The Heart of Storytelling

Once there was, once there was not...... long, long ago....... once upon a time....... in the time when animals were people.......these phrases open the door to lands both strange and familiar.

They invite us to suspend disbelief and to hear the story not with our heads, but with our hearts. It is James Stephens in The Crock Of Gold who conveys it most clearly: "...the head does not hear anything until the heart has listened, and what the heart knows today the head will understand tomorrow." What better way to experience life than by listening with our hearts first, our heads second?

Storytelling and story-listening are excellent ways to develop this special, profound relationship with our daily experiences. Thomas Moore, in Care Of The Soul, considers it this way. He encourages us to develop 'mythological thinking.' This leads us away from looking for literal causes and to develop, rather, more insightful imagining. He points out that our 'stories' are not literal truths, but our interpretations of the events in our lives. By becoming an experienced traveler in the realm of myth and story we can learn to more easily recognize the themes and dynamics of our own lives.

One of the best ways to become an experienced traveler in this realm is by first becoming an experienced story listener. Spend a fair amount of time listening to seasoned tellers, read the classic folktales which have been distilled throughout time and explore the folklore of the many cultures of the world. 'Reading isn't listening,' you may say.

It is when you listen with your heart first.
Listen for that resonant chord within you. You will feel it.

Read the story aloud and give yourself permission to express the emotional journey the story takes you through. Your listeners will be most engaged in the story when they are emotionally connected to your telling of it. You will enjoy storytelling more when it is a multidimensional dance of imagery, senses and feelings. And when experiencing the first time jitters remember, in order to do something well we must first be willing to do it badly. Storytelling is best when it isn't perfect, so long as it is heartfelt.

There are many reasons to bring storytelling into your and your family members' lives.

Storytelling offers an opportunity to challenge world views, raise questions regarding personal bias and stimulate the search for creative responses to everyday living. It is a place to practice emotional responses and to develop a sense of oneself. And perhaps most poignantly, it is a place where parents and children can experience joy and laughter together.

Síocháin.

image credits, in order of appearance: antonvandenberg.wordpress.com; julia nowak

Nasrudin's Search For the Perfect Wife

Nasrudin, that wisest of fools, manages to get right to the heart of any matter. In this story, he is asked by an excited, young friend of his who is himself about to be married, whether or not the Mulla had ever wished to be married.

Nasrudin relates that he, indeed, did once desire to marry. In point of fact, he had held the vision of marrying the PERFECT wife.

Ahhhhh, would that each one of us could find and marry the perfect wife. That one person who holds, with loving kindness, our heart. The one who cares for and nurtures the self that must venture out into society and navigate the challenges and demands that engaging in the world presents. "I live alone not because of my virtue, but rather because of my weakness. You see, those who live among people are the strong ones," is a saying attributed to a Coptic Orthodox monk, named Abba Matoes.*

So, the Mulla, Nasrudin, tells how he set out into the world, searching for that very creature - the Perfect Wife. He travels to a great city and there he meets a woman who is beautiful (a must), kind (another must), and intelligent (essential). Sadly, Nasrudin sees that she knows nothing of the World and he feels that a truly perfect wife has this trait along with all those others.

After travelling to the next city, there again, he meets a woman who has all these traits and is worldly as well as spiritual. Aha! What a find! Alas, they do not communicate well - curious, isn't it?

Finally, his search culminates in a third city. Here he meets a woman who embodies all those traits of the the other two, AND she is an excellent communicator! At last, he has found the PERFECT WIFE!

.................................................................................................................................................................."but, Mulla, you did not marry her?"

"Ahhh, to my dismay, SHE was looking for the PERFECT HUSBAND."

Nasrudin has held up a delightful mirror within which we can see ourselves. How often do we seek 'perfection' in others while never taking the opportunity to observe ourselves. "Be the change you wish to see."

Also, be the kind of person you wish most to have close to you in your life. Cultivate kindness, compassion, wisdom, humor, worldly understanding and an appreciation for the spiritual connection within yourself. Become your own 'perfect wife' - who knows who or what will coming looking for you?

*from Stories of the Spirit, Stories of the Heart, edited by Christina Feldman & Jack Kornfield

Tellabration!™

Tellabration!™ November 20, 2010

Fallin' All O'er The World

November 20, 2010

7:00 - 8:30 pm

SLO Country Club

A night of story and song to celebrate the richness and wonder of Fall. This evening will feature Shannon Savage, a singer both wistful and alluring, performing traditional ballads, and Zette Harbour, traditional storyteller, spinning stories of enchantment and mystery.

Guilds and storytelling enthusiasts all around the globe will share their storytelling talents in concerts held in cities and towns to celebrate the art of storytelling. Locally, TELLABRATION!™ brings together each area’s most celebrated storytellers, to delight, captivate, and mesmerize audiences with their tales.

This year traditional storyteller, Zette Harbour, brings Tellabration!™ to San Luis Obispo. A limited number of seats are available, though. Reserve yours today and revel in the songs, stories and sweets. Tickets for a special drawing will be available at the event.

Tickets May Be Purchased At The Door Adults: $14 - Children 8 and over: $9

This event is designed for children 8 and older and adults. For additional information, contact Zette Harbour - 805-441-6688, or zetteharbour@gmail.com

Sufi Wisdom - Nasrudin Changes His Entire World

There are many stories about the Sufi wiseman/fool, Nasrudin. They are among my favorite stories. I always enjoy his upside-down wisdom. I enjoy sharing these stories when I perform because not only do the alter the perspective of the listener, they often alter the pattern of performance. By this I mean that we're accustomed to a particular rhythm in our stories - the badum, bump and ta da.
Nasrudin stories, like a number of indigenous cultures' folktales, are more bump, ta, badum, da.

"A philosopher, having made an appointment to dispute with Nasrudin, called and found him away from home. Infuriated, he picked up a piece of chalk and wrote "Stupid Oaf" on Nasrudin's gate.
As soon as he got home and saw this, Mulla rushed to the philosopher's house. "I had forgotten," he said, "that you were to call. And I apologize for not having been at home. Of course, I remembered the appointment as soon as I saw that you had left your name on my door."*

Badum, da.

*Story from Stories of the Spirit, Stories of the Heart - edited by Christina Feldman and Jack Kornfield, 1991