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Shape Shifting Storytelling?

28/8/2016

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“There is no greater power on this earth than story.”
— Libba Bray
 
Stories are medicine. They have such power; they do not require that we do, be, act anything - we need only listen.
-Clarissa Pinkola Estes
 
    Stories hold a lot of power. They impact our lives especially in children’s minds at a young age. If you take a good look at most children stories they actually take away the magic. There is a villain, a hero, “bad” and “good.”  Some animals are represented as good and others as something to be feared. Just think of little red riding hood and the big bad wolf! In order to be a storyline evil exists. It is always a given, a common theme. Does it need to be so? Must there always be a battle so that “good” can overcome the “bad?” Can stories not have meaning otherwise?
Stories give color to black and white information.
— Todd Stocker
 
 
 
 
“If you wish to influence an individual or a group to embrace a particular value in their daily lives, tell them a compelling story.”
 -Annette Simmons
 
     Can the meaning simply not be to have fun? To be happy? To experience and to have adventures?
     The most famous stories that are being read to children are filled with a negative perspective of the world; nothing to look forward to but something to be afraid of. The world is being portrayed as a very scary place. Think about it. Snow white’s worthiness lies in her external beauty and the evil queen wants to punish her because she is the prettiest of all. Teaching competiveness, jealousy, and treachery among women. How about if the queen had simply been an encouraging figure that empowered Snow White to look at the beauty within? Or even embrace her physical beauty as something to be proud of?  Women fairy tale characters suffer until a prince comes along to save them, otherwise they are helpless. Or think of Bambi where his mother gets shot and has to be on his own.

   Why must the characters in stories be unhappy in order to eventually find true happiness? Can it not be a win win situation for both? Is this dichotomy necessary?
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   The stories teach us that we cannot exist unless there is a problem. So what do we do? We create problems, obstacles we must overcome, in our lives. This is the cross, the good person has to bear. Is the bad person not the one that wants to have fun?  Hhhhmmm….did you ever think of that? Why is the evil one always without struggles? Power and freedom and doing what we want means you are the villain. The hero is the everyday hardworking, struggling character. 
"The world is shaped by two things — stories told and the memories they leave behind."
— Vera Nazarian
 
 
     Did you know that we can exist without these problems, difficulties, and struggles? We have come to believe that in order to be happy we have to suffer, we are not worthy of joy otherwise. The more we have to fight for our life the better person we are, the worthier we are of true happiness, because we have been through so much. Happiness and love is received and proven through these hardships. Not everyone is happy so we all need to be unhappy to fit in. So let us all be miserable and feel comfort together!  Children’s stories, movies, books, advertisements, it is all there. Do we really need this? Can we not all be happy together?
"People think that stories are shaped by people. In fact, it’s the other way around."
— Terry Pratchett
 
 
 
“Until recently we’ve only been able to speculate about story’s persuasive effects. But over the last several decades psychology has begun a serious study of how story affects the human mind. Results repeatedly show that our attitudes, fears, hopes, and values are strongly influenced by story. In fact, fiction seems to be more effective at changing beliefs than writing that is specifically designed to persuade through argument and evidence.”
 -Jonathan Gottschall
 
    How many times have you heard “well if it was all perfect how boring would that be?” I for one have heard it all my life from others and thought “boring???” “How could a peaceful, loving, caring world be boring?” Is it maybe that we have learned that this is the case? That there needs to be adrenaline, violence, and drama? Have you ever seen a movie where everything is happy and rosy? Nope, apparently it would be “boring.” Something needs to be overcome. Do you see what we have done? And actually how easy it would be to switch that around and create the opposite or something different? How much potential and possibility we have in the grasp of our hands? How amazing is that? Maybe “fantasy” is what we have created and living in the world right now.  Maybe it’s all fantasy! So what if we were to mold it into the shape we choose?  What if we began to rewrite the stories, movie scripts, novels, our lives, and the world? Everyone can truly live their life. Life has a lot of opportunities, and there are a lot of choices and we can create a lot of choices that do not “exist.”
 
The telling and hearing of stories is a bonding ritual that breaks through illusions of separateness and activates a deep sense of our collective interdependence.
— Annette Simmons
 
       I write children stories. With them I would like to demonstrate that something else does actually exist. Everything is possible, everything is magical! The stories can be amazing, captivating, that make you want to read more and more without there being misery, problems, and hardship. Of course there are many other children stories, movies, books etc. mine are not the only ones but it is not the majority. Let’s change that! What if we could change that? I am not saying that what we have now is wrong but simply that there are other possibilities available if we choose it. Let us realize, and believe that we can have the life we wish, we imagine, we long for. We can be anything we want, have everything we want, simply by choosing it.
 
“Each second we live is a new and unique moment of the universe, a moment that will never be again and what do we teach our children? We teach them that two and two make four, and that Paris is the capital of France. When will we also teach them what they are?
We should say to each of them: Do you know what you are? You are a marvel. You are unique. In all the years that have passed, there has never been another child like you. Your legs, your arms, your clever fingers, the way you move. You may become a Shakespeare, a Michelangelo, a Beethoven. You have the capacity for anything.
If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.”
- Henry David Thoreau
 
What if we began speaking like this? Not only to children but to everyone and to ourselves? What if we recreated the stories of our lives? 
 
“The stories we tell literally make the world. If you want to change the world, you need to change your story.”
— Michael Margolis
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Granville Island

24/8/2016

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​I visited Granville Island in Vancouver yesterday for the first time today with my new friend Katharina. We took the taxi ferry across which is this tiny little boat. We really enjoyed the public market. The food in there was so mesmerizing...fruit and vegetables everywhere, teas, baked goods, chocolates, and all sorts of crafts. It was a delightful day. 
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For Another & Others

23/8/2016

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Release the beast,
EMERGE…
The dragon within…
Is about to EXPLODE!
Let go of your restrictions,
Predictions…
Unfold.
What if there were no inhibitions?
What if you were bold…
Vulnerable…
Free?
FLLLYYYYY…
Let go of the fire!
Fuming your passions & desires.
What do you yearn for???
What if it’s possible & nothing is impossible?
Are you willing to find out?
A dragon is not meant to lie down and hide,
Pretend to be a rabbit, a squirrel, a mouse, or lion.
It is a DRAGON!
Stop hiding.
You cannot subdue the dragon…
Noooooo…
No matter how much you try,
No matter what excuses…
Too tired,
Too weak,
Too busy,
Too small.
It wants out!!!
When it stretches its wings enveloping the sky…
There is NOTHING that can harm it,
NOTHING to fear.
It lives,
It is being,
Its scales now breathe freely…
Deeply…
Emotions and caring burst out in fire,
Becoming master of air & fire,
Of earth & inspire.
Emerge…
 So that you may merge. 

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 Nature Appreciators

21/8/2016

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"The whole secret of the study of nature lies in learning how to use one's eyes..."  
-George Sand

 As I was awaiting for the beavers to come out yesterday I met a beautiful elderly woman. I saw from a distance and could see her appreciation of nature and the lake. We began talking about the swan there and she was telling me how it is the only one left that they removed all the others.
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   One of my goals was also to interview people on nature for my research and then she mentioned something about nature being healing. I then jumped at the opportunity to interview her. The more she talked the more I was thinking “she is an older version of me.”  She was saying how she doesn’t miss a day coming to the park, how nature has cured her from a stroke and multiple illnesses and how she finds such relaxation and beauty in watching the beavers and animals. She is quite a powerful independent woman and it was a joy talking to her and sharing our deep love of nature.

 

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Saturday in Stanley Park

20/8/2016

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'There are many wonderful things that will never be done if you do not do them."
~Charles D. Gill

Lovely day today with new friends in Stanley Park, Vancouver B.C.  in the forest. Later on had some encounters with raccoons and my friend had the honor of one coming up to him in curiosity and touching his leg. Later on we went to watch the beavers and met a lovely elderly woman that loves nature and whom I interviewed for my research. I must say again meeting the loveliest people in the elevator. 
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Elevator Meetings

19/8/2016

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The last couple of days every time I go into the elevator I have been meeting the friendliest people ever. It makes such a difference when people around us are smiley and cheerful...basically human :-)
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Along the Seawall

16/8/2016

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I went back to this special place along the seawall in Vancouver today enjoying my “solitude” with the company of the ocean, shells, rocks, and sun….mmmmm….I played with my feet in the water, enjoyed the sun upon my face & body, created art with the shells and contemplated my approach on my research project on nature and well being. There was nothing but me and nature for those hours as I watched the sun go to sleep. 
As I was walking back before the sun had gone to sleep
 entirely I took pleasure in the sunrays lighting my hair and a dragonfly flying by. Shortly after this group of ducks flew by making it a most gorgeous photo as they flew in front of the sun setting mountains and clouds in background. 
As I turn around in front of me is the moon looking whole and massive the whole way… I would turn back and walk backwards looking at the really beautiful sky colors from the sunset..the purple, pink, blue orange behind and the moon in front…:-)
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Re- Entering Canada

15/8/2016

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"Never look down on anybody unless you're helping him up". ~Jesse Jackson

I had a very different experience at the border today than last time in Canada. This time the guards were professional and nice. First thing I was one told by one of the guards I had seen another time was “you come here a lot right?” That made me laugh. I provided the documents they had asked for and was questioned a little. It was such a huge difference though in the way I was talked to and questioned.It made all the difference in the world for me. I was very relieved after being traumatized the last time.

    I was allowed in and have to go back in a month and get re-evaluated as I plan on staying until November but at least I did not receive any bad treatment. I actually had a really nice day starting by meeting a very friendly girl at the bus stop in Seattle whom I road with on the bus.

     I lost the bus after I was kept for not very long at the border and the loveliest bus driver allowed me to get on his bus and take me to Vancouver. It was a beautiful ride as the sun was setting and had front view of its beautiful departure.  I went in with a different mind frame this time and I glad I did and it was a nice day. 
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Next Adventure...Canada

14/8/2016

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My writing and travelling chapter in Washington has come to end end. Now it is a few months in Canada allowing the Canadian culture, wilderness, and lifestyle inspire my writing and research. I wonder what beautiful experiences and inspiring stories I can write there? 
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August 10th, 2016

10/8/2016

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Look at the big tree I met yesterday! :-) 
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<<Previous

    Author

    ​

     My name is Gaia (Γαία) and I was born on the beautiful lush island of Kos, along the Aegean sea of Greece, where Hippocrates, the "father of medicine" was born. I am a writer (favorite being children's stories and fairy tales), artist, dancer, modern day Greek Mythologist, nature dweller, photographer, traveler, dreamer, and creator.  I love creativity...I love all nature, especially trees.

    One of my greatest joys is connecting people with nature in which I have spent most of my life in solitude contemplating and enjoying its wisdom, and empowering people to be their authentic selves, reconnecting them to their true essence and calling in life. 


    At the moment I am following my passion writing my fairy tale books.



    "Lighthouses don't go running all over an island looking for boats to save; they just stand there shining."
    -Anne Lamott 


    You can follow me on:

    https://www.facebook.com/thetreemouseionofcreativity/

    On Twitter: 
    https://twitter.com/Gaiawse

    You can also find videos and subscribe to my youtube channel here: 

    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0S2fLB4M4zdfYNem8E2slQ
    (For children stories)

    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvgjnpdZAi0ppw5qMQdmNjw
    (With all sorts)

    My other blog:
    https://treeadryadsdreams.wordpress.com/

    ​
    Other website:
    homeinatree.com

    Patreon: 
    https://www.patreon.com/treea​



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