attachment to an octopus. Thank you for sharing this story. Love and peace and safety to you and all of us.

    • I’m glad you’ve heard of it Elaine. I’m wondering if just watching it will bring you pleasure. I’m trying to remember how much narrative there was. I agree, nature in all her ways brings such joy from the simple act of observation. Love and peace to you too –

  10. Hi Susan, great to see your post and thanks for sharing this artlcle about My Octopus Teacher. I’m very curious about it and am heading over there now. Hope you are doing well!

    • Hi Barbara, thanks for coming by – I hope you see/saw it and that your curiousity was sated … all well here thank you and I hope the same with you 🙂 Have a great week ..

  11. Hi Susan, thank you for sharing this article. I have been quite bogged down recently reading about plastic in the oceans and the water heating up with climate change so this is a lovely change of pace.

    • And a nice change from our politics polluting our society … thanks for coming by Robbie, you’re sure to enjoy it as will your family 🙂

  13. Thank you for recommending this amazingly beautiful documentary.

    I read your post and then the article and as it was Saturday afternoon, I managed to watch the film too. Can’t thank you enough.

    The film has worked like a cleanse.

    So, I’m back today to write this comment.

    Have a peaceful Sunday.

    • So pleased you saw the film Arti and that ‘it worked like a cleanse’. Yes, that is the feeling now that I’m reflecting on it, prompted by your comment.

      It’s a lovely day here today where I am, I’ll keep that thought of ‘cleanse’ in my heart today.

      You too have a lovely Sunday.and thank you.

  14. I have been wanting to see this documentary. I will have to look it up and see if I can get it on Amazon or Netflix. Hope you are doing well where you are. We are gradually coming out of lockdown. Hope we can sustain it.

    • Thanks for coming by Deborah – it’s a lovely film, unusual to say the least. Glad you’re coming out of lockdown – who knows when it’ll be a thing of the past but at least it is not so death oriented anymore. Although thinking of India …

  15. I love documentaries, and this one looks especially enticing. We have Netflix here in the States, so I hope it is available soon–maybe even now.

    Susan, I hope you and your family are doing well. Thanks for making me aware of an event I would otherwise not know about. 🙂

    • Thanks for coming by Marian. It’s a real showcase of the beauty of the ocean in this part of the world as well as the need to care for it.

      We’re all well, thanks be. I hope this finds you all well too 🙂

  16. Hi Susan – this is great to know more about … it had scanned past me …but had noted it. I have hassles with connectivity – but I will definitely watch it whenever I’m able to … it does sound wonderful and heart-warming … I see some of Craig’s footage has been included in the BBC’s Blue Planet II …so his skills and abilities are being shown. Let alone Ms Octopus … sounds so delightful – thanks an excellent #WATWB … cheers Hilary

    • Thanks for coming by Hilary – great news that Craig Foster’s skills have been included in Blue Planet II. You’d probably recognise False Bay Cape Town in the film, or at least feel a ‘remembrance’. I so hope you get to see it.

      • Hi Susan – my connectivity is ‘sporadic’ but I’ve just managed to watch the trailer … and I’ll make a plan re the film itself … when I have this good connectivity – today I’ll carry on with catching up with other things. Yes – I really look forward to seeing more … and taking note of Craig’s comments … thanks – Hilary

  17. Wow, I didn’t even realize it won, but what a fabulous movie, Susan. We are all sentient beings. xoxo

    • Glad you’ve seen it Pam … I heard one of the producers talking about it while in my car this morning. That was a treat! Thanks for coming by, have a great weekend. Will pop by your one in a mo or so …xx

  19. There are so many people who enjoy the deep waters and the marine life there in. I’m glad to hear that Octopus Teacher is encouraging the love. Thank you, Ms. Susan, for your kind words and for being an integral part of #WATWB.

    • What a lovely way of putting it Ashlynn.. the Octopus Teaches ‘is encouraging the love’. That’s exactly right. Thank you for all your behind the scenes work for #WATWB – and have a lovely weekend.

  20. I’m thrilled that it won an Oscar. It certainly deserved it. It’s an exquisite and deeply moving film. I was mesmerized throughout. It brought and left me with a lingering sense of wonder and awe about the sacredness of nature, and at the same time, a feeling of tenderness toward humanity’s woundedness and profound longing for a deeper connection with life. For me the film was deeply spiritual. It brings me hope. Thank you for sharing this, Susan.

    • So pleased you’ve seen it Jeanie and that you had the response that you did to it. Yes, it is a positive message showing I believe, our need for a deeper connection. I especially loved the 2nd last paragraph in the article which expresses everything so well, that sense of Ubuntu, a uniquely African word and philosophy. Not often practised sadly ..

      “Nature and particularly ocean wilderness is the immune system of planet earth. This immune system is directly linked to human health. For humans to be healthy, the air, oceans, forests,and all the varied beings we share this planet with need to be healthy. This has been understood since the beginning of time. In South Africa, “Ubuntu” expresses this interconnectedness. Care of the other is care for the self. Exploit the other, and you exploit yourself.”

      Thank you for coming by and for your lovely comment.

  21. This is a lovely story as mankind needs to respect the life around us. Dealing with and loving the serenity and beauty in the ocean that the sea life thrives in could be a spiritual lesson for us humans. Thanks for the lovely story.

    • I hope you get to see it Gwynn . it’s so worthwhile. What we do to our precious resources affects us all – thank you for stopping by. Have a lovely weekend!

  23. Love this! I really want to watch this, it looks like something I would really enjoy. So much undiscovered beauty in our oceans. Thanks so much for sharing this and for being a part of#WATWB! Stay safe and be well!

    • I hope you get to see it Belinda, it’s so worthwhile. Thank YOU for steering the #WATWB ship this month and all the preceding ones too. Have a lovely weekend. Will pop by you in a minute or so ..

  24. I am usually the last to know about any movie or award so this is news to me– and obviously it’s good news. Will look for it on Netflix, so thanks.

  25. Thank you so much Susan for sharing yet another inspiring story and for piquing my interest! I read the article in full, then I read some others too, all about this documentary. Fingers crossed it’s still available on Netflix so I can add it to my watch list there as I very much enjoy those deep sea dives, (both) above and below, and this beautiful story sounds wonderful and inspiring. A deep one all about love, friendship and humility I hear! Looking forward to it. Sending much love, light and laughter across the oceans between us, Deborah.

    • You’ve hit the nail on the head and heart Deborah thank you for saying it’s about ‘love, friendship and humility’ – for that is what it is. And diving down as a metaphor for life to find the treasures (and coming up for air!) is perfect.

      I was initially a bit concerned that it was guilty of anthropomorphism but when I got beyond that ‘judgement’ I sank into it.

      Thank you for your lovely comment – have a lovely weekend, love, light & laughter from this part of the world all across the oceans, Susan. May tomorrow – amazing!

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