The rich and varied world of storytelling is as important today as it has ever been. Every day we see and hear stories being used to influence the world around us. Everything from religion, politics, business, health, and the myriad of entertainment offerings use story as the basis of expression and connection. Story also provides a profound outlet for spiritual and soulful exploration and growth. Storytelling is an art form that reaches into the depths of the soul as a reflection of identity, meaning, and cultural significance.

In this three-part online workshop with storyteller and teacher Ben Dennis, you will first explore storytelling through fairy tale and the oral tradition; then storytelling through personal narrative; and finally, storytelling as social commentary.

Session 1:
Storytelling, the oral tradition

During the first session, you will explore the foundations of storytelling through the myths and stories that have been around for generations. Sources such as Grimm’s Fairy Tales, Native American Myths and Stories, and the many regional collections provide a delightful variety of material for a rich experience. You will inquire into the living nature of Story and the notion that they have their own autonomous identity. Stories are “persons” in a sense, and maintain their livelihood in the voices of the tellers and in the imaginations of the people. You will also explore the nature of imagination and the subtle role of images as building-blocks of your storytelling journey.

Session 2:
Storytelling, the personal narrative

Your second session will dive deeply into personal narrative. Each of us has experiences that illuminate not only our individual lives, but reflect on what it means to be a human being living today. Drawing on what we learned in the first session, you will strive to bring a sense of the mythic to your personal stories and share with the group our collective insights. You will then we will have the opportunity to share our stories with each other.

Session 3:
Storytelling, AS Social commentary

Finally, in the last session, we will all inquire deeply into contemporary social issues. Storytelling as social commentary helps us to orient ourselves to our place in the society around us, allows us to make sense make sense of contemporary events, and helps orient us in human history and our place in the cosmos. Story has the power to transform the future. During this session, you will draw from lessons learned in the previous two sessions, paying special attention to how we listen and learn through the images we each bring, we will explore Storytelling as a way of bringing about profound Social Transformation, both individually and collectively. 

To learn more before registering, or if you have a question about your registration or your payment arrangement, please contact us.

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BENJAMIN DENNIS

Facilitator

Benjamin (Ben) Dennis, PhD, is a mythologist and writer cultivating a life-long love of story, myth and psychology. He has been passionately involved in ritual, rites of passage, psychodrama and storytelling….

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