Chica Dreams

Several years ago, while my step-mother lay in bed, suffering through her last days of cancer, the neighbor, who happened to be a native healer made an appearance and began telling Flo a story. He told her a story about a woman who ran across the sky. I didn’t listen, but it amused and fascinated the woman laying in bed. She forgot her suffering for a short time.

There is a journey we take through life and on this trek there are many paths. The roads are high, middle and low. There are demons, devils, monsters, dragons, heroes and heroines along the way and within this mix of metaphorical, fairy-tale characters we stand alone, the hero or heroine of our own personal myth. If done right, our travels can take us far and wide.

We become learned, wise, fulfilled and fulfilling. We nurture and are nurtured. But the obstacles along the way are sometimes numerous; at times seeming too hazardous to continue.

Joseph Campbell carves out the hero’s journey in the book, The Hero With a Thousand Faces. We learn through story about trials and tribulations. We understand the hero’s jouney, because it is our own. Though the circumstances may be different this time, our story is as Little Red walking through a dark forest or Dorothy and friends traveling toward Oz.

Within the social framework of each society is a ritual of telling; that is, we share a story about an event, person or situation. Though we do this today, in the way of gossip and personal narratives, today’s telling doesn’t always retain the healing qualities the oral traditions once did. Storytelling as a way of life, in literature and as a shared experience is healing.

We have a few ways in which we heal through storytelling today. Mutual Therapeutic Storytelling is the sharing of a common experience by several members of a group. These would be special interest groups, 12-step programs and group therapy. Individual members of the group share their experience while others listen. They are validated through oration and attention, given support if needed and congratulated on their progress along their individual path.

Personal Myth is another form of healing, though this may come up through natural defense mechanisms; more often, it is something that needs to be learned and nurtured. Creating our own personal myth as the hero or heroine of our journey and illustrating to ourselves and others through telling in literature or oral recall is a way to relate our experience, without the harsh realities that may come along with the experience. We become Dorothy or Little Red, or remain ourselves with drama and adventure involved.

Your journey is great adventure. Think about it.