Week 4
Fireside Storytelling
The sharing of our day to day living stories is something we do naturally; telling our partner what happened on the way to the shops, our child telling us what she and her friends played, a neighbour sharing what he enjoyed over the weekend visiting his family. (All currently online of course and that in itself makes our storytelling so important).
When we gather together, perhaps with friends or family we have not seen in a while (particularly prevalent right now) we recall happy memories or funny situations and re-tell a story, connecting us all to that moment.
And we also tell our stories as part of a ceremony, ritual or celebration. We may dress in special clothes, prepare sumptuous food, decorate and adorn the space we are gathering in. And most important of all, we build and light a fire. A fire brings illumination to a the space, it’s a focal point, it gives us warmth and creates an atmosphere of magic and mystery.
Gathered around a fire in circle we are drawn to the dancing of the flames, the dimming of the sun and the rising of the moon and stars. Often we fall into silence as we are hypnotised, soothed and held by the energy of nature and our collective union.
And then, the stories begin to flow. Old stories, modern stories, fictional, factual; some will bring us to laughter and joy, others to tears or rage. All touch our hearts and souls as we listen deeply and open to insights and awakenings through the words of the storyteller.
It may be that the stories turn to songs and the songs to dancing as the fire, the stars and the moon, weaving their magic, call us to our fullest expression and true nature of who we are – connected to Mother Earth, to one another and to the song of our soul.
We don’t all have access to a field or garden in which to have a fire but we can too, create an atmosphere of magic without an actual fire. Decorating a table or creating an altar and lighting a candle also brings illumination and magic into a space. Whether it is a cold winter evening or a warm summer’s night, sitting around candle light with people we love invites us to tell our stories.
In these times of challenge, change and disorientation it is ever more important for us to find ways in which to connect to our deepest being and to Mother Earth. Finding ways to anchor ourselves to the energy and love of purity and grace supports us through these times of not knowing.
Fireside storytelling is a beautiful way to gift yourself time and space to tell your story, to be heard, to listen to your beloved, your children or your friends and to allow you all to drift into other worlds, of fantasy, dream and adventure, letting go of the need to know or control and instead, be in the moment, be present and allow what ever arises as you give yourself over to the alchemy of storytelling.
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