The philosophy of Mindful Storytelling is informed by Buddhist thought. 

Non-attachment and no fixed self

People believe they are their personality, their habits, their beliefs. Buddhism, however,suggests there is no fixed self. The "self" is flexible. It’s fluid. It changes.

• The episodes that resurface in our minds — unbidden — are often ones that have the power to change us. 

• When we tell our stories aloud, they lose their power over us. We may stop identifying with shame and choose to set pride aside. 

If the story is helpful it becomes a treasure, if it is unhelpful it can be re-shaped or it can consciously be discarded.

We are the stories we tell ourselves. If you change the stories you tell yourself - you yourself change. 

Mindfulness

Buddhism is very strongly associated with meditation. In meditation, some people think the goal is to achieve a state of ‘no thought’ (which might happen) but it is far more likely you will have many thoughts! Those that arise, you are invited to notice but not to ‘follow’. 

The things you think about are pointers to episodes that could become stories. To be aware of them can therefore be productive. 

Rather than pushing thoughts away from your mind, you are invited to notice them, sit with them, shape them and combine them into stories in order to tell them. 

Thus mindfulness is a foundational principle of Mindful Storytelling.

Right view and speech

Rather than using story to impress, justify, or seek sympathy, our stories are told to connect to ourselves and others.

Our stories avoid blaming other people. 

• Speak what is true

• Speak what is helpful

• Speak what is timely

• Speak with a kind heart

When it is our turn to listen we aim to do so with as much attention as when we speak.