Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, that creative Hungarian thinker with an unpronounceable name, wrote that optimal skills in any endeavor take about ten years to develop. When we have achieved that level of mastery, then all our creative work "flows" with just the right balance of mastery and challenge as we continue to grow and grow in our art form.
And so it is with storytelling. Years and years of regular telling are required for mastery. That is why it is so important to work with a mentor as you move from beginning to intermediate to advanced levels in your practice of storytelling.
But storytelling is not just an art form, nor a verbal skill. It is also a spiritual discipline. The sufi and hasidic maters understood this. Among the Sufis, singing, dancing, storytelling, baking, and many other crafts are the very vehicles through which the novice advanced not only in technical skill but in self-knowledge. A mentor can help the seeker to transform their verbal craft into a spiritual art.
Over the years I have been blessed with two mentors and worked with them for many years. Wayne Rood and Jorge Rosner not only taught me, but modeled the art of mentorship for me.
I have been practicing the art of storytelling for over 45 years, and have mentored many men and women since 1994 through the School of Sacred Storytelling.
What is a Master Class?
The Master Class is an opportunity to explore stories that are most important to you now. Perhaps they are tales you have long known (and told). Or perhaps they are new stories. Maybe it is a single story, or maybe it is a cycle of stories. It may even be a major project that you are putting together. Or a need to prepare for a crucial upcoming storytelling event.
In the Master Class you work with me to overcome technical obstacles, but also to more deeply enter into the treasures of the tale. And, you also learn from watching others in the seminar go through a similar process. This is a chance to be with other skilled storytellers who are passionate about their art.
"Storytelling as Sacred Art" can be taken anytime as a one-to-one Tutorial.
It can also be scheduled as a Residential Seminar or an Online Seminar if your community is interested.
Please contact the School if you have questions, or would like to register for the Tutorial. (include your email in the form below.)