On a friend’s recommendation, I watched the film *My Octopus Teacher*.
It was phenomenal.
I felt deeply moved many times, both by the way it shows just how much we can learn from a creature that might otherwise only grace our lives as a dish on the table or as a curiosity at a fish market, and by its struggle for survival, intelligence, bond with a human, and epic life story—worthy of narration at least as much as any human’s (and perhaps more so than many of ours).
Despite how much we humans have damaged the environment, the sheer diversity and magnificence of life in such shallow waters gave me hope. Yet what particularly deserves emphasis is the documentary’s human protagonist, Craig Foster: his humanity, determination, search, and the bond he establishes with the octopus.
This film reminded me once again that so many of us remain unaware of our countless wonderful traits as human beings. The more we become conscious of these qualities and abilities, the more new doors and new horizons open before us. The film is a beautiful example of this fact.
A stone, a flower, or the sky—things we may never have truly noticed or regarded as significant—can suddenly command our awe, allowing us to form fresh connections with them.
In this particular story, Craig emerges from a challenging psychological period and turns inward; driven by great resolve, he discovers he can even form a connection with an octopus. Through this bond, the octopus becomes his mirror and fellow traveler on a journey within.
This inward journey is the most significant voyage of our lives. Our awareness of ourselves is truly our only companion on this path. Yet anything can serve as a means to deepen that awareness—every moment, every action, every relationship, every perception and thought.
Another striking idea the documentary brings to mind—one that I found particularly poignant—concerns the remarkable and dramatic reality in the world of living creatures: a mother’s willingness to sacrifice her own life to safeguard her offspring. I learned for the first time through this film that an octopus is one such creature. Because of the connection I developed with the octopus throughout the documentary, her act of extraordinary devotion in the end felt especially emotional and heartbreaking.
Her sacrifice led me to reflect on how each one of us is “pregnant” with our own truth from birth, and in a similar way, it can only be fulfilled by sacrificing our very sense of self—by dying to our ego.
Whether we realize it or not, and whether we call it the ego or something else, each of us lives under the influence of a false self. We perceive and interpret everything through a warped sense of reality, often driven by fears, anxieties, worries, and desires.
But letting go of this false self isn’t easy, because in a way, it represents death for us. That is precisely why humanity’s collective “pregnancy” with truth often ends in “miscarriage.” We remain stuck in the grasp of our illusory self, carrying the same desires, worries, struggles, and fears until the end of our lives.
Hence, nearly every spiritual teaching throughout history has conveyed one core principle in diverse words but with the same meaning: “Die before you die”. In other words, to discover your true essence, you must recognize and transcend your false self.
And it is always possible, because as long as we are alive and drawing breath, every instant brings a new chance for renewal—for rebirth.
May we all discover our truth. With gratitude to the beloved octopus and to Craig for inspiring these reflections.
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