Filmmaker Craig Foster (My Octopus Teacher) and wildlife sculptor-naturalist George Bumann return to Live Free Ride Free for a sweeping, soul-deep conversation on rewilding the human spirit. With Rupert Isaacson, they dive into the healing force of biodiversity, the true meaning of conflict resolution, and why tracking—not just animals, but ourselves—is essential for becoming fully alive. From snails in beer bottles to raven politics at the dump, they explore how the smallest natural encounters offer the biggest epiphanies. This episode is an invitation to reclaim our 3-million-year-old blueprint for joy, freedom, and kinship with all beings.

✨ “You feel the beating heart of the intertidal in your own beating heart.” – Craig Foster

✨ “Noticing is the beginning of healing.” – George Bumann

🔍 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why extreme biodiversity supercharges physical vitality and mental clarity ([00:04:00])
• How conflict dissolves when we're in kinship with more-than-human communities ([00:19:00])
• Why tracking—animals, people, and ourselves—is the original language of connection ([00:33:00])
• What George learned about group dynamics and animal behavior from Yellowstone’s wolves and ravens ([00:45:00])
• How sculpting, storytelling, and species documentation help heal our cultural broken-heartedness ([00:58:00])
• What happens to human consciousness when we spend uninterrupted time in nature ([01:06:00])
• Why snails, magpies, ravens, and city foxes may be more important than elephants and whales ([01:17:00])
• The myth of separation: how the illusion of “self vs. nature” feeds personal suffering ([01:30:00])
• How ego functions in wild systems vs. modern society—and how culture can recalibrate it ([01:39:00])
• How George and Craig help people rewild through art, archives, biodiversity, and beauty ([01:53:00])
• The final invitation: how noticing becomes a daily ritual of reconnection and joy ([02:03:00])

🎤 Memorable Moments from the Episode:

• Craig’s experience of pure vitality on a pristine research island—surrounded by mantas, sharks, and rays ([00:02:00])
• George’s intimate vocal impressions of coyotes, wolves, and elk—including one he heard that morning ([00:07:00], [01:13:00])
• What snails in beer bottles near Miami taught Craig about resilience and belonging ([02:06:00])
• The concept of Mother Nature as the ultimate shareholder of all human endeavors ([00:29:00])
• What happens when children in urban schools are given cameras—and how their perception shifts over days ([00:18:00])
• George’s ravens at the dump: what “vermin” reveal about the power of noticing ([02:09:00])
• Craig’s octopus friend who walks bipedally and eats sharks—and lets Craig film her doing it ([02:22:00])

📚 Projects, Thinkers, and Ideas Mentioned:

Craig Foster – My Octopus Teacher, Sea Change Project (https://seachangeproject.com)

1001 Sea Forest Species Project

George Bumann – Wildlife sculptor, educator, and naturalist (https://georgebumann.com)

David Graeber – The Dawn of Everything https://amzn.to/464fE6e

Bates Method – Natural eyesight restoration https://amzn.to/4kFMqhF

Dr. Chantel Prat – The Neuroscience of You https://amzn.to/3TFhPWs

Rupert Isaacson – The Horse Boy, The Long Ride Home, The Healing Land https://longridehome.com/books-ru/ 

🌍 See All of Rupert’s Programs and Shows: Website: https://rupertisaacson.com

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