| Stories have played a major role in all our | | | | myths. People's need to believe things is |
| lives. When we were small children we looked | | | | often proven by the circulation of the most |
| forward to bedtime when we would hear a story | | | | absurd stories, such as the one about the |
| from a parent. If we were not so lucky, we | | | | rapist who got into the car of a lady who was |
| would hear a story at school. Those of us | | | | putting petrol into her car, or the various |
| who went to Sunday school heard stories from | | | | versions of the very ill children whose |
| the Bible that were meant to educate us, but | | | | parents need money for emergency treatment. |
| often scared us into submission. Sadly the | | | | A very useful website to get to the truth of |
| different layers of the Bible stories are | | | | these myths can be found on my blog. We |
| hardly ever explained to us. Emanuel | | | | would do each other a favour by first |
| Swedenborg provided interesting spiritual | | | | researching even the most heart rending story |
| explanations of various Bible stories. Refer | | | | before we circulate them. |
| to my blog for a link to the website. | | | | |
| | | | Stories enable us to look inward and |
| Another fascinating website that sheds a | | | | understand story patterns and characters that |
| different light on the hidden meanings of the | | | | intertwine with the hard-to perceive forces |
| stories in the Bible is one where the author | | | | that shape our lives. The stories also enable |
| claims that none of the stories in the Bible | | | | us to look outward, because story-threads |
| are real or actually happened. Refer to my | | | | join us to a larger cultural fabric. The most |
| blog for a link to the website. | | | | important stories may be those we share with |
| | | | family and friends. All stories help |
| And by the way, it is not a sin to read these | | | | preserve memory, explain our present, and |
| websites and then decide for yourself what | | | | imagine our future. Stories that evolve |
| you want to believe. God gave you a mind so | | | | across time bind individuals to families and |
| that you can use it to decide what is good | | | | families to society, defining our collective |
| for you. Remember that what is good for you | | | | values, beliefs and goals. |
| is not necessarily good for other people, and | | | | |
| it is not for us to judge one another. | | | | Stories also connect us to the eternal Source |
| | | | of creativity. Professional writers know |
| We all grew up with the tales of the brothers | | | | that the muse is a combination of discipline |
| Grimm. Those tales are seen today as | | | | and inspiration. That inspiration comes from |
| fairytales for children, but they were | | | | tuning into another dimension that contains |
| originally meant for adults because each one | | | | all the stories that we could possibly want ' |
| of them contain a lesson that is much deeper | | | | from Tolstoy's War and Peace to the Harry |
| than what a child would hear. Each one of | | | | Potter saga to all the Bible stories. |
| these tales is a metaphor that explains a | | | | |
| facet of life. | | | | Here are two lovely short stories that convey |
| | | | lessons to us in a thoughtful manner. |
| And of course we are told stories every day | | | | |
| on television. The soap operas are not real | | | | The first one is about the young boy that |
| at all, but for some people they are a window | | | | wanted to become the pupil of an old priest. |
| into the lives of an imagined family. There | | | | The priest looked in the eyes of the boy and |
| are also various series that make characters | | | | realised that the boy was not going to live |
| familiar to us and we learn what to expect of | | | | long. He decided to send the boy back to his |
| the characters, like the heroes in science | | | | family to die, but told the boy to come back |
| fiction or action movies. We all have our | | | | the next summer. |
| favourite actors and actresses, because they | | | | |
| are masters at weaving a web that we want to | | | | A year later the boy was back, lively and |
| believe. Sometimes these soap operas are | | | | happy. The priest looked at the boy in |
| used for edutainment (a combination of | | | | astonishment and realised that the boy was |
| education and entertainment) to convey | | | | not going to die for a very long time. Never |
| important information on health or civil | | | | questioning what he initially saw in the eyes |
| issues, and this is more powerful than for | | | | of the boy, he asked the boy to explain to |
| example providing written material to people | | | | him in detail what had happened during the |
| that have difficulty reading, or providing | | | | previous year. |
| verbal warnings to people that did not have | | | | |
| the good sense to heed such warnings. | | | | The boy told the priest how, on his way home, |
| | | | he saw a colony of ants trapped on some high |
| Stories are part of many different | | | | ground in the river. The boy found a long |
| traditions. The stories of the Grimm | | | | stick and held it over the river so that the |
| brothers and comic characters such as Asterix | | | | ants could walk on the stick to dry land. |
| and Tintin originated in Europe. | | | | His arms got very tired, but he held the |
| | | | stick in place until the very last ant had |
| There are also the tales of the Arabian | | | | reached dry land. The boy then described the |
| nights that reflect ancient life in the | | | | rest of the journey, but the priest was no |
| Middle East. The Arabian Nights is a | | | | longer listening. He had realised that that |
| collection of Persian, Arab and Indian folk | | | | one single act had wiped out all the bad |
| tales that were handed down through the | | | | karma that the boy had accumulated in |
| centuries. Legend has it that a beautiful | | | | previous lives. That was why the boy was no |
| lady called Scheherazade had to tell a | | | | longer going to die young. |
| murderous prince a story each night to | | | | |
| prevent the prince from killing her. The | | | | The second story is about two priests that |
| result is a beautiful collection of stories | | | | were travelling together on foot. They came |
| including the famous ones about Sinbad the | | | | to a river crossing where a woman was |
| sailor and Aladdin. | | | | standing, looking frightened. Brother |
| | | | Benjamin asked her: "Why are you looking so |
| The Hassidic Jews have their own traditional | | | | frightened? Can we help you?" |
| stories. One of the disciples of the great | | | | |
| Rabbi Baal Shem Tov was lame. One day, this | | | | "I need to get to the other side of the |
| disciple was asked to tell a story about his | | | | river", she said, "but I can't swim and am |
| master. He began to tell how the Baal Shem | | | | frightened that the water will take me." |
| Tov used to leap and dance when he prayed. | | | | |
| The disciple became so engrossed in his story | | | | "I can help you," said Brother Benjamin. The |
| that he stood up, and began to leap and dance | | | | woman got onto his back and they waded to the |
| as his master used to. At that moment, he was | | | | other side. She thanked him and walked away. |
| cured of his lameness, and became completely | | | | |
| healthy. There is a beautiful story called | | | | The two priests walked in silence for the |
| Let the story choose me that explains the | | | | next two hours. Brother Benjamin eventually |
| healing value of stories. Refer to my blog | | | | realised that Brother John was silent because |
| for a link to the website. | | | | he was angry. |
| | | | |
| On the African continent stories often | | | | "You are very quiet, Brother John? Is |
| feature talking animals that convey important | | | | something bothering you?" Brother Benjamin |
| lessons in life. Refer to my blog for a link | | | | asked. |
| to a website with examples of these tales. | | | | |
| | | | "Is something bothering me! You swore a vow |
| Why are stories so important to us? We use | | | | of chastity! You promised never to touch a |
| stories to share experiences, understand each | | | | woman! And there you did not just touch a |
| other and create a sense of community. | | | | woman! You carried her on your back in a most |
| Parents use stories to bond with their | | | | indecent manner! Shame on you. Shame on |
| children. Sages use stories to convey | | | | you!" Brother John said. |
| important life lessons and explain customs | | | | |
| and values. People express wisdom by means | | | | Brother Benjamin stopped walking and looked |
| of a story. Stories are used to break down | | | | at Brother John. |
| barriers within and between groups. | | | | |
| | | | "Brother John," he said. "I put the woman |
| Most stories have some entertainment or | | | | down hours ago. Why are you still carrying |
| educational value. The advent of the | | | | her? |
| internet has brought us the genre of urban | | | | |