Everything has a story to tell, a beginning and then an ending. The trees, flowers, butterflies, spiders, rocks, planets and the solar system all have their stories.
All originate from life, are infused and animated by a life to become a particular life form, and then return to the pool of life. Along the way there are small and great dramas, crossroads of destiny, and surprises both wondrous and disappointing. Some stories end quickly and some continue.
Our families, nations, religions, cultures, and sub-cultures pass on knowledge through story telling, whether in prose or poetry. From first learning how to read to seeking truth and freedom, we look to stories to show the way and they do.
We are entertained by stories in movies, and books; in gossip and in scripture. Stories are the vehicle and proof of the power of language, the central jewel in the crown of language. And mostly we are swept along with the prevailing story. The latest reasons for war, the necessity of doing more, the apocalyptic end of the world, etc. We are manipulated by the stories we read and re-read, and tell and re-tell.
Just becoming more aware of the stories we live, along with their infinite plot lines and sub-plots, begins to wake us up. As in lucid dreaming, we become aware of ourselves as both in the dream (story) and outside it. In lucid dreaming, as in lucid living, we are no longer tyrannized by the stories circulating around us and inside us. The nightmare can be faced directly; the flying dream can be enjoyed in the moment.
What is your story and what is it teaching?
You discover your story by noticing what you are telling yourself, over and over. Notice what you tell yourself about your past, your present, and your future. In order to have any lasting impact (our) stories have to be told and retold. All stories have a narrative. What is your narrative? You can check right now. It is bound to be familiar.
