The Art of Story Telling

 

Telling a good story is an art.  Being able to make up a good story on the fly is even a bolder art.  When I was in High School I participated as a member of the Speech and Debate team.  My chosen competitive subject was Impromptu Speaking of which I excelled.  

Competitive Impromptu speaking  involves taking a short article, a photo, an item, or any combination of  and in 3 minutes put together a short story, news article, or informational speech about the subject given.  After the 3 minutes are up you are asked to stand in front of a panel of judges and deliver a 5 minute speech based on the notes you threw together in the initial 3 minutes.  This process can be harrowing and drain your emotional fortitude.  At the state competition level the competitor is given 5 minutes to throw together a speech, and 10 minutes to deliver said speech.  

My Dad was the coach of the Speech and Debate team of the High School I attended so I was under a certain amount of pressure to perform.  Fortunately when I was growing from a youngun to a High School sized person my Grandma Gibson was teaching me the art of telling the story.  She taught me some of the verbal tales, mythology, and history of the reservation she was living and teaching on in Montana.  I learned some of the coolest mythology from the Plains Indians through my Grandma, and she taught me how to deliver those stories to whom ever would listen to me, and I told as many people as I could, I've even written a few down.   The neat thing about telling old stories that are meant to be shared is that you have the liberty of changing them to fit your needs.  I tell stories as a healing technique for people who may or may not be suffering from some sort of physical or emotional malady.  And they work.

Telling stories can also be a form of entertainment.  Watch any stand up comic perform and you will see the Art of Story Telling at different levels of development.  Each story teller has their own ways of delivering, and processing the information into a funny and cohesive set of words that makes the listener's ears perk up and grabs their attentions.  When you have the listener's attention and focus you have them and can manipulate them with the information you are delivering.  This is when I tell you that telling a good story is a super power, and not to use your super power for evil intentions.  Doing so is an act of bad Karma and we all know how that usually turns out.  

The acts of Good Karma however can assist you in developing a good method for your delivery and creation of a good healthy story.  A healthy story doesn't not have to be a truthful story.  It is a story that is intended to entertain, grab the attention, and pass information in ways that the uninitiated may not recognize.  Sort of like passing notes when we were kids.  

As a teaching tool the Art of Story Telling is unmatched in passing on this, "Secret" information.  That's what I tell people, "These stories hold secrets to some of the oldest knowledge known to man, learning them is a responsibility."  Now, I have the attention of the listener.  After all everyone likes a good secret, right?

So, Today the Art of Story Telling has taken place of my Impromptu speaking from my High School days.  I tell old stories, I make up new ones, I mix them together, I make up lies mixed with subtle truths, and I always try to stay positive, informative, and Healthy.  Healing comes one story at a time.

Peace and Balance,

John