I enrolled in the sacred storytelling course (STO288) as means to find my way back to storytelling. A traumatic car accident left me feeling adrift in a world that I could not recognize with a repertoire I could not remember – connections were scrambled or just gone. I wanted to find my way back to the storytelling that is "the me of now" versus "the me of before" (before the accident).
Before taking sacred storytelling, and post-accident, I was hesitant to review my body of work around sacred stories. I had spent the last 11 years telling sacred stories from the Abrahamic traditions among various faith communities. While these tellings were always well received, I questioned their value outside these communities of faith. After the first class meeting, I was very ambivalent about telling these stories in class. Several classmates' stated opinions about sacred stories went right to the root of my fears as the teller – the stories are often derided by adults as irrelevant, boring, and lifeless. I lacked confidence in my work, in my ability to bring these ancient stories to life, and in the stories’ relevance for today's world.
It is my experience that sacred stories find me – I don't look for the story. And, typically, I struggle with a story for some time, as the stories that find me often are not stories I would choose. As I ponder the story, research it, play with images, and wonder why the story is calling me, the story comes home – sits in "the me of now." It is a mystical, liminal "thing" that I find myself craving, seeking, and relishing.
Admittedly, each time I prepared a sacred story for telling in class I encountered a roller coaster of emotions complete with tears, a-ha moments, and a few moments of pure bliss. I continually waffled on what to tell, how to tell, and even why I tell. Sigh.
And yet . . . as a result of completing the sacred storytelling course, I now recognize that my work is representative of sacred storytelling. I am "re-finding" confidence in my work, especially around the scholarship that is uniquely "the me of now." And, miracle of miracles, I find myself looking forward to what lies ahead, with a welcomed curiosity around “the me of now” storytelling. It is pure bliss to rejoin the unique storytelling community that is South Mountain Storytelling Institute.
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