This page is for changemakers, healers and activists. General storytelling resources here.
VIDEOS, PODCASTS and RECORDINGS
Jenni Cargill-Strong relates her take on Storytelling for Changemakers at ‘Politics in the Pub’ event, hosted by the The Ngara Institute, Northern NSW. Seven activists were invited to speak. Jenni demonstrated and explained Storytelling for Changemaking.
“Sense-Making in a Changing World” Podcast, hosted by prolific Australian permaculture educator, Morag Gamble.
‘Inner Permaculture’ Emeritus Professor Stuart Hill discusses how we are brainwashed and then brainwashed to believe we are not brainwashed, and how to use Bold Lies to sidestep our wounded limited self and ignite action, the distinction between the Core self and the Adaptive self, and Imagination versus Lies as well as Emergent Learning.
Starhawk (US) In this episode of Starhawk’s podcast ‘The Movement We Need’, she explores The Permaculture Principles and the No King’s Rally. Permaculture: Stacking Functions and Rally. Starhawk is permaculture teacher, earth activist and author.
Charles Eisenstein (US) For deep philosophy around social change and story, a great book is, ‘Climate: The New Story’ but also Eisenstein has prolific content in essay, video and podcast form. Helpful explanation here of Interbeing.
George Monbiot (UK), Journalist for Guardian and BBC, Member Extinction Rebellion. Watch his TED talk: ‘The new political story that could change everything’ TED talk (15 mins) The Zombie Neo-Liberal narrative and The Commons.
Michael Meade ‘Living Myth’ (US) Podcast- especially: ‘Making the World’, Episode 172 for Earth Day 2021, exploring and western disconnection from nature consciousness.
Michael Meade retells the Native American story ‘Black Dog and Weaving Woman’ and explains it to Russel Brandt (video 7 mins 33s), relating it to an Irish myth here. He explores it further in his blog here. Written version here.
Jenni Cargill-Strong ‘From Stories of Place to ReWilding our Consciousness’, Healing Story Alliance Teleconference Recording
Healing Story Alliance- (US) Teleconference recordings
How Trees Talk to Eachother, ecologist Suzanne Simard’s TED Talk tells a new story about forests.
Dr Martin Shaw (Wales) check out this author, mythologist and storyteller for his books, essays, podcasts, videos and interviews, School of Mythology
BBC ‘Dr Who’ episode with Vincent Van Gogh and quote about transforming pain into ecstatic beauty https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=866257367254311 starts 1.54 mins
WEBSITES, ESSAYS and ARTICLES
WORK THAT RECONNECTS
The Work that Reconnects – established by lifelong activist, Joanna Macy. Collation of Joanna’s key work here.
“Three Stories of Our Times”: https://workthatreconnects.org/three-stories-of-our-times/
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- Business as Usual
- The Great Unraveling
- The Great Turning
Joanna Macy explains and tells the ancient Tibetan prophecy story The Shambahla Warrior.
ACT YOUR AGE QUOTE https://www.filmsforaction.org/takeaction/five-ways-of-being-that-can-change-the-world/
DEEP ECOLOGY
Johnathon Seed is an Australian environmentalist who collaborated with Joanna Macy to create the Council of All Beings https://www.deepecology.net/
VARIED
‘Small Gods’ by Dr Martin Shaw
‘The perfect story: It’s about where you draw the target’ by Aaron Howard on ways to frame a story including the tale of the Prince and the Archer. https://jhvonline.com/the-perfect-story-its-about-where-you-draw-the-target-p10650-147.htm
Kenneth McLeod’s Age of Transition diagram of his four-part conceptualisation of cultures, interlocking parts including Mythos https://www.ageoftransition.org/transformation
‘Do not lose heart. We were made for these times’ Essay by Clarissa Pinkola Estés, Ph.D. via New Story Hub of Findhorn
‘Black Dog and Weaving Woman’, Michael Meade explores this Native American myth in a blog here and retells the story here.
Findhorn, fantastic blogs, newsletter, resources http://newstoryhub.com/ and webcasts with renowned thinkers and speakers: Living-the-New-Story-series http://newstoryhub.com/workshops/living-the-new-story-series-3/
CLIMATE DESPAIR and The Story That Gets You Off the Couch by storyteller Judith Black https://www.nestorytelling.org/climatedespair/
STORIES
Heather Forest
‘The Woman Who Would Not Tell her Story’ an Indian folktale, told by Jenni spontaneously at the Bentley Blockade on the day we won. Watch it here. Read Blog here.
‘The Woman Who Was Afraid of the Rain’ by Jenni. After a life threatening flood, a woman seeks a wise elder. My attempt to write a healing story for the Lismore community, especially (which I lived near in 2022) and other flood affected communities, using the framework of a traditional folktale with three wise siblings. https://storytree.com.au/the-woman-who-was-afraid-of-the-rain/
‘Earth Stories Collection’ Planetary mythology to bring individuals back into relationship with Humanity, the Community of Life and planet Earth. A collection of folktales that pertain to Systems Theory thinking. https://theearthstoriescollection.org/en/home/
More stories here
BOOKS
‘Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants’ by Robin Wall Kimmerer. (I’ve heard the audio book, read by Kimmerer is fantastic, as she has a great voice and hearing her read the text adds meaning to it.)
‘Storytelling for a Greener World’ Editor Alida Gersie, Anthony Nanson, et al. Many UK storytellers contribute a chapter each in this rich and wise compilation. (My favourites: Winnebago Trickster Cycle ‘When Hare Heard of Death’ and Hugh Lupton’s version of ‘The Judgement of King Midas’.)
‘Climate: A New Story’ Charles Eisenstein- also see podcasts and You Tubes on the subject.
‘The Natural Storyteller: Wildlife Tales for Telling’ Georgiana Keable- aimed more at telling for and with children.
‘Stories to Light the Night: A Grief and Loss Collection for Children, Families and Communities’, which includes environmental grief and the story by Jenni ‘The Mulberry Tree’ Susan Perrow
