Blog

#23: Thinking Directions (Jean Moroney)

“Writer, Teacher, and Mostly Recovered Nerd,” Jean Moroney works with ambitious individuals and teams who know sharpening their mental skills will give them a performance edge. She teaches thinking skills that help us make better judgment calls, align motivation with intentions, and cross the finish line sooner. She believes that we can all learn to …Read More

A Story is like water

Sometimes a story washes over you, cleanses you, and leaves you open to new possibilities. The National Storytelling Festival started 46 years ago in the small town of Jonesborough, Tennessee. Today, on this annual festival in October, the small town explodes as thousands and thousands come to listen to some of the best performers in …Read More

The Lion King – Circle of Life

Disney has become an iconic part of American culture. Reaching into the mythical stories from cultures around the world, Disney recreates those stories to bring the messages from those narratives into modern light. Pablo Picasso famously stated, “Good artists copy, great artists steal.” Pablo was a dramatic Spaniard; I prefer to say the secret of …Read More

FGCU Slam Storytelling, More to Come

“It has been said that next to hunger and thirst, our most basic human need is for storytelling.” ~ Khalil Gibran On Wednesday, September 26, 2018, more than 50 people gathered to share stories of “How I Got Here” at Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) in Fort Myers, Florida. The Wasmer Art Gallery in the …Read More

#22: Life Changes (Raquel Austin)

Imagine a Jewish girl born in Columbia attending a Catholic school, nearly converting, running away to New York, then Chicago, then spending 20 years in Jamaica to start Negril Yoga Center, the first yoga center in Jamaica. Raquel Austin’s life story is full of twists and turns and plenty of life changes. She shares her …Read More

Tim Brown, Serious Play Conference

Creativity is stifled by the fear of judgment. We must go back to childhood playfulness in order to stimulate creativity. We need an environment of trust where we can play with ideas and feel free to make mistakes. In his TED talk at the Serious Play Conference (Yes, there is such a thing!), Tim Brown …Read More

“Sorrow Songs” become “Spirituals”

Originally called “Sorrow Songs,” they were composed by African slaves whose names we will never know. With hidden stories and meanings, what we call “Spirituals” today are songs of suffering, survival, and hope. How do we survive when the worst happens? Through these songs, faith was transmitted as the stories of the Bible became the …Read More

#21: The Story of HIV (Dr. Larry Friedman)

Time stood still. Even the air in the room refused to move, when Dr. Larry Friedman launched into a teaching story. As a resident doctor-in-training, we rotate through many different areas of medicine. Looking back at memorable moments during that time, the teachers that captivated me the most were the ones that told stories. In …Read More

Sacred Medicine Wheel – New Year’s Retreat

“Birth, Life, Death is a cycle, and they are all beautiful. You celebrate all of them.” ~ Cesar Milan The Native American teachings are connected to observation of the natural world. All over the natural world we see cycles. The cycle of the day and night. The cycle of the seasons. The cycle of life. …Read More