Oprah visits John of God
I love Oprah! She’s turned me on to great books, helped guide me to a healthier lifestyle, and made me think – think about my own life, how I look at the world, and how I view humanity. I miss her show, but read her mag whenever I can.
In the latest O Magazine they featured a personal story by Oprah herself about visiting John of God, the incredible healer in Brazil whose miraculous cures are known around the world. People travel thousands of miles, as did Oprah and her staff, just to meet him.
I still need to read the book about his life, John of God: The Brazilion Healer Who’s Touched the Lives of Millions, but I have seen the documentary Healing: Miracle, Mysteries and John of God and it’s definitely eye-opening! I highly recommend it. It will change the way you look at faith and healing.
Oprah writes in the June issue of O Magazine that she was skeptical about John of God up until she witnessed him, up close and personal, perform an actual surgery. Overwhelmed at the authenticity of the experience and her own emotional response, Oprah nearly passed out and was guided back to her chair, where she began to cry. She writes:
“Tears of gratitude started to flow. Gratitude for the whole journey of my life—not just everything that had gone right, but the things that had not.
“I felt an overwhelming sense of peace…And that was just the first hour of a day filled with prayers, blessings, and hugs from strangers—all of us seeking the light of something greater than ourselves.”
Strong words from a strong woman. If you can’t swing a trip to Brazil like Oprah, I definitely recommend seeing the documentary on John of God.
Say “Hello” to your new brain!
Finally! Awakening the Brain is the perfect marriage between science and spirituality. I am one of those people who want proof for everything. In the past, I’ve been left feeling a bit lost after reading books on the importance of spiritual practice. Though I know deep inside that meditation and other practices are vital to your health, I’ve strived to truly understand why. Awakening the Brain answers my call! Former nun and neuropsychologist Dr. Charlotte Tomaino draws from her personal experience to show how the way we think and what we believe can actually alter the structure of our brain by creating new neural connections.
It sounds complicated, but it’s not. Just think about how quickly and easily children absorb new information and learn new skills. They simply believe it’s possible and aren’t scared to keep trying until they get it. I found this particular excerpt from Tomaino’s book incredibly enlightening:
“Belief is at the heart of your ability to expand your brain’s function and achieve what you really want out of life. To assess your own level of belief, ask yourself some key questions and be honest with the answers: Do you think your brain is capable of sustaining a focus? Do you think that, if you tried to achieve a goal, you would succeed? If you answered yes to these questions, you have a strong level of belief that will serve you in living out your goals…By answering no, you probably had the sensation of hitting a wall.”
Needless to say, I smacked my nose right into the bricks. I read on. “So, start by asking yourself what you need in order to be successful in achieving your goal. Try on different answers. Your felt sense will light up when you find the answer you need. Trusting that sensation gives you the belief you need to succeed.”
She describes “felt sense” as a physical sense of knowing. I tried the exercise and it really worked. Of course, I have a few more steps to achieve before I reach my full capacity and my dreams appear before me, but I’m now moving in the right direction.
There are tons of exercises in her book, plenty of diagrams that describe the process (for us visual learners), and several personal stories from Tomaino’s patients as well as her own personal life that will truly inspire you.
I really liked the book, and my brain feels bigger already! Or, at least better and stronger than it was before.
Anthony Silard, author of The Connection, Exclusive Interview
How did you come to write The Connection?
I have always wrestled with how to answer this question. I had a few stock answers and then I realized that they were just words that didn’t mean anything to me. I write what is inside of me; I have no choice in the matter. It’s what I was put on this earth to do. Gloria Steinem once said that writing is the only thing that, when she does it, she doesn’t feel like doing anything else. That’s why I write. Yet the reason I wrote this particular book is that I have spent two decades observing what makes CEOs and senior leaders from Fortune 500 companies such as Disney, IBM, and Nokia, as well as thousands of individuals, both successful and happy. I distinguish between success and happiness with this expression: “To live the life you love is success. To love the life you live is happiness.” I have especially observed what enables those few individuals who are able to bring both success and happiness into their lives. Based on what I have observed, I created the strategies in The Connection.
What makes your book on leadership so different than what’s been written in the past?
To become a leader on the outside, each of us must first become a leader on the inside. The Connection is a book about personal leadership: how to develop a life Vision for what you want to create in your life, how you want to act toward others, and what you want to be remembered for. The third part of the book—guided by the theme “A goal is a dream with a deadline”—is about how to transform that life Vision into concrete actions and live the life you desire.
While the job market continues to become tighter, many people have to work harder just to make ends meet. How do we maintain a work/life balance?
The pressures on us when we feel that our jobs are in jeopardy are enormous. They impel us to focus on all the wrong things; to exist in a state of fear rather than to live in a state of love. We focus on retribution rather than contribution. Work-life balance becomes virtually impossible when we exist in a reactive state of fear, as this fear causes us to shove our family and loved ones aside to avoid losing what we feel we have gained in our career. Fear always emanates from a focus on loss, and, like every other emotion, it attracts what we focus our minds on. When we can shift our minds from scarcity to abundance, from fear to love, then we are ready to develop sustainable strategies to discover balance and happiness in our lives.
Many readers are underemployed, have lost their jobs, or are looking for new jobs without any luck. In this tough economy, what advice do you have for today’s job seeker?
First, be gentle with yourself. Beating yourself up for losing your job while trying to find a new job are two inconsistent actions, and send conflicting messages to any prospective employer. To stop being so hard on yourself, the first step is to unhinge your worth from your work. How your career is going at any certain time is a part of what you do in your life, but not who you are, which goes much deeper. When the economy tightens, it is a particularly tough time when you aren’t sure about what motivates you. I’ll get to that in the next question.
What is the most important thing a leader needs to know?
Their Unanswerable Question. “What is that?” you may be thinking. It’s the one question that you will never fully answer in your life, yet will never stop trying to answer. When you discover it, your life quest becomes unstoppable. If you are out of a job, or running a company that’s not doing as well as it was a few years ago, and you are feeling depressed, remind yourself that you are focusing on what you receive—money, a promotion, status—and not on what you give. We each have zero power over what we receive, and 100 percent over what we give and how we give it. Ask yourself what it is about your community and/or the world that makes you uncomfortable, that makes you say, “This is not as it should be, and I want to do something about it!” Then get started. When you do what you love, the money will follow. The opposite isn’t true: focus on money, on what you will receive, and love does not follow, but fades away—and with it, the key relationships you need to be both successful and happy. People are drawn to others with a compelling sense of purpose, an Unanswerable Question.
Take Your Vacation. It’ll Give You A New Brain.
Any neuroscientist will tell you that failing to take a vacation is detrimental to the part of the brain that sustains health, happiness and peak performance. Yet a half billion vacation days will go unused this year. A third of employees will skip their vacation and of those who manage to take a vacation, 92% will take work with them. Making matters worse is the fact that people are working harder than ever, an average 49 hours a week.
A stressful year at work with no vacation intensifies a neurological condition called “neurotoxicity.” Neurotoxicity is a build-up of stress hormones that literally shrink higher brain networks. The brain becomes incapable of sustaining peak performance or goal-directed behavior. Instead, the brain’s stress response system becomes overactive, producing an endless loop of stress and anxiety.
Here’s the good news: a four week vacation can literally repair the damage stress caused and even expand networks that generate higher brain function. Read the rest of this entry »
Our 5 Favorite Titles to Celebrate Earth Day!
It seems a little sad that we need to set aside a day to honor the earth we walk on, the very thing that makes it possible for us all to exist. But humans have a bad habit of taking some of the most precious things in the world for granted, including our earth. This earth day, I invite you to walk bare foot through the grass, take long, sweet breaths of fresh air, enjoy the simplicity and magic that is clean water. There are many ways to honor our planet, whether your enlist your neighborhood to create a composting program (as we have here in Portland) or go out and plant a tree, your every effort counts.
Today, we’ve pulled together a list of our Top 5 Favorite Titles to Celebrate Earth Day!
Most Good, Least Harm—by Zoe Weil
Most Good, Least Harm addresses a question many of us struggle with, especially on Earth Day: When all the cans in your home have been recycled—when you compost, grow your own vegetables, and bike to work—will that be enough? This title (a favorite around the office) offers a simple approach to the challenges that confront our world today. Humane Education is more than just ethics and environmentalism. It’s about choosing the Most Good—MOGO—for every interaction you do. By understanding the potential for amazing, unlimited change within ourselves, we suddenly become aware that our homes, communities, cities, countries, and even the world can be affected by the actions of one person. Rather than feeling overwhelmed by guilt for buying a product or not recycling that can, readers can immediately grasp solutions that make the political personal—and take their power to a whole new level.
Watch Zoe Weil’s TEDx talk here.
For the Next 7 Generations–by the Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers
What happens when thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers from all four corners of the world, moved by their concern for our planet, come together. In 2004 this historic gathering resulted in an alliance: The International Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers. This DVD, four years in the making and shot on location in the Amazon rainforest, the mountains of Mexico, North American, and at a private meeting with the Dalai Lama in India, follows what happens when these wise women unite. Facing a world in crisis, they share with us their visions of healing and a call for change now, before it’s too late. This film documents their unparalleled journey and timely perspectives on a timeless wisdom.
Partnering with Nature—by Catriona MacGregor
Our connection to nature, animals, and to the earth is a vital part of our existence. But people struggle daily with stressful jobs—trapped in blank walls, smelling chemicals, sitting in one chair, staring at glowing screens—when they should be outdoors, enjoying the beauty of nature and the connection with other living things. Partnering With Nature weaves together historical, spiritual, and scientific information and offers personal anecdotes and real stories of how nature has changed people’s lives as well as shaped the course of human evolution. Partnering with Nature speaks to conscious readers who feel a deep connection with nature in their lives, who are becoming more aware of how they feel when distanced from nature.
The Generosity Plan—by Kathy LeMay
Many of us have the desire to make a difference. But when it comes down to it, how many really know what steps to take and how to fit philanthropy into our lives. The Generosity Plan shows readers the unexpected benefits and joys of generosity in our daily lives. This smart, practical guide to philanthropy illuminates the power of giving by helping readers to discover what inspires them, clarify what he or she can afford to give, and direct that generosity toward a better world. By building and acting on a generosity plan, each one of us can create change simply by doing what we can, where we are, with what we have.
Learn more at www.thegenerosityplan.com.
Conscious Money—by Patricia Aburdene
While this title won’t be release until September 2012, we couldn’t resist including it on our list. Conscious Money teaches readers that Wall Street’s values don’t have to be your values. Bestselling author of the Megatrends series, Patricia Aburdene introduces a progressive approach to achieving prosperity through ethical investments. With simple exercises that combine solid financial knowledge with proven socially responsible and new thought principles, readers can gain financial stability without sacrificing their values.
Exclusive Interview with Lucy Cavendish, author of Oracle of Shadows and Light
Lucy Cavendish is the author of numerous books, the creator of Oracle and Tarot cards, and the founder of Witchcraft magazine. In addition to writing for Spellcraft Magazine and Spheres, she appears regularly on television and radio to explain her craft. A founding member of the Goddess Association in Australia, Cavendish lives in Sydney with her daughter and their menagerie of plants, animal companions, and spirit beings. Recently, we caught up with Lucy for an exclusive interview on writing and creating the Oracle of Shadows and Light, available now.
What inspired you to create the Oracle of Shadows & Light deck?
It came out of the feeling I had that within spirituality there was so much emphasis on what we call the light. It concerned me that the darknesses, the shadows within us and outside of us, were being repressed and stereotyped as bad. So, out of that desire grew the deck’s messages—but, of course, so much inspiration came from the beautiful, poignant expressions of the beings in Jasmine Becket-Griffith’s work. Their faces, their eyes, their unsmilingness seemed so brave and stoic and beautiful. They just look down the barrel of life, unflinching. It’s very hard to explain how they affected me. Her work touched me the first time I saw it many years ago and still does, every day. I wanted to give these beings voices and, in turn, give our shadows and light a voice in a way that could be really constructive in our daily life as an oracle, a guide for the tough times. Read the rest of this entry »
Exclusive Interview with Jasmine Becket-Griffith
Jasmine Becket-Griffith is a world-renowned fantasy artist whose work can be viewed around the world and is licensed by Disney, Hot Topic, and Spencer’s. Most recently, Jasmine has taken her artwork and turned it into a fantastical Oracle deck, along with author Lucy Cavendish. In Oracle of Shadows and Light, Jasmine’s art brings to life dark, magical beings. From gumpy fairies, sassy witches, cheey ghosts, and brazen beings, Jasmine’s character’s guide users through the veil and into the magickal world of shadows and light.
Today, we sat down with Jasmine to discuss her art. You can visit Jasmine’s website at Strangeling.com.
1) What inspired you to become an artist?
I’ve always enjoyed drawing & painting, when I was a little girl I think that was my favourite way of spending any sort of free time. I kept at it—I started taking painting more seriously in middle school, and by the time I was in high school I was selling my artwork. I begain “professionally” back in 1997—I was 17 years old, graduating from high school, and decided to set up my strangeling.com website to show my work on the internet. After a few years, I realized I was making a good living at it and ended up quitting my day job at Dairy Queen to do my artwork fulltime. Not long after, I hired my husband, Matt, to work for me as my assistant, and then more family members as well. I genuinely can’t think of a way I would rather spend my time than painting; I am a compulsive painter and spend most of my waking hours at my painting desk. I’m very thankful that I’m able to have a career doing what I love the most.
2) Why do you enjoy painting fantasy?
I have a very active imagination. Over-active, I suppose. I like to create my own world and painting lets me shape things to my ideals. Why paint a boring lady when you could make her into a mermaid instead? Most interior, still life paintings could be spruced up with a few dinosaurs prowling about. No landscape is complete without a dragon. I like to paint things I find beautiful, but better and more interesting than they are in “real life”. If I wanted just a picture of a horse, I could always just take a nice photo—but a unicorn…that lets me put some more creative work into it!
3) How has your style evolved over time?
When I was younger I didn’t pay as much attention to detail and basic technical skills in drawing & painting. I think I was more impatient and more concerned with getting an idea out on paper, whereas now I will spend more time on structure, shading, detail, and color so that a painting can be more pleasing aesthetically and artistically as well as a fun concept. Mostly it’s just decades of hours of daily practice, more than anything else. While most of the genres and basic characters I’ve explored over the years haven’t necessarily changed, my approach and methodology has gotten a lot more refined. I spend a lot of time studying art history and the painting techniques from the masters and try to implement knowledge from the past into my own contemporary works.
4) You seem to draw a lot of inspiration from mythology, fantasy, fairy tales, etc. Why are you drawn to these themes?
These are the themes that have always captured my imagination. Our mythologies and fairytales are some of what I love best about human beings. I think there are often deeper truths behind much-told tales and that many of these stories are timeless. The concepts and characters in the cultural traditions of folklore and spirituality are just as relevant today as they ever have been. Also, I think that classic fantasies and mythologies really lend themselves well to a variety of visual interpretations unique to every artist who approaches them, so that’s always fun!
5) What advice do you have for young adults who think they might want to become an illustrator or artist?
The most simple and obvious advice I have is to simply CREATE. Paint or draw as much as you can. If you get bored or tired—maybe it’s not a good career choice (art can always be a part-time hobby!)—because as a career it involves a phenomenal amount of work. If it’s not something you genuinely enjoy, you wll get burned out. Focusing on basic skills—learning to draw from life, paint realistically, find out what materials work best with how you express yourself—these are all important foundations. I also suggest studying and reading about art history and illustration to help put your own work into the context of what already exists. Definitely focusing on the actual ART side of things before worrying about the business/money side of things is very important—it is your art and your creativity and love of creating that will carry you ahead, and the rest will follow.
6) Is there something you’ve always wanted to paint but never been able to? Why?
As opposed to subject matter (I pretty much get to paint whatever I want!) my main restrictions that I’d like to overcome are the SIZES of paintings I do. I would love to paint some really BIG paintings! I get very inspired visiting the Louvre in Paris or the National Gallery in London and seeing the ENORMOUS 30 foot wide paintings on massive canvases in the large halls. I think it would be so much fun to paint so big! But, of course, logistics kick in (such as my studio only being about 12 feet wide, or a canvas that large not fitting through my front door, and who would even have room to hang it up?). Also, I’d love to pull a Michaelangelo and do a magnificent ceiling painting a la the Sistine Chapel. Once again though, it’s not yet feasible for me. But some day we shall see…
Exclusive Interview with Dr. Lani Leary, author of No One Has to Die Alone
Dr. Lani Leary, author of No One Has to Die Alone, provided us with an exclusive interview. Her research and experience with the ill and dying provides readers with tangible ways to cope with death, bereavement, and grief.
How did you come to write No One Has to Die Alone?
I began writing when I was 13 years old after my mother’s sudden and unexpected death as a way to help myself understand my feelings, process my grief, and cope with her loss. I have been writing ever since. As I worked in hospices with dying patients, friends and professionals often asked me: “What do you do? What do you say? What gets you through all the sadness?”
Years later when I was a professor of death studies, my graduate students reported that the experiential exercises that confronted their fears, assumptions, and inexperience with dying had a significant impact on their relationships, health, and life choices. They referred to that class as “Graduate Soul Work.” It became evident to me that there was a great need to speak to those issues surrounding death that were “in the closet,” and that so many did not know how to begin talking about. This book was originally titled Ten Things I Wish I Had Known Before My Mother Died.
I spoke at a conference for the Foundation of End of Life Care. The program was filmed and aired on public radio, and was the most requested rebroadcasted show. Letters from viewers, patients, families, and professionals led me to believe that others might benefit from the lessons I have learned over the past 25 years working with more than 500 dying patients and thousands of grieving family members.
What is the one thing you want readers to take away after reading your book?
I want readers to know that they can make a difference: that they have more power and more choices in the way that they can respond to the challenges of illness, dying, and grief. I want them to embrace their ability to adopt healthy, healing attitudes and learn new skills that will help their loved ones live right up to the moment of their last breath. I want those left to grieve to know that they can cope, feel and honor all of their feelings, and grow from the experience of responding to end-of-life needs and their experience of loss. I want readers’ fears and misconceptions about death, dying, illness, and grief to change so that we can accept all of life and respond with compassion.
What do you feel sets this book apart from other books on the subject?
There are many helpful books on the market about death, dying, and grief but many are replete with theory, data, or stories that end without being “translated” into immediate, practical, and realistic action items that the reader can use in their personal situation. Readers will benefit from this book because I have broken down the theories and stories into meaningful ways the reader can apply the information.
The book introduces “ways to say it” to help people begin difficult conversations and help people feel comfortable responding to painful situations. There are chapters describing activities that children can help with in order to reduce mitigate fears, teach them skills, and include them in this sacred transition. The book helps parents know what to expect, what to address, and how to talk to their children during illness, dying, and bereavement. And to respond to professionals’ report that they often feel helpless in the face of a terminal illness, the book reports how to respond to what the dying have told me most matters to them. This book will raise readers’ confidence to be able to engage and “stay the course,” and in so doing, will bring relief to their dying and grieving loved ones.
What are the biggest misconceptions that we have about death?
The greatest misconceptions in our culture about death are that death is:
-A failure. (As when someone judges that “the patient did not try hard enough…or the illness was their fault.)
-A punishment. (There is often a distinction between “exceptional cancer patients” or those in remission versus those whose illness is progressing. While we are responsible for caring for ourselves, there are many causes of decline that are out of our control.)
-A “dial tone” or the end of consciousness. (Extensive research and reports from all over the world and hundreds of millions of people who have a near death experience refutes this theory)
-Painful. (Based on what patients who have been resuscitated report, what the family may observe on the “outside” is not what the patient is experiencing on the “inside” during the process of letting go.)
-Is the enemy, a negative that should be fought at all cost. (The dying report that in many circumstances, when the body’s condition and the quality of life can not be resumed, the end of illness is a reprieve and a relief. The dying do not fear their imminent death after irreversible decline as much as they fear being emotionally abandoned and physically shunned.)
-Means your loved one has abandoned or left you. (One’s interpretation of a death or the meaning attributed to the death can cause years of exacerbated grief and pain.)
-Is the end of a relationship. (One of the tasks of healthy grief is to come to an understanding of the ongoing-ness of love and the relationship with the deceased, that is, to “place” them someplace.)
Is there are “right” way to grieve?
There are as many ways to grieve as there are people. Grief is personal and unique to each individual, like a fingerprint. Children will grieve differently in intensity, duration, and language than adults. Masculine grief is expressed differently than feminine expressions of grief. Generations demonstrate and talk about their grief differently. All people come to their own understandings and attribute different personal meanings to their loss.
How one moves through their grief depends on several factors. Some of the factors include: the coping strategies learned in life; the experiences one has with previous deaths; the quality of the relationship with the deceased; the circumstances of the death; one’s religious beliefs and customs of support; the emotional support from family and friends; and the meaning attributed to the death.
As there is no right way to grieve, there is also no right amount of time to grieve. Each person finds their own timetable and may experience their grief in waves or spurts of different intensity that come up suddenly many years after a loss. Anniversary reactions are common, and sensory reminders of a loved one can return the bereaved to the center of their grief at any time.
If we are to be helpful, it is best that we not judge, compare, direct, or use language that includes “should”, “must”, or “need to” when comforting the bereaved. We do not need to understand another’s grief in order to be helpful; rather, we are most helpful when we are present, open, and validating. Denial may be part of the process of grieving and can be a protective coping response to an experience that is perceived as threatening and overwhelming.
Sacred Sites and Sacred Stories by Marilyn McFarlane
A Guest Blog from Marilyn McFarlane, Author of Sacred Stories
I’m a travel writer who wanders the world in search of stories. In my journeys, I look for sacred sites — mighty cathedrals, ancient temples, circles of stones, holy groves of trees — that always give me a sense of awe. Whether it’s from collected human worship over the centuries or an all-powerful presence some call God, each is permeated with spiritual significance and mystery.
When I wrote Sacred Stories: Wisdom from World Religions, I called upon my memories of such sites as a way into exploring the incredible diversity of religious beliefs. I remembered walking the stone labyrinth in the great cathedral in Chartres, France; chanting with the Dalai Lama and monks in an open-air temple in Dharamsala, India; setting a candle—one among flickering thousands—afloat on the River Ganges. I entered a tiled mosque in Morocco, listened to drumming in a sweat lodge in Oregon, and knelt among the ruins of Demeter’s temple in Sicily. From these experiences and more, I caught glimpses of the tremendous variety of humanity’s attempts to connect with spirit. Every religion has its own ways of seeking to explain its vision of the divine expressed in sacred sites, holy books, and stories.
The differences seem profound. More striking to me, though, is how much the underlying values of world faiths are alike. The most basic, which almost all share, is the Golden Rule—”do unto others as you would have others do unto you.” The rule may not always be followed in practice, but it’s an ideal that is common throughout humanity.
Each faith has stories that are unique yet similar to others: miracles, parables, lessons, creation stories, instructions on how to follow the faith. As I sifted
through these stories and chose the ones I considered most representative, I thought about those sacred sites scattered around the world, the many I’ve visited and the many more I have yet to see. From caves to cathedrals, they reveal a human connection across time.
Because we do have so much in common, I believe that ignorance underlies much of the world’s religious intolerance and suspicion. Many (I would guess most) people know nothing of others’ religions except a few stereotypes that are usually negative. We can change that through education, by learning the stories that are the foundation of a faith. That provides understanding, and from understanding comes tolerance. That is not the same as agreement, but it can mean acceptance. People will always hold varying beliefs—we’re too diverse not to—and the sooner we accept that reality the closer we’ll come to peace among nations. Sacred Stories, by introducing seven spiritual paths and their time-honored stories, may help to bring us one small step closer.
Sacred sites for each of the religions included in the book are briefly described in the Parents/Teachers Guide, which is downloadable here.
If you’d like to recommend a sacred site or a story to other readers, please comment. I’d love to hear from you.
Marilyn McFarlane Exclusive Interview, author of Sacred Stories
How did you first decide to write Sacred Stories?
I wanted my grandchildren to have some knowledge of major world religions and the basic stories they’re founded upon, so I searched for a book that would tell the stories simply and without bias. When I couldn’t find one, I decided to write it myself. That became Sacred Stories, a book not only for my own family but for the many people I encountered who said they weren’t familiar with the stories of these religions and were eager to know more about them.
During your research for this book, did you learn anything new about these stories/traditions that surprised you?
I learned more than I ever expected. I hadn’t realized that every faith has a version of the Golden Rule, for example, or that the core values in most religions are strikingly similar. Careful readings of the best translations I could find uncovered surprises. Even “Noah’s Ark,” a story I’d heard since childhood, held a new-to-me detail. How many people know that when God placed a post-flood rainbow in the sky it was as a reminder to himself to never send such a flood again? That’s a twist I found surprising and rather appealing, a glimpse of a God who is powerful but also very personal.
Oral traditions are often thought of as a thing of the past. Where do you think oral traditions are going in the future?
Oral traditions aren’t going away, they are merely changing with the times. They’ve moved from myths and legends told around ancient campfires to printed books and digital chips, and still there is a hunger for the magic and meaning of a voice-told story. Joseph Bruchac, the noted Native American storyteller, says, “If we imagine that technology can take the place of the living human presence experienced through oral tradition, then we diminish ourselves and forget the true power of stories.”
“Tell me a story” is a phrase that will be with us for a long time to come.
How do these traditional stories relate to modern children?
These ancient stories, which form the spiritual beliefs of millions of people, have stood the test of time. Whether they’re learned as a matter of faith, historical legend, or intriguing tales from others’ beliefs, they hold a fascination for children (and adults, too) of all ages. Modern kids understand and relate to these stories in different ways, according to their maturity levels, from the fun of talking animals to the subtler, metaphorical aspects that express the human spirit.
What do you hope today’s children will take away after reading this book?
My hope is that they will have an understanding and tolerance for the diversity of religious beliefs in the world, along with a recognition of all they have in common. They will also be aware of the origins of the many religion-based references in our culture—”good Samaritan,” “Mecca,” “karma,” and scores of others. The Parents and Teachers Guide that accompanies Sacred Stories is particularly useful in enriching the lessons and underlying messages in the stories.
