"You walk around and tell these stories, Story Teller. What is it you truly believe?"
The question was asked by Sarah, a friend since childhood. They sat together in the shade of a tree on a grassy slope overlooking the valley below.
"Do you believe the stories you tell?" she persisted.
"Every story resonates within both teller and listener," said Story Teller. "The images, the characters, the plot, the action, all have an immediate effect on the consciousness of the hearer. How deep an effect and how long-lasting depends upon the story and the openness of heart of those listening. I resonate with the stories I tell. I transform as I tell them."
"Yes," said Sarah. "But what is your core story? The story you most believe? Your guiding story?"
Story Teller smiled.
"The story at the core of me, the story that guides me is the story arising from my direct experience," he said.
They sat quietly for some moments. A breeze rustled the leaves of the tree.
"The cosmos in which we live and which we embody is far more than that revealed by our basic physical senses," he said. "I saw through this veil that shrouds our consciousness. And continue seeing through. I live in realms beyond the usual work-a-day world while living fully in this world."
"This is your story?" asked Sarah.
"This is my vision," said Story Teller. "This is what I see and experience. My description of it is the story."
"When I was a boy," he continued, "I suddenly left my body and saw the Earth as a beautiful sphere floating in the cosmos. All was in harmony. Infinity was in every 'direction.' I looked 'down' to where my body was supposed to be. I had no body. I was the cosmos embodying. I was a part of it and It simultaneously."
"This is your story, your core story." said Sarah.
"Yes. We are the cosmos embodying. All that is is the cosmos embodying. The cosmos is alive, intelligent, aware. As one person put it who had similar experiences, we are the nerve endings of God."
"Wow," said Sarah. "Why don't you tell this story all the time instead of the other stories?"
"I tell it when people are open to it," he said. "People do not want to be beat over the head with stories. Each culture and sub-culture has its stories that are loved. These stories are meaningful, full of importance. They give people a commonality of purpose, of vision, of understanding. These are what I tell."
"I notice that your current stories are from the Bible." said Sarah.
"Yes. This is the culture in which I live. Even the folk who want nothing to do with the Bible are affected consciously and subconsciously by the Bible stories. I tell the stories as they have been handed down. Each person then resonates with them according to their nature."
"Thank you for telling me your core story," said Sarah.
"You bet," said Story Teller.
They sat quietly opening to the peaceful surrounds.
The question was asked by Sarah, a friend since childhood. They sat together in the shade of a tree on a grassy slope overlooking the valley below.
"Do you believe the stories you tell?" she persisted.
"Every story resonates within both teller and listener," said Story Teller. "The images, the characters, the plot, the action, all have an immediate effect on the consciousness of the hearer. How deep an effect and how long-lasting depends upon the story and the openness of heart of those listening. I resonate with the stories I tell. I transform as I tell them."
"Yes," said Sarah. "But what is your core story? The story you most believe? Your guiding story?"
Story Teller smiled.
"The story at the core of me, the story that guides me is the story arising from my direct experience," he said.
They sat quietly for some moments. A breeze rustled the leaves of the tree.
"The cosmos in which we live and which we embody is far more than that revealed by our basic physical senses," he said. "I saw through this veil that shrouds our consciousness. And continue seeing through. I live in realms beyond the usual work-a-day world while living fully in this world."
"This is your story?" asked Sarah.
"This is my vision," said Story Teller. "This is what I see and experience. My description of it is the story."
"When I was a boy," he continued, "I suddenly left my body and saw the Earth as a beautiful sphere floating in the cosmos. All was in harmony. Infinity was in every 'direction.' I looked 'down' to where my body was supposed to be. I had no body. I was the cosmos embodying. I was a part of it and It simultaneously."
"This is your story, your core story." said Sarah.
"Yes. We are the cosmos embodying. All that is is the cosmos embodying. The cosmos is alive, intelligent, aware. As one person put it who had similar experiences, we are the nerve endings of God."
"Wow," said Sarah. "Why don't you tell this story all the time instead of the other stories?"
"I tell it when people are open to it," he said. "People do not want to be beat over the head with stories. Each culture and sub-culture has its stories that are loved. These stories are meaningful, full of importance. They give people a commonality of purpose, of vision, of understanding. These are what I tell."
"I notice that your current stories are from the Bible." said Sarah.
"Yes. This is the culture in which I live. Even the folk who want nothing to do with the Bible are affected consciously and subconsciously by the Bible stories. I tell the stories as they have been handed down. Each person then resonates with them according to their nature."
"Thank you for telling me your core story," said Sarah.
"You bet," said Story Teller.
They sat quietly opening to the peaceful surrounds.
George, your core story speaks to mine. Steve
ReplyDeleteI resonate with the Story Teller's vision, and with the experience of living in all realms fully. This story is unfolding most beautifully.
ReplyDeleteThis is the most interesting chapter yet, at least to me. Here, you're walking a delicate balance between the nature of "consciousness" and the nature of "story." And as you know better than I, each informs the other. This could be an interesting foundation to build upon ... maybe, maybe not.
ReplyDeleteWhat speaks to me is the storyteller's comment that "the story that guides me is the story arising from my direct experience." That is my touchstone, but we need trusted and wise others to affirm the stories of our experience and help us make sense of them. Steve F.
ReplyDelete