The planet does not need more successful people. The planet needs more peacemakers, healers, restorers, story-tellers and lovers of all kinds – Dalai Lama
How can we support this enlightened socialization, so we can help to rise the new generation of non-materialistic, but socially oriented inhabitants of this beautiful planet? People for ages learned principles of life and moral laws through stories and myths. Story-telling is an important skill to aid this, but it’s also a forgotten art which has to be restored.
When I was a little girl, my dad used to read to me before going to sleep. My favorite books were Winnie the Pooh, Polish fairy tales and the beautiful, funny, yet educational rhymes by Jan Brzechwa and Julian Tuwim, which still warm my heart even now. I found out, that thirty years later, I am still able to recite some of them from memory. Some of them, seem to still have a meaning, a message that I can refer to today. Those stories helped build my imagination and my world. This works both ways. It develops children’s creativity and imagination as well as that of the adult who tells the story. Why didn’t my dad never made up his own stories? Nobody taught him that!
I was really excited to take the part of the training dedicated to story-telling and Hindu Mythology, as I love stories, but was never brave enough to tell one. We spent the whole day just listening to the stories. Laura had chosen some simple stories which were just an excuse to present Asana and Pranayama, but also stories that brought deeper, philosophical meaning, explaining moral and philosophical aspects of yoga. These seriously awoken our brains and imagination! We learned how to keep children in meditative state by visualizing the story, how to teach the Yamas and Niyamas through traditional stories with morals and how to incorporate as vast source of legends as Hindu Mythology.
After we took turns in story-telling. I end up with the myth of Goddess Durga – the slayer of Mahisha targeted for teens. The myth become a story about teenage bad boys’ gang and female assassin in the manner of Baz Luhrmann’s “Romeo and Juliet” with Claire Danes and Leo DiCaprio. How cool is that?! Only the story-teller has to practice a bit more…
And if were to pass by the trainees’ rooms that evening, you would hear a sounds of tales being told… and Star Wars music, and wild horses, victorious warriors and lovers in despair.
P.S. Here is a translation of one of the most popular polish rhymes, as a part of bringing more cultural awareness to our pupils. Enjoy and feel free to use at your children’s classes!
“Glasses” by Julian Tuwim source
Mister Hilary runs and screams:
“Where on Earth could my glasses be?”He checks in his pants and in his frock,
In his shoes, and in his socks.Closet? Upturned, in a sorry shape,
He pats his robe, already patted his cape.“A scandal!” he yells, “it’s beyond belief!
To have my glasses—stolen by a thief!”Under the couch, on top of the seat,
Everywhere he pries: wheezing, beat.He looks in the oven, and up the chimney,
In mouse holes and between piano keys.He’ll rip up the floor, piece by piece,
Already he wants to call the police.Then suddenly he peeks into the mirror…
He can’t believe it… He draws nearer.Eureka! Though who would ever suppose,
His glasses are on his very own nose.
Sometimes you don’t have to look far to find what you need, right?