In the early 1930’s a temple in Thailand was torn down and a large stucco statue of the Buddha was moved to a warehouse where it sat for many years. Finally, a new temple was built, and a crane was brought to move the heavy statue into its new home. In the process of moving it, the crane broke and the statue fell into the mud. The Abbott was called to inspect the damage. He noticed that there was a crack in the stucco and saw a glimmer of something underneath. Slowly, bit by bit the temple monks removed the stucco covering. When they were finished, they were amazed to see that the statue was made of solid gold. It was the largest gold statue in the world, standing over ten feet tall. It turns out that 200 years before, fearing the Burmese army that was ransacking the city, the temple monks had disguised the gold Buddha under a thick plaster. Its true nature had been forgotten and then at last revealed again.
Personal story shaping is like discovering the gold inside of our own experiences. We may know that there is something there worth sharing, but until we take the time to explore it bit by bit, and from many angles, we may miss the deepest meaning making.
Over 35 years ago I learned the power of personal story telling by shaping the dance/story of my experience as a young battered woman. What began as an overwhelming task soon became a form of therapeutic sculpting that I couldn’t wait to return to every day after work. The process transformed me from a sad young woman who was afraid to share her truth to a stronger and prouder one who helped others through sharing her truth and transformation. The process that made this hero journey possible was that of a supportive group of listeners and witnessing my experience through the compassionate and passionate eyes of the artist.
Since that time, I have explored many new approaches to finding and sharing the gold in life experiences. These I would love to share with you in my Sharing the Fire Intensive, “Telling the Longer Personal Story.”
While my work has often centered around the therapeutic story there is no pressure to work on something “heavy” or traumatic. Each teller will bring a personal story of their choosing. It may be a group of memories needing a clear theme line to bring cohesion. Perhaps it’s a single experience that you’ve always wanted to develop. Maybe you have a well-formed gem that just needs a little more work. With the luxury of four hours, supportive listening partners and small groups we will move our stories along with compassion and play. We will hone the imagery, gain clarity on our focus, gain insight into our motivations, honor the helpers, practice forgiveness, and put it into the context of what we have learned on this hero/heroines journey.
Like the Golden Buddha at last released from its plaster disguise, our stories when exposed to the light of meaning provide inspiration and joy to others and to ourselves.
Feel free to contact me if you have questions about the intensive at elisa@wisdomtales.com or (781) 640-9499.
Elisa Pearmain is a professional storyteller who has been telling personal stories since 1983 when she dance/told her story of moving from an abusive relationship to an empowered storyteller. She has been leading workshops to help others tell their stories for almost as long. She is the award-wining author of Doorways to the Soul: 52 Wisdom Tales from Around the World, and Once Upon a Time: Storytelling to Teach Character and Prevent Bullying, and won awards for her double CD, Forgiveness: Telling our Stories in New Ways.
Elisa is also a licensed psychotherapist in private practice in Concord, MA. She is a member of the Executive Committee for the Healing Story Alliance and former host of their monthly teleconferences. Wisdomtales.com
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