Listen more closely...

Listen more closely to the stories you are told. Listen to the birds, trees, water, and air. The whispers of the grandfathers and grandmothers are prevalent and precious all around us. Our ancestors speak to us through the stories told by humble people living humble lives.

When you get right down to it, our stories are part of who we are. Our lives are the ultimate works of literature from comedy to tragedy. Individually we have endured so much in our difficult human lives. Collectively, we are people who have endured life together and share this time and space. Our stories may be different, but when we tell them to each other, we become bonded in their sameness.

When we tell our stories with honesty and vulnerability, thereby, creating a full experience for the listener, we transfer our energy to another person, making it possible for them to know us much deeper as they feel their own emotions that are activated by our sharing.

Out for a walk...
Wandering over to the babbling ripples in my favorite stretch of the nearby creek, I was silenced by the voices of the ancestors talking to me through water. I have heard voices before, but this time, there were many talking at the same time. How was I to understand what was being said? I could barely determine which voice had the most power. They all had qualities I wanted to hear.

Sitting in the damp sand, I decided to suffer the discomfort of the cold moisture penetrating my backside. Even if I wanted to leave, I couldn't. My curiosity had kicked in and kept me locked in the listening position - head cocked to one side or the other, straining to get a clear message. And then it came, almost as clear as if a person was standing right next to me. The cacophony of voices faded into the background as the new voice rose above the drone.

"Don't be afraid to tell your story. Your story is more precious than anything else you can share, even money, even time, even love."

Was this a trickster who had my ear? I cocked my head again and asked for clarification.

"When you tell your story, you heal yourself and those who are listening."

I kept this information in my heart for a long time before I decided to ask for more. About an hour later, after contemplating MY story, I asked the voice if it was true... would people really benefit by me sharing my story? I mean, my real life story? What good could that possibly do?

The Burbles...
I hear lots of messages from water that speak of loving the natural world, and honoring water, but this was the first time I heard a message that wasn't about the voice of water... AND, it spoke to me in burbles. This is actually a reference from times when I was a young mother with two little boys. My sons used to play around with their milk by taking a full drink and then trying to talk without dribbling any of their milk out. The sound came out like burbles - and they DID spill lots of milk doing it... but that's quite another story! Anyway, water talked to me (in burbles) and yet, I understood the message on a much deeper level - in my very core

I had been struggling for 3 months trying to finish writing a book series about awakened ways to launch a new business. I kept getting stuck. Certainly I know the material. I have been a business muse for many years. My knowledge is sound and valuable to those wanting to create new enterprises. Naturally, I thought I could offer my unique perspectives by writing a book series. I even presented the material in workshop settings and got lots of encouraging reviews. But most people told me it was my interesting stories inserted between the information - not the authoritative command of my information - that made the sessions priceless for them.  I had forgotten this detail until the The Mother of Water burbled that
message. Stories.... yes, the simple magic I had left out.

Mother of Water told to "write my story," not write a guidebook. Yes, I understood.  No wonder I couldn't finish the series. It was boring! But my stories would certainly bring it to life. Hmmm..... inspiration began to flow.

There are millions of self-help books on the shelves today.  And yet, most people don't retain any of the the details or processes. What they remember most is the way they felt when they were told a story.

The Pleiadians came one night....
I have a friend who claimed to have had an encounter with the most amazing Pleidians rising out of a lake of lights one summer at a Boy Scout Camp. No one believed her. I did. I LOVED listening to her stories about how she met them and what they told her.  All summer,  I asked her to repeat the story.  Did it cause fear to enter my mind? Yes! Was I intrigued? Yes, again. Did I secretly long to have been the one to meet the aliens? Absolutely!

I remember her story vividly because I FELT the experience in my bones and still feel it today. That summer, her life changed as a result of her close encounter. She dropped 85 lbs in a month, stopped wearing her contacts, and she grew 2" taller... in a month! Something amazing happened that summer, and I felt like I was part of it because I believed what she told me. Because of my trust in her story, we became lifelong friends and I learned a lot about myself. We just never know about the stories we hear, whether or not they are true; but we can be assured, if they warrant someone telling them, they are bound to have an impact in our lives and can change us dramatically in the sharing.

And then there was the psychiatrist...
 A psychiatrist friend once told me that when we talk about the nature of our pain, it is like putting a snowflake in the sun. The pain melts immediately, and there is nothing left except the memory (or puddle!) which has lost its ability to affect us. He listened to my account of a particularly painful incident, and then asked if he could include it in a book he was writing. Within a year, my story became something others could use for their own healing or transformation. Once we tell a story, we release it to the ethers where it becomes part of divine group consciousness.

I am sure there are limits as to how much of our lives we want to share, but we all have stories that tell of spiritual experiences, love, adventures, and healing journeys. What meaning do these experiences have for us if we never share them with others?

Your story is as precious as mine. When we tell even one person, we are transformed forever. When we tell our stories to each other, we share a bond. We grow deeper in our humanity and deeper in our ability to trust.

Myths... stories that live throughout time
 This week, I was excited to learn of a new DVD being released in theaters and for private purchase. It is called Mythic Journeys, and it addresses the power of myth in our culture. The people who wrote, directed and produced it have found a beautiful artistic way to tell us how important our stories are to the world and how important the stories of our ancestors are to us. If you never thought of the power of myth before, this film will ignite your inner muse and you will find yourself pondering ways you can share important parts of your life with yourself and with others.

With deep gratitude for The Mother of Water and her whimsical burbled conversation this week, I am taking my writing to a new level and including more than knowledge. I am including parts of myself.  As for you, I can only suggest (in a non-burbled voice) you listen more closely to the stories around you. The voices are there and your story is also ready to share.  Fall into stillness and prepare your heart to receive something amazing. And then pass along what you have heard or what you have experienced and keep myth alive in our culture.

Movies and TV have nothing over the stories that travel from one heart to another.  Share.

___________________________

Exploring the magic of life,  one miraculous gift at a time, The Spirit of Water is grateful to be part of the movement toward the light. Helping to create an abundant and expansive world, we are here, silently transforming water into Liquid Prayers.

In peace & prosperity all-ways,
Shara