Joe Lambert Digital Diner Press CONTENTS
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SEVEN STAGES STORY AND THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE JOE LAMBERT Digital Diner Press CONTENTS Acknowledgments ...................................................................4 CHAPTER THREE: The Seven Stages of Our Lives .................56 Grand Canyon .............................................................................59 Foreword ..................................................................................5 The Life Stage Paradigm .............................................................60 Introduction .............................................................................7 A Case In Point ............................................................................63 The System Of Wholeness In Our Stories ....................................66 CHAPTER ONE: The Biological Story .....................................20 The Mirror of Early Childhood, Emergence to Adolescence and Full The Biological Metaphor ..............................................................21 Life Development .........................................................................67 Digital Story: Sycamore ...............................................................22 Digital Story: Ironing .....................................................................69 The Story of A Tree ......................................................................23 Discussion Guide .........................................................................70 Seven Stages of a Tree ................................................................23 Writing Prompts ...........................................................................71 The Tree’s Story in Context ..........................................................29 Digital Story: Springboards for Life ...............................................31 CHAPTER FOUR: Historical Consciousness ...........................72 Discussion Guide .........................................................................32 Digital Story: Red Moon ...............................................................74 Writing Prompts ...........................................................................33 Kieran Egan and a Re-Capitulation Theory of Consciousness ......75 Egan’s Five Stages (Somatic, Mythic, Romantic, Philosophic, CHAPTER TWO: Our Body’s Story ..........................................34 and Ironic) ...................................................................................77 Our Body’s Story .........................................................................36 Romantic Stage ...........................................................................79 The Emotion Molecule .................................................................37 The Philosophic ..........................................................................80 Digital Story: Snapshot ................................................................39 The Ironic ....................................................................................81 Narrating Our Lives to Externalize Our Traumas ...........................40 The Integrative/Restorative/Transcendent ....................................82 Our Soul’s Anatomy .....................................................................40 Digital Story: Breaking the Silence ...............................................84 The Seven Stages of Our Body ....................................................43 Discussion Guide .........................................................................85 Digital Story: Love Letter ..............................................................53 Writing Prompts ...........................................................................86 Discussion Guide .........................................................................54 Writing Prompts ...........................................................................55 SEVEN STAGES 2 STORY AND CONTENTS THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE CHAPTER FIVE: Emergent Awareness ...................................87 Digital Story: Nowhere Anyhow ..................................................149 Deep Patterns of Self-Knowing From the Abrahamic Tradition .....89 Discussion Guide .......................................................................150 Cognition and Story .....................................................................91 Writing Prompts .........................................................................151 Consciousness and Writing .........................................................93 ADDENDUM ONE: Digital Story: That One Thing .......................................................94 Writing Samples from the Seven Stages Webinars and Seven Stories – Awareness Through the Mother’s Story ..............95 Workshops ................................................................................152 Digital Story: Go Around ............................................................105 Discussion Guide .......................................................................106 ADDENDUM TWO Writing Prompts .........................................................................107 Approaches to Material in Education, Social Services and Community Arts Work ...............................................................160 CHAPTER SIX: The Creative Process ...................................108 Bibliography .........................................................................163 Understanding Creative Process – A Starting Point ...................109 Tapping Your WellSpring ..........................................................111 COPYRIGHT ...........................................................................168 Building Your Foundation ..........................................................114 Assessing Your Resources .......................................................117 ABOUT THE AUTHOR.............................................................169 Clarifying Your Intent .................................................................120 Shaping Your Message .............................................................123 Sharing Your Insight ..................................................................126 Evaluating Your Effort .................................................................127 Discussion Guide .......................................................................129 Writing Prompts .........................................................................130 Chapter SEVEN .....................................................................131 The Seven Stages of a Story ...............................................131 The Story of Storytelling .............................................................133 The Making of the Narrative Archetype ......................................135 The Feminine Alternative ............................................................136 Digital Story: Dear Grandma ......................................................139 Crossing the River – The Seven Stages Approach .....................140 SEVEN STAGES 3 STORY AND CONTENTS THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS “To dwell in the here and now does not mean you never think about the past or responsibly plan for the future. The idea is simply not to allow yourself to get lost in regrets about the past or worries about the future. If you are firmly grounded in the present moment, the past can be an object of inquiry, the object of your mindfulness and concentration. You can attain many insights by looking into the past. But you are still grounded in the present moment.” Thích Nhất Hanh, The Art of Power This book is first a tribute to Thích Nhất Hanh. While Haynes, Eugenia Gardner, Clinton Gilbert, Marie I do not anywhere refer to his teachings directly, as Lovejoy, and many others. my journey began many years ago, his voice, through I want to call out my kids, Amalina and Massimo, a number of recordings I used in my meditation through them I learn more about myself than any practice, gave me the strength to sit still. His mind other relationship. And I call out their mother Nina and heart emanate peacefulness, and I used that Mullen for caring and supporting their lives. peacefulness to examine the most difficult and scary I thank all of the participants in the Spring 2013 parts of myself. Webinar, the September 2013 retreat in Vilanova i La For the space I find for all my writing work now, Geltru, Catalonia, and the Fall 2013 Webinar for their I am indebted to my staff at the Center for Digital contributions. Storytelling: Emily Paulos, Amy Hill, Daniel I give special thanks to Neus Marin for finding me Weinshenker, Andrea Spagat, Stefani Sese, a place to work for a month in Catalonia to finish Rob Kershaw, Allison Myers, and most especially this book, and to all my new friends in this wonderful Zoe Jacobson. This group of dedicated professionals region, destined to be the newest country in Europe. in storytelling have become world changers; their Forsa Catalunya! commitment and creativity seem boundless. Their love, expressed in the ways they hold space for others, Finally, I want to thank all of the storytellers who have is an anchor for my work in story. shared their stories, and the designer, Rose Hristova. I extend these thanks to the many contractors Cover Image: Joe Lambert, Adapted from Red-Hands-Cave-Hero working with our center, including Arlene Goldbard, NationalParks.gov.png from Wikimedia.org ©Creativecommons Mary Ann McNair, Tommy Orange, Lisa Nelson- Design and Illustration: Rose Hristova,