timing of storytelling before OS

[Agneta Setterwall]

Doug, you wrote "Can you tell us a little more what is done in storytelling?
I'm not sure I understand the process."

Oh...I thought you had all been to Birgitt Williams trainings :-).
I will try to tell you how I do it. "Storytelling" is to spend an evening on
"honoring the present and the past"(...as Birgitt puts it. Impossible to say
that in Sweden- I say "pay attention to" etc.).
The attitude is kind of more "leisure", kind of "free-time", but everybody
know why they are there: "to tell stories you want to tell about what has
not been told". You sit in a circle, perhaps with candles in the middle (if
not a real fireplace!). I have put some objects on the floor in the middle,
more objects than persons. It could be stones, pieces of wood, or pictures.
When we start I invite everybody to choose an object they like, or which in
some or another way sort of "speaks" to them. Then I invite everybody to let
the thoughts wander as they wish...to reflect on what the object ewoke...to
let the storys come. We spend some minutes in silence. Then I say that
everybody will now have the opportunuty to tell us all what she/he wants to
tell us. I say that "it can be something connected with your object, or not,
it can be something you just want to tell us. Everybody chooses how much,
and how little she/he want to tell." I then put a talkingstick in the
middle, and explain that everybody who wants to talk have to take the
talking stick. Everybody else is a respectful listerner. Then I wait...and I
wait with patience. (Important to have worked through the anxiety before!).
It starts...and goes on and on.
In my example with the eco-village people I had to comfort them in the
beginning (after a few stories)...it was sooo very quiet (they had their
conflict!). I then said: "I don´t know if I am right, but I got a fantasy
that you are scared...remember that you are all here because you have a
trust in what you do...use that trust!" Then it started, and continued for
three hours. Everybody told the stories thay had to/wanted to tell, or as
much of the stories as they needed/trusted to tell. And that is enough.

I don´t want to take to much of your time, but it was very interesting when
another group (a very polite one) at last stopped to use the talking
stick...then it REALLY started! And continued. And I am sure the
talkingstick procedure was a big help in that process.
yours
Agneta Setterwall, Sweden

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