Practice

We meet to tell our own true stories. We hear each other speak. It's for ordinary people like you and me. There's no need to be a performer, a hero, or a victim.

It's not entertainment - although it is entertaining. Hours may seemingly pass in the blink of an eye.

It's not therapy - although it feels good to be seen, heard and included in something meaningful.

We do it to build trust. We do it to build community.

So how do you choose which story to tell? We come from all over the world - we left home to build a new one. Our stories come from this experience. Feelings of being in the wrong place, of being an outsider, of finding our voice, of learning to love. All that matters is that it's important to you and then your voice will draw people in.

Some stories are light and funny. Others are painful to tell. That’s when storytelling becomes an act of courage - a way of letting go, clearing space for something new.

When I hear your story, I may laugh or I may cry. Your story is an invitation to me to tell my own. You don’t need to explain how you felt - I’ll feel it too, as it stirs a memory in me.

No analysis is needed. Just tell me what happened. Trust me to meet you there. That’s how I become part of your story’s arising and falling away again.

In Mindful Storytelling, at its best, you are not telling your story - you become the story.