Category: <span>StoryTelling</span>

Never-Not-Broken
Published November 13, 2020 by

Never-Not-Broken

About a month ago I volunteered to tell a story  for the 8th annual Storyteller’s Tellabration.   It’s been a few years since I’ve tackled this kind of creative endeavor and I’m a little nervous.

My genre of storytelling is a hybrid of personal memoir and ancient mythology.   In the past I’ve delved into ancient gods/goddesses from different cultures and I’ve always learned something important.  I’ve added some links below of stories told if you are interested.

Thanks to the internet I found my muse right away.  She was hardly known in the pantheon of gods/goddesses.of Hindu mythology.  She was called Askilandaeshvari and her name holds the key to understanding what she is all about.  In Sanskrit, Aki is Universe, lan is ruler, and deshvari is Goddess…………..she is the Goddess who Rules the Universe and her powers are unmatched by any other.  But the Sanskrit also says something else.  Akilanda can be  also translated as Never-Not-Broken.  She is the Goddess of Never-Not-Broken.  Reconciling those two translations took a bit of meditation and contemplation. Within days my obsession took over and I researched and read and tried to paint the image I found of her.

I looked at all the places where I was broken, physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually.  Slowly as I came to understand her story and the symbolism I could see why Never-Not-Broken = Ruler of the Universe.  As a life long yogini I have learned what it means to ’embody’ something.   I watched my self *embody* Ashkilandaeshvari.

Her story teaches us about resilience and how with each break, crack, rupture, trauma, crisis, catastrophe we survive, we become stronger.

I suspect that her fame will grow during these turbulent times we are living in.  The way she rides the crocodile down a raging river is a lesson in itself.

…to be continued

Here’s an invite to our Tellebration if you want to come.

Divine Dramas………

More Divine Dramas – Daghda’s Harp

 

Ancient Wisdom StoryTelling The Jersey Shore Yoga

Published November 3, 2017 by

Writing Instructions from Annie

schat“…….(on)Writing: shitty first drafts. Butt in chair. Just do it. You own everything that happened to you. You are going to feel like hell if you never write the stuff that is tugging on the sleeves in your heart–your stories, visions, memories, songs: your truth, your version of things, in your voice. That is really all you have to offer us, and it’s why you were born

Annie Lamott

I’ve been getting my stories down on paper for the last 3 years.  Now What? 

Save

Blogging StoryTelling

creative non-fiction essay memoir narrative

Published October 1, 2016 by

Come!

img_1946  SUNDAY, OCT 9, 2016 

1:30 pm

East Brunswick Public Library, 2 Civic Center Drive. NJ

 I’ve attended the Harper’s Escape weekend intensive maybe 6 times, and now that I’ve finally gotten the ‘hang’ of it, it’s ending.  After 25 years Kathy, the director, and one of my most favorite teachers,  is retiring this event.  So sad.  But, I do understand.    The details above is for the final public concert that completes the weekend event.  I’ll be there and, it’s free.  Come!  It’s always a full house so get there early for a good seat, not that it matters.

 

 

harpdoodle-001Taking up the harp at 50 changed my life brain.  Switching from piano to harp as my primary musical instrument was a learning curve that proved frustrating, challenging, and incredibly rewarding.  More on that another time.  Suffice it to say, 8 fingers on 36 strings, re-wired my brain in ways only a yogi could understand….or a brain scientist.

Next year Kathy is taking a group to Ireland!  OMG.  For those who know me,  you know how much I want to go on that trip!aran-islands-inisheer-001  In August, 2002 my daughter and I traveled there and searched for all-things-harp for 2 weeks. We landed in Shannon and made our way to  Galway during  the big horse race event. We journeyed thru dense fog to Inisheer, one of the  Aran Islands.  We drove on the wrong right long straight road running from the west coast all the way to way to Dublin. The only harp I found was  in a glass case at Trinity Library and I wrote about it here. Of course there were images of harps on coins and beer cans everywhere, but, no harp music anywhere.  Still, the music we did find was damn good!  Money is tight right now so maybe I’ll crowdfund the trip?  If everyone I know/love could send me $5. I bet that might get me there!  I’ll be happy to entertain you all with my harp when I return.

Just kidding….

 

 

Anyway, Wally, a Camac Aziliz, (who I still want to swap/sell/trade  for a Fisher) needs some serious tuning after a hot, humid summer and weeks of neglect.  But, he’ll sing next weekend at the Harpers Escape for sure.

wallyalone

 Learning to play the harp, and developing a repetoire that suits me and my abilities has been so much fun.  It’s taken me to places both musical and geographical that wouldn’t have happened otherwise. I am blessed.

Here’s a story I wrote about one such experience.  It happened in July, 2007.

Come to this concert….your heart will thank you. 

                                                                    May all beings feel love.  willaangelina-001

 

Blogging Doodles Harp My photos StoryTelling

Published October 13, 2015 by

Synchronicity or what?

meandmona A few weeks ago while at the Grounds for Sculpture (GFS) with Storyteller’s Mosaic I told a story about Paris and seeing the Mona Lisa. It was a fun day for everyone.  The weather was wonderful and the Grounds were  a spectacular backdrop to the event.  Truly, the GFS is NJ’s best kept secret.

It’s fascinating to me what gets stirred up in the universe when we tell a story…..spiritually & energetically.  Storytelling, for me, has a magical component that I can’t really describe in words, but here’s more of what has happened regarding this story…..

Weeks earlier, while preparing my story someone had told me about an ‘interactive’  display somewhere at the GFS which included the Mona Lisa.  So, after we had checked in and found our ‘stage’ I went looking for her……again…..and the photo on the left delightfully displays my success in finding her……….again!

The telling of the story went well and I breathed a sigh of relief and ease when it was over.  I included a line about going” right over there to have your picture taken with Mona Lisa!”    After leaving the stage I was approached by another storyteller who had just returned from Paris and pulled out his iPhone to show me his picture of Mona, with him in it.  I showed him mine too!  A funny moment for sure!

The day after the event I was flipping channels on the tv.  I paused at one of those newsmagazine show’s because they were doing a segment on the Mona Lisa at the Louvre and the utter chaos & rudeness that occurs in the room where she is displayed…..which was my experience too, of course, but here ?   now?  on my tv………… a coincidence?   I’ve read about how ones computer and other digital devices can become highly personalized these days…without our conscious intent…but?

Yesterday, someone I know from another piece of my life approached me in the local arts and crafts store.   It was a surprise to see each other and we met in the middle of the aisle among the paints & paintbrushes to chat.  Then she mentioned that she was shopping for some ideas on how to create her Halloween costume…..she planned to be……….yup, you guessed it…..Mona Lisa.  …and did I have any ideas about how she could do that?   Really!?  She had no knowledge of me going to Paris, or telling stories, or anything that made sense.

Anyway, it all feels a little silly and not really worthy of a blog post……….but the Yogi’s have taught us that “energy follows attention” so by writing and talking about the Mona Lisa I have simply opened up the channels for more of the same.  Hmmm.   We’ll see what happens next.

Happy New Moon……

 

Blogging My photos StoryTelling

Mona Lisa

Published June 29, 2015 by

It’s Storytime Again!

What fun!  Telling stories.  Together.  For an audience.  I’ve learned so much telling my tales.  It’s a process, like anything else.  The wanting, the picking and choosing, the endless editing, the voice, the gestures, the eye-contact or lack thereof, the embellishments, the applause, it’s all part of a storyteller’s craft.   Yes?

It’s summertime here at the Jersey Shore and it’s time to lighten up a bit and laugh.  I’m working on a story that was inspired by a trip to the Clinique counter at Macy’s.  As usual, you can spin a story in a gazillion ways, and according to writer Deena Metzger, the  “story is not what happened”.

Thus, it begs the question, what is a storyteller to do?  Tell the truth?  Embellish?  Misrepresent for the sake of a laugh?

So far, for me, it’s like doing a yoga pose.  First find the ease amidst the discomfort.  Then, notice thoughts & emotions as the words are put together.  Be aware of body sensations and breath during delivery and presentation.  Make adjustments where necessary.   Yup, The Yoga of Storytelling…..so much to explore here.

Have a nice day.   a-pinkdanceganeesh.gif

July 8, 7pm, Stories in the Park, Bradley Beach, NJ.   Go here for details.

StoryTelling The Jersey Shore Yoga

Bradley Beach

Published March 30, 2015 by

Happy Birthday Storytellers Mosaic!

I am sArjunao happy to be a part of this group.  Please join us on April 12 for our annual birthday show. Click here for flyer.

I’m still “in process” of cobbling my story together.    The ‘working’ title is “Tales from the East”.  The blurb I submitted reads:

Personal challenges take on deeper meanings when viewed from different perspectives. This telling will weave together a personal tale with an ancient story out of the Bhagavad Gita.

 

 

 

 

Ancient Wisdom Dharma Karma philosophy StoryTelling

arjuna pilgramage

Published February 7, 2015 by

Sound Cloud….wow

Just opened an account @ soundcloud….they’ve really simplified all the uploading and downloading so  amateur people like me can share some music…….

So, here’s the tune The Factory Girl, at least part of it…..    I tried to really slow it down and use very few notes so that you can feel the “bones of the song”.   Story at 2pm.    ……told under the auspices of a disseminating moon

Om shanti.

 

 

 

Harp StoryTelling The Jersey Shore

soundcloud

It’s StoryTelling Time again and…..
Published January 26, 2015 by

It’s StoryTelling Time again and…..

……I’ve given myself some time & space to write/tell some about my dear Aunt Em.  She is auntema sister to my mother, and also to Uncle Sam….he’s the one I storytold about at the Hamilton Grounds for Sculpture.  Blog post here. What’s so interesting is that since I told that story in September new information has come to me that sheds more light on my connection to civil rights issues…    and, We all need more light, you know?

The topic for the telling is Romance….which is a pretty wide open subject that can be interpreted in so many ways.  However, I knew immediately that this story about my aunt needed to be the first ‘romantic’ story I must tell.  Although, it is very tempting to fly open and tell some tales of my own romantic adventures.   But,most of the characters are still alive to contradict my perspective….which isn’t necessarily a bad thing……..and, now is not the time for that…..or is it?   (pardon my confusion……neptune hovers endlessly around my moon/mars/venus……

Telling the tales of my long departed family feels safe, and even important, since these people provided me with most of my DNA.  It’s good to know your roots and where you come from.  It’s good to see how the stories of our childhood have shaped us, molded us and continue to show us parts of ourselves that may go unnoticed.   But, I digress.   I learned a tune month’s ago at the Harper’s Escape and it’s perfect for this story and provides a perfect title as well…..The Factory Girl.  Don’t know if I’m bringing the harp though….the weather outside is frightful.

I’m going over to the Schedule page now to publish dates and times in case you are local and want to attend.  All Welcome…..

 

Asbury Park journal entry StoryTelling

family photo family story

The Three Noble Strains
Published November 11, 2014 by

The Three Noble Strains

I’ve been practicing dagdasharp.my story for Tellebration 2014 and excited to present it.  I’ll be telling more about Dagda  and adding a nice bit of harping to the telling. Dagda is the god of the bards and his lineage connects him to the fairy realm of Ireland.  He’s a comical figure, visually, but still immensely powerful.  His primary tool for the magic he weaves is his harp.  Besides composing the sounds of nature, and keeping the seasons in order, he’s also credited with the establishment of the Three Noble Strains, lament, merriment, & lullabye.    I have lots of ‘merriment’ & ‘lullabye’ in my repetoire, however I did not have any ‘lament’s or sad songs.  I guess that means I don’t qualify as a bard……yet.  So, I’ve been searching for sad across the internet and settled in on T.  O’Carolan’s,  Clergy’s Lamentation.

It takes a lot to learn a new piece so I’ve been carrying this tune around in my head for days.  It is a sad tune…..  unless I play it fast, and then it’s positively danceable.  And so it goes.  I did some googling around though and found these 2 articles.  You might want to check them out.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/22/opinion/sunday/why-we-like-sad-music.html

http://boingboing.net/2014/11/06/we-listen-to-sad-music-to-feel.html

 

Oh! and, Venus moves into Sagittarius just as our show begins….isn’t that just perfect.

Om shanti, shanti, shantihi.

 

Ancient Wisdom Harp Music StoryTelling

bard dagda laments

Published October 17, 2014 by

Birdsong

Well, I am simply filled to the brim with joy and gratitude for last weekend’s Harper’s Escape.  It was fabulous and I promise to gift myself more harp events.  Meanwhile, last week I  also learned how to lightly edit an audio file and upload it to the internet.  I know it’s no big deal anymore to do that, but for me this feels really cool!   Uh oh…..I do see  YouTube in my future!  Uranus is flooding my chart right now  with ‘breakthrough energy’ so this seems like a good way to use it.

That said,  here is a piece of my harp practice that will certainly make you smile if you can hang in there for a few minutes.   I’m not posting this piece necessarily for the music…..  it’s about the birds and it’s worth a listen.  Promise.   The first 30 seconds are just me talking as I set the levers on the harp preparing to practice and warm up my hands.    (Recorded on my ipod)

 

 

Harp Music sound/music therapy StoryTelling