Telling Healing Spring Stories

by Lesa Sevin of Natural World Arts

Two springs ago I attended Nancy Mellon’s storytelling workshop through the organs. This was a very introductory course to the deep work of healing story telling using an organ of the body a focus in which to tell a story. It is a very therapeutic experience both for the storyteller and for the listener.

A spring example could focus on the regeneration of the liver. A liver story may start out with a land that once was well and vital. The water was pure and clear and moist deep green moss grew on the rocks where the crystal water splashed. Painting the story image with as much moisture and nourishing vital greenery will convey wellness.

Now bring in the contrast to wellness with illness such as a band of careless troublemakers coming to a village and cutting down the shade trees, fouling the water and being greedy, moody, unkind, angry etc. This has now conveyed a drying of the vital health that good liver function brings.

Of course make the land well by finding a solution to the problems. Bring in rejuvenation and healing. Let the truth restore the goodness and sustain the environment and the people’s ways.

This is an example of the richness of using an organ to learn through stories and story telling how to bring in spontaneity as well as simplicity and pictorial thinking. All of the organs have different qualities and rhythms associated. It is quite fun to explore and create.

Of course age appropriate stories are best. It is a luxury to personal healing to work with adults with this as well because we can go to a deep place, different than telling an organ based story to a 5 year old.

I noticed that Nancy Mellon has a book now out on this subject.