Patience is a Virtue
December 31, 2006
Here’s one I used to share with my oldest daughter when she was a teenager:
“Restless Feet May Walk into a Snake Pit.”
Even though I may have been a staunch disciplinarian at times when my children were younger, I always made attempts to inject some form of humor into the mix. My oldest daughter had the habit of always rushing things, never taking her time. Even when she was but a child I used to find myself constantly repeating, “slow down, slow down.”
Whether or not the lessons have been learned, I’m not sure. I”m still too busy trying to learn the lessons that I was taught as a child.
“dooni dooni kononi be nyaga da!”
The Power of Silence
December 31, 2006
I know that the advice I give may seem a bit unconventional at times but, well, as you know, I am who I am. I wanted to address a topic that I think rarely, if ever, commands discussion. I think this topic will also aid in shedding some light on why, for some of us, our most creative ideas suffer from impotence.
One of the most powerful things you can do when a new idea comes to you that you would like to give wings and see it grow is: “Don’t share it.” Yes, that’s what I said. Do not share the immediate conceptions of your ideas, thoughts, or imaginings verbally, with anyone.
There are many with whom the above statements resonates with loudly. They already know where I’m going. I also know that there are many of you shaking your heads and claiming that I’ve finally lost it, but, have patience, hear me out.
Typically when a resonant idea enters our minds one of the first actions we take is to articulate it verbally. Often the phone is the nearest object, so we’ll pick it up and call someone. Believe it, or not, this diffuses the brilliance of that flame of an idea that made your mind soar with the potential of endless possibilities.
What we should do, when given the gift of enlightenment or an epiphany of sorts is to nurture it. Allow the brilliance of the new idea or thought to access the more contemplative areas of your mind. Savor the epiphany as you would a glass of fine wine or a cherished moment. When you take this time, you are affirming the power of that idea.
As a child I remember a mantra which my mother and grandmother berated me with often: “You better mind!” This warning would usually come after some mindless act I committed that got me into the typical “precocious child” kind of troubles. Now, as an adult, I find myself purposefully trying to “mind.”
Well, once you’ve minded this thought, the next thing to do, before speaking, is to put some sort of physical action behind it. Maybe you like to write. If so, sit down in a quiet place and begin writing. Maybe you prefer to draw or sketch. If so, sit down in a quiet place and begin sketching. Whatever your mode of introspection is, take this time to exercise it. You will find that once you give yourself license to validate your own ideas and thoughts, the more luminous ones tend to want make themselves known to you.
I know by this point many want to grab that phone and call someone, but don’t. The next thing you’ll want to do is act on it. Let me explain. This is not something that may happen immediately. It could take minutes, hours, days and even weeks before you get to this point, depending on you and who you are, but the most important thing to remember is that you must reach this stage without having spoken to a single solitary soul about the new idea or thought. To act on it means that you are “doing something” that would make this idea happen. Maybe you need to get some paperwork that needs filling out, maybe you need to sit at your computer and begin typing, maybe you need to grab a shovel and start digging in your back yard. The list is potentially endless. Once you have reached this point, you may find that you no longer have any desire to speak about the idea because you too busy moving on it. Of course there will come a point when you will have to communicate with others. This is inevitable. “No matter how sharp and axe, it will never cut its’ own handle.” When you’ve reached this point, hopefully, you will know intuitively.
You see, when we immediately follow our thoughts with dialogue with others, what we are actually doing is inviting them to influence its outcome. In many subtle ways, and not so subtle ways, the disposition and character of those we choose to communicate with have a profound affect on our successes and/or failures.
Let me give you a quick example by role playing:
Person A is making a phone call to person B.
Person A: Hello B, how are you? I’m so glad you’re home! I have this great idea!
Person B: I’m fine B, thanks for calling me. Tell me your idea.
Person A: Well, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah….
Person B: A, you know you got a great idea “but”…
At this point person B starts to explain to person A the reasons why his new idea will fail. I can hear many of you sighing. You’ve been here haven’t you? Now, there is nothing wrong with constructive criticism. In fact, I encourage it. This issue here is not the negativity associated with the person B’s critique, the issue is Person A’s timing in sharing of his new ideas.
I guess that point I’m trying to make, if I can do it succinctly, is this: Silence has a power which we, typically, fail to be aware of. Silence has the power to motivate you from within. When you employ silence as an instrument of intuitive direction, you are sure to reap some benefits.
I hope this small bit of advice helps you. If you would like you may leave me a comment below, or you could simply toss a few coins in the tip jar situated in the panel to right.
May love, peace and blessings be your constant companion.
“Dooni dooni konoi be nyaga da.”
Don’t Do It!
December 22, 2006
This is a piece of advice that I got from a friend of mine recently. He’s not a storyteller but I applied his information to my craft. He was facilitating a workshop that dealt with the arts and education. In talking with a group of educators he told them, and I’m paraphrasing here: “If you don’t love the material or tools you are using to gain access to the thought processes of your students then don’t use them! Find material that resonates with your teaching style, that you are enthusiastic about. Once you’ve discovered your proper tools and material, this will translate to successful teaching because then, and only then, will your students feel your passion for the subject matter.”
I sat in this workshop and thought, “Wow!” he’s addressing my craft as well. I have always had a rule that a story must resonate with me before I’m willing to work with it. I never force myself to tell a certain genre of tale because it may be popular or what people want to hear. I choose my stories by the way they affect me when I hear them or read.
So, my advice to any beginning tellers out there. If a story does not strike a resonate chord somewhere within you. “Don’t do it! Don’t try to “make” it work! Don’t tell it! Let it go.
There are literally billions of tales waiting to be told, why marry one that will eventually lead to a sepertation due to irreconcilable differences?
“dooni dooni kononi be nyaga da!”
Death at a Desk
December 5, 2006
One of the stories concerned with “Why I do What I do,” that I haven’t told much has to do with a previous career. I was, ok to don’t start laughing, a human resources executive at a very huge company that shall remain nameless because of what I’m about to say.
On my “free” time and weekends, whenever I got them, I used to volunteer in community cultural centers and weekend schools, telling stories, teaching history, current event and playing music. It was what I truly loved doing, although I never considered trying to make a living at it. This was some years ago.
Well, as you can imagine, the corporate structure of 12 hour days (minimum) and 6 day work weeks was taking its toll on my psyche. I’m one of those creative types who doesn’t do so well that type of environment. I actually admire those who can excel in that structure.
Anyway, I was grinding away each day, waking up with expletives spewing from my mouth and delicately placing a silk noose around my neck before I would leave home.
One Monday, I came into work and everyone was really solemn. I went into my office and called one of my closest confidents on the phone. We were only two doors away from each other, but still, hey, this was the way things worked.
He began to tell me that one of the top execs (for purposes of this post lets’ just call him Bob) was found dead at his desk. Apparently Bob had died Friday evening while putting in extra hours on some project (the top execs always loved it when you virtually lived at the office, it showed commitment!) and no one found him until Monday morning.
I sat at my desk that entire day, thinking about the fragility of life and my own immortality. I didn’t know Bob, although I was aware that he was one of the hardest working people in the company.
I made a promise to myself that I would live life, with whatever time I had left, on my own terms.
Becoming a professional storyteller is only one of those things for which I’ve kept a promise to myself.
“dooni dooni kononi be nyaga da!”
Why I do what I do?
December 1, 2006
1. How did you get started in this?
2. What’s your other job?
3. Why do you tell stories?
These questions, and many more, are the reason I’ve restructured my web site and made numerous changes to the way I do what I do.
What moved me towards the life of a professional storyteller? I have a ton of tales about this, but I’ll share just one that haunts me, in a pleasant way, everytime I address this topic.
I was doing a residency at an elementary school in Long Beach California some years back. I was teaching the children about the power and virility of their own words. Anytime the class collectively grasp an idea or concept I entertain them with a tale.
Well, on this one occasion, the children were obsessing over the idea of death. I think it had something to do with a topic in one of the “Harry Potter” books or something like that. So I launched into a very popular story by the Jabo people of Liberia, West Africa. The tale dealt with fantasy, enchantment and the marvels of the dichotomies between life and death. The tale ends with a lesson about the importance of remembering dead.
I completed that day’s work and went home without reflecting on it at all.
Three weeks later I had to return to the school to visit more classrooms. Outside was the typical hustle/bustle of the morning parent/child “gotta get to school on time” rush.
A pregnant woman with a child on her hip stepped in front of me before I could enter the office.
“Are you Baba?” she asked.
“Yes,” I replied.
It was at this point that she said that she had waited here looking for me. She had come to speak to me about a story I told her daughter.
I tensed!
She explained that a week ago, her father-in-law had died. I apologized for her loss. She then explained that, after the funeral, the entire family had gathered at she and her husband’s home. Everyone was in the living room, distraught and in tears. No one was talking, they were just releasing the grief within. Everyone seemed to be at a point of despair except for her 9 year old daughter.
Her daughter approached her and asked why everyone was so sad. Her mother explained that it was due to the passing of her grandfather.
It was at this point that her daughter grabbed her hand and caressed it, telling her that she shouldn’t feel sad because the storyteller had told her that, as long as we keep a memory of someone in our minds they never truly die.
The mother then thanked me for sharing that with her daughter because it changed the entire mood of the house. Everyone felt renewed at her daughter’s words.
When people ask me why I do what I do, I wish I could explain succinctly, but I can’t. There are too many stories to tell.
Baba (aka “Jeliba”)
“dooni dooni kononi be nyaga da!”
