Why do we work with Story? Why have people over the centuries worked with Story?Stories, while they delight and enchant us, help people see things in a wider perspective, make meaningful choices, work better in teams, live out of their declared values. Stories guide or invite individuals and groups to explore options for better living and working. And so we believe that Story is healing medicine.
As a Teller of stories, I am often asked by members of the listening group about just ‘how’ I knew this was the story they needed at this time. The real answer is – I never really know. But I have learnt that I need to trust the stories I choose and I must choose stories that can offer insights, not morals or prescriptions for living.
I use the gift and power of story in many areas of my work – with individuals, with groups of managers, educators, clergy or students – actually with anyone open to ways of learning that need not be usual or obvious! While it is helpful to know the needs of the audience, this is not always possible. I have come to understand that Story itself has much to offer to a variety of audiences, and I, as the storyteller, cannot always control the outcome. In fact, a lot of the time, I don't even know if or how an audience has been touched. All I can do is to hold this intent, and do my work in this light.
As in any work, if I have prepared myself over time – in this case by building a well-loved, well-used storehouse, I can, with some measure of ease an confidence, drawn on a particular story that will open people up to new ways of seeing, new ways of being.
Making the precious connection
Anyone can tell stories, but not everyone can tell stories well.
I try to explain to many would-be Tellers that it is simply not enough to ‘have a collection’ of stories, or stacks of books on Story. I have both of these – but I know that it is the many returns to a single story that builds up a precious connection.
I have within me a vast storehouse of stories that I have learnt to love over the years as they have taught me and I have learnt respectfully from them with each re-reading,
re-working and re-telling. And it is from my connection with the stories in that storehouse, that I try to choose a story that feels right for the moment, and I also choose a theme within that story to focus on.
I also believe very strongly that each telling gives me at least as much as it gives my listeners.
So I encourage those who love Story and those who would like to work with Story to nurture this interest by creating their own personal collection of stories that touch and inspire them.
Building your storehouse
A large collection of stories grows from that first story that enchanted you enough to want to tell others.
Different storytellers have different ways of collecting stories. Some just have a large collection of books, in which they stick in bookmarks to flag the stories they feel they can use. This needs lots of money – and a big house! The fact is -often in a whole, big book we find just one or two ‘right’ stories – and that’s if we get lucky.
Some Tellers I know actually make recordings of their favorite stories; again, storage is a bit of a problem, and so is the possibility of deterioration of tapes.
I prefer to write or type and print out the stories I think I could use. You can use loose sheets, a file-folder, or a notebook. Do whatever works for you.
Your sources can be books, listening to other tellers, or websites. I have found that some people are happy to have a collection of just ten or fifteen stories, and to use these favorites again an again. If that works for you – specially at first – then stick to these. Some - like me – love hearing new stories and using them, though we have our own stock of old favorites.
It’s important to know that the more stories you truly know well, the more you are able to ‘pull out’ a really suitable story, at the right moment, for an individual or a group. Story is for entertaining, yes; but the power of Story is its use for ‘healing’ and it helps to have a stock of healing remedies rather than to dole out your favorite ‘medicine’ that while it may not harm, may not do much good either.
In all of these cases, the key is: visit the stories again and again. Read them silently to yourself; read them out loud - to yourself or to others; tell them to different people of different ages; tell them differently. Really get to know them.
And may your story-storehouse grow, and delight you and all your listeners.
Marguerite Theophil
Growing story
Some are called to this healing art, and the best, by my lights,
are those who have genuinely lain with the story,
and found all its matching parts inside themselves and at depth ...
Persons such as these are immediately recognizable by their presence alone.
... Among the best of the teller-healers I know, and I have blessed to know many, their stories grow out of their lives as roots grow a tree.
The stories have grown them, grown them into who they are.
We can tell the difference. We know when someone has ‘grown’ a story facetiously, and when the story has genuinely grown them.
It is the latter that underlies the integral traditions.
~ Clarissa Pinkola-Estes
