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The Healing Power of Story

What would it be like to live in a community wheremembers gather in circles listening to oneanother’sstories with compassionate hearts, without judgmentor attachment to outcome? A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to attend aworkshop entitled “COYOTE WISDOM NativeAmerican Spirituality and The Healing Power of Storyand Dialogue”withDr. Lewis Mehl-Madrona.I learned that in many Native American languagesthere is no word for ‘I’. Who we are is the culminationof the stories we have heard over our lifetime. Whensomeone shares a story with us the story becomespart of us. As we grow and change, so to does our story.

SHAMANISM

CANADA

M e d i c i n e f o r T h e E a r t h D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 9

Bearing Gifts

You are gift-wrappedUnwrap yourself now.Let your giftsspill to the floor and all over the world. Watch how your kindnesstransforms this cruel world.See how your love heals fear. Notice how your courageinspires us all. Let your smile releasethis old sad world.Give everyone you meetthe star in your eye.Shine your light.Open your heart. Notice how your peace of mindmakes any war more meaninglessand harder to fight. Your happiness is a gift.It attracts angels from afar.Your smile is like champagne.Your laughter is like love.Your healing inspires us.Your presence is a miracle.Unwrap yourself now. -- Robert Holden,from “Shift Happens”.