Story Telling Finger.
Posted by Mystecha on Sep 17, 2008
Story Telling Finger By: Wendy Stenberg-tendys
The local Vanuatu men skilled in sand drawing, squat on the beach. With one finger they create a masterpiece that retells a tradition in their community.
The Sandroing (sand drawing) Festival has been held each year since 2005. The Vanuatu men have traveled across the oceans to attend.
Art is used as the medium for gathering together and communicating, their ancient culture and traditions, in a land where there are over 150 distinct cultures and languages.
Each year the Festival occurs at a different location, in the northern tropical islands of Vanuatu.
This can prove to be a deep disappointment for some artists as it hinders their involvement. The northern islanders of Torba Province can’t make the journey in their canoes, across the wide expanses of wild ocean, when the Festival is held to the south.
The close historical link between sand drawings and inter-island canoe voyaging is recognized as part of the Festival. Sand drawing became a form of communication with the different languages. An extensive network of relationships developed between different language groups. Songs, stories and rituals were spread and retold.
One finger is used to produce a precise, geometric pattern directly in the sand. Sand drawing conveys detailed information about local history, rituals and cosmologies, kinship systems, natural phenomena and farming techniques.
In 2003, Vanuatu Sand Drawing was proclaimed a “Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity” by UNESCO. In 2004, UNESCO/Japan Funds-In-Trust For the Preservation and Promotion of Intangible Cultural Heritage, began to fund a program to safeguard sand drawing in Vanuatu.
A skilled artist must have a steady hand, a strong understanding of the graphic patterns and motifs, and a deep understanding of their significance. Sand drawers must be able to interpret the drawings for spectators.
The Sandroing Festival also showcases other ancient traditions such as dances, games, magic shows, story-telling, string figures and weaving demonstrations.
Whilst going forward into the 21st century, the Vanuatu peoples’ resolve to maintain their traditions has been strengthened by the UNESCO acknowledgment of the sand drawing tradition.
Vanuatu, a Lesser Developed Country of the South Pacific, recognizes the urgent need to educate the next generation, if Vanuatu is to move forward into the 21st century.
However, the government admitted in late 2007 that it does not have the finances to provide a free education. The villagers of the isolated islands living in a no-cash economy have no money to pay school fees.
The disturbing results of this are:
•only 55.8% of Vanuatu kids will get to grade 6; •of those only 18.2% will go to high school ; •26% will never go to school at all.
YouMe Support Foundation, a Child Trust Fund, is one of the few groups dedicated to giving these children a high school education.
Dr Wendy Stenberg-Tendys and her husband are CEOs of YouMe Support Foundation(http:youmesupport.org) providing non-repayable high school education grants for children who will never have the opportunity to have an education without outside assistance. This is once in a life time Blue Moon Opportunity for someone to own their own private holiday home, plus 6 luxury holiday units, while assisting these children to gain an education. Check it out at: http://winaresort.com
Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com
Nefertiti
Posted by Mystecha on Sep 11, 2008
Nefertiti by Mirella Patzer
Nefertiti reigned in Ancient Egypt between 1351 and 1331 B.C. She was the chief wife of the “heretic” Pharaoh Akhenaten. Akhenaten desperately wanted a male heir and Nefertiti tried hard to provide him with one. Instead, she presented him with six daughters. It was Queen Kiya, his lesser wife, Kiya, who provided him with male heirs - Smenkhkare and Tutankhamun, a fact which inflamed Nefertiti’s jealousy and wrath.
Pharaoh Akhenaten loved both his wives, but it was Nefertiti to whom he exalted to a prominent role in the religious and political life of Egypt. He bestowed upon her with such titles as Mistress of Happiness, Endowed with Favors, Chief Wife of the King, Beloved, Lady of the Two Lands, and May she live for Ever and Always”.
She helped her husband initiate a massive religious and cultural revolution and represented the feminine aspect of the god, Aten. Renowned for her beauty, Nefertiti dressed to enhance her best features. She is often depicted wearing a close fitting sheath. As Akhenaten´s chief wife, she wore the crown of Hathor that resembled cow horns with plumes or the crown of Mut, the vulture goddess. But the crown she is most often associated with, is the blue war crown with its flat top.
Nefertiti vanished around year fourteen of Akhenaten´s reign. Rumours abound about her mysterious disappearance. Her name was struck from numerous inscriptions. Some say it was because she and her husband fell into discord and he banished her in disgrace to her palace, Aten’s Castle. Others believe that she disguised herself as a man and assumed a new identity as Smenkhkare so that she could rule as co-regent with her husband. It is even speculated that she simply died from the plague and her death was so painful for Akhenaten that he did not wish to be reminded of her.
Whatever the circumstances, however, Nefertiti simply disappeared and there is no record of her death nor has her mummy or place of burial been confirmed. Her husband, Akhenaten died about several years later under circumstances just as mysterious. His mummy has not been found either.
Famed throughout the ancient world for her outstanding beauty, Akhenaten’s queen Nefertiti remains the one of the most well known and mysterious queens of ancient Egypt.
Mirella Patzer is a published author of historical fiction and several blogs. Visit http://www.mirellapatzer.com and http://historyandwomen.blogspot.com for more fascinating stories.
The Power of Word Pictures
Posted by Mystecha on Jul 17, 2008
Today is Wednesday, June the 26th, 2008. It is the last full day of our vacation in Yachats, pronounced “ya-hahts”.
This amazing place was named after the Yachats Native Americans who were hunters and gathers in the 1500’s. There are several translations of the word, but the one I appreciate the most truly characterizes the environment here: “as far as you can go along the beach.”
I am in our living room, nestled up in the lounge chair, looking at the omnipresent ocean through our panoramic view windows. The sky is cloudy at 7:30A.M., with streaks of power blue on the horizon, hinting of a possible clearing.
Ocean waters appear foamy, grayish-white, but they play surf music with wave cymbals and splash drums. Sometimes they erupt into blow-hole spectaculars—actually shooting spray twenty or more feet into the air between the volcanic rock fingers.
I have no idea what I will write about today. And you know what? That’s okay. I will just let it flow; but I do want to provide more advice to aspiring writers, and some energetic support to all who delight in the healing power of words.
First idea, I think writers should capture images that inspire and connect emotionally with the reader. For example, the last two sunsets here were an almost out-of-body experience for me. We can all relate to sunsets, right?
Along these lines, I recall the sun sphere presented its magical illusion of disappearing into the ocean horizon. The sky became a radiant portrait of pastel colored ribbons, gleaming with flame red, tangerine, soft pink, and all shades in between.
Such a vision was accompanied by a sea chorus, singing to all of us about the mystery and wonder of life.
Next idea, I suggest writers read their material out loud. The sound of words casts a rhythm of sentences, which comfort, inspire, and reveal pathways to better stories. Or, they can even point the way to emotional healing.
To illustrate this, I remember the hike I took yesterday with our son Jason and our 14-year-old granddaughter, Kaidyn. I experienced considerable comfort and pleasure from reading out loud the following passages:
We started at a place called Cape Perpetua, high in the mountains off the Highway 101 South, heading out of Yachats towards the quaint town of Florence. The ocean view from the roadside observation station was enough to take our breath away.
In the distance was the pine tree covered peninsula that formed one arm of the U-shaped bay. Pulsating, whitecap waves, in parallel lines rolled endlessly up and over the volcanic rock slabs below. The rocks appeared to look like gigantic, distorted, black and white checkerboard squares.
This scene compelled us to move down the hilly hiking trail, which descended through ferns and Queen Annes Lace fauna to explore the rock formations at the oceans’ edge. These ancient protrusions, we soon discovered, kept hidden wondrous tide pools, stocked with fishy sea smells of anemones, multicolored star fish, and purple and pink sea urchins.
We laughed and shouted to each other when making new discoveries, played out against a background of surf timpani and blow-hole eruptions. The water spray, sea energy, and excitement underscored the incalculable value of family love, and the awesome glory of life itself.
Last idea, whether you are a writer or not, I can’t emphasize enough the importance of slowing down to stop and breathe. When you live more in the moment, your positive inner voice will guide you to achieve whatever you seek—published books or healthy lives.
I believe we move too fast in American culture, or we just numb ourselves out with mind altering behaviors, distractions, and electronic devices. Let me share with you how I slowed down on my vacation.
At 10:30A.M this morning, the clouds had moved out, the sun is gloriously back, framing the sky with a collage of deep blue, power blue, and pale pinks on the ocean horizon. I walked outside to the grassy cliff behind our rental home, and simply paused to listen.
I became aware of the sea concert carried on a salty, windy breeze that embraced all of my senses. I assumed the crouching Tai Chi position, took a deep breath for three seconds, exhaled slowly for six; and floated my arms up like the extended wings of a great swan.
As I went through my healing ritual of breathing, stretching, dancing, and affirmations, I noticed my son and granddaughter observing me through the windows. They were laughing and copying my various closed-hand prayer positions. I smiled back, gave them a thumbs up, and finished the process of standing still in the blessed moment of the now.
Oh yes, the message (my inner voice spoke to me) was about the acceptance of humility and gratitude that comes from recording these precious moments; and the joy of sharing them with all who find comfort from a writer’s word pictures.
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Mr. Eby is a Master Social Worker with more than 30 years of professional experience. He is an author published by SterlingHouse. He currently works as a therapist and counselor at Options For Southern Oregon, the local mental health agency. He has also provided online life coaching services on eBay for many years. For more information visit his site at http://www.squidoo.com/garyeby
Children Can Learn Morals And Values From Books
Posted by Mystecha on Mar 27, 2008
There is yet no better medium than books to teach good morals and inculcate the right values in children. Little children love fairy tales and in their dreams they meet the characters they adore. They develop a strong bond with them and see them as role models. Their imagination is stirred when parents read fables and fairy tales at bedtime and they learn to emulate the ideal character portrayed by their favorite heroes’ in day-to-day life.
Home and school libraries stock storybooks for children that have stories of adventurers, pirates, explorers and various other interesting topics and subjects. Boys find these stories very fascinating. Girls are more interested in stories that have dolls, ponies, flowers, or are about training as teachers/nurses, cooking food and bringing up a family etc. Each group finds interest in stories that involve characters of the same gender. Stories written for kids usually had either male or female characters specific to each story.
However, stories now combine leading characters of both sexes. A good example of this can be seen in the Harry Potter series that have the stories knitted around the trio of Harry, Ron and Hermione. This recent trend in story writing is leading to a gradual change in the preference of both boys and girls who can now be observed being commonly interested in stories revolving around certain theme centric characters involving both genders.
Stories in the past depicted a safe and pleasant world in which little children could venture out in safety. Modern day stories put even girl characters like Hermione in dangerous situations. However, the charm of stories for little children are still retained making them thoroughly enjoyable and captivating, taking children on a journey into the realm of fairies, gnomes, witches, giants, speaking animals and cities having houses made of sweets, chocolates and cakes.
Illustrated books have their own charm and are loved by children. They help children to create a visual image of their favorite character(s) in their minds. The pictures of different animals and places like gardens and forests etc. keep them happy and occupied and provide them with knowledge about many things and places, which they may not have seen. For their young minds, books are like wells from which they constantly draw the water of knowledge.
Books are good friends to children and provide them with company at any time of the day or night. In comparison to movies, books provide a more powerful medium to teach strong values like comradeship, courage and loyalty to children. As a child gets engrossed in reading, he finds himself transported to the imaginary locale of the story with the characters moving around him. By bonding to the characters, children learn to respond to real life situations when they undergo similar experiences. They learn to express their desires, fears and aspirations. Good books cater to healthy mental and psychological development of children.
Victor Epand is an expert consultant about books. When shopping for books, we recommend you shop only at the best bookstores: http://www.usedbooksell.com , http://www.sellautographedbooks.com , and http://www.vedicbooks.info .
Life Design in the Hundred Acre Wood
Posted by Mystecha on Feb 27, 2008
Maybe it has been some time since you thought much about Winne the Pooh and the Hundred Acre Wood, but the characters who live there can teach us a lot about the choices we make, how we attempt to overcome the obstacles in our lives, and about how to live life with abundance.
Let’s start with Tigger. Here is a lovable guy full of life who loves risk, fun, and high energy activities. He often attempts things that would be crazy for others but not for Tigger.
In fact, his joy and abundance comes when he is free to bounce high, live large, and plunge head first into life.
However, I do remember one time when Rabbit was fed up with Tigger’s exuberance and decided to shame Tigger. Rabbit scolded him for his unbridled energy and lack of planning.
In response to this shame Tigger did what many of us try to do when we feel the weight of disapproval; he stopped being who he was designed to be. He tried to be like Rabbit. Now, even a bear of very little brain could see a catastrophe in the works.
Tigger became very melancholy and walked around moping. A deep depression descended on him, and the entire forest felt the removal of Tigger’s energy. Not only did Tigger need to be who he was, but his world needed him to be who he was designed to be.
Speaking of Rabbit, he had a very similar experience to Tigger. You see, Rabbit was designed for order. He organizes well and loves it when a plan comes together. However, one day, when Rabbit noticed all the attention that Tigger got in response to his energy, Rabbit decided that if he was more like Tigger then he would attract more love into his life.
What happened next was comical at best. Rabbit put springs on his feet and painted stripes on his body. He abandoned his plans and began bounding through the woods. This wore Rabbit out and didn’t sit well with anyone else either. In fact, Rabbit ended up make a bigger mess of things than Tigger ever did.
Why? Because the other characters in Rabbit’s community needed Rabbit to be the orderly, well-mannered guy he was. They didn’t need another Tigger and neither did Rabbit.
Piglet is a sweet person whose loyalty is forever and is the best friend you could ever hope for. Piglet is designed to be a companion, and he works best in the company of others.
Piglet isn’t designed to strike out by himself. Yet, one time when he didn’t feel needed, he tried just that. His self worth left him, and he went off by himself and wallowed in self pity. He ended up getting lost for a time, but when he realized that he had all the worth he needed already inside him, he went and found his friends and actually helped them save the day.
I could go on and on about how Eeyore’s depression keeps him isolated and away from real life, or how Owl’s insecurity, about his spelling, keeps him hold up in his tree rather than sharing his wisdom with more of the forest creatures. But I don’t want to forget Pooh.
Pooh is a bear who doesn’t try be something that he isn’t. He knows who he is and where he is, which is usually right where he is standing at the time.
He doesn’t wait for life to come to him but he only goes after it one step at a time. He knows that worrying about tomorrow is useless and so he lives in the moment. Because he doesn’t need love, self worth, or security from others he is free to give them away and is the glue that holds the community together.
When my daughter was born she had a quote from pooh hanging in her nursery that said, A grand adventure is about to happen. Pooh never failed to live an abundant life full of adventure and beauty. He lived every moment for all it was worth and let the future take care of itself.
We all want adventure, beauty, and abundant life. Yet few live this kind of life, and those who do are often discounted. The secret to living an abundant life is not in getting it all all right or in following some model laid out by someone else, or in appearing like you fit with everyone else, or in being free of what some label as dysfunction.
In fact many of the most abundant people in history were full of dysfunction, stood out like a sore thumb, and definitely didn’t get it all right.
The secret lies in first knowing who you were designed to be and being honest about where you are right now in your life.
Secondly, you must embrace who you were designed to be as the best you can be and trust that it is the path to your abundance and joy.
Once you learn to trust your design and your designer, then you must chart a journey that flows from your design and give yourself the freedom to follow that path as the next step reveals itself to you.
Craig Miller is a life designer, nationally known speaker, and experience creator. He has helped thousands learn to dream again, get unstuck, and successfully make the leap to the next level of abundant living. Read more of Craig’s work at http://www.neverlandlifedesign.com.
Story is Powerful Medicine
Posted by Mystecha on Feb 20, 2008
“The destiny of the world is determined less by the battles that are lost and won than by the stories it loves and believes in”
-Harold Goddard-
Story is powerful medicine. Stories require little more from us us then that we show up to listen with deep ears. A storied life is a great treasure hunt for buried nuggets of golddust, for diamonds of the deep.
Stories awaken some of our grandest emotions, luring them out of the depths and into the sunsparks of day. As a result, they bridge the archetypal world of inside imaginal space to the daylight world of consciousness.
Stories are thick with hidden codings that guide us through the murky waters of life. They flame our inner life into motion, especially when stuck in a cocoon of forgetting, denial or pain. Human connections are deeply nurtured by the realm of shared story.
Great Story, mythic story evokes bleed through of patterns of connection, symbols and metaphors that help to clarify our life. When we align with story we team up with larger evolutionary forces that can carry us past the same old patterns based on breakdown, despair and pathology into deeper and richer journeys based on understanding, connection and mythology.
Myth Mentors and Storytellers
Posted by Mystecha on Feb 13, 2008
Potent archetypal energies are rising in our current age, energies that need to be recognized, honored, and engaged with in a creative way so as to partner with them, channeling them back into the endeavors and realms of social artistry and world building.
The bardic society of Mystecha has been birthed and developed to help address this issue. Mystecha is a community of people devoted to the dissemination and exploration of tech-gnosis, high touch-high tech story options that promote the bridging of age old mysteries of myth, magic and mysticism to the new gnosis of the technical information age. To this end, Mystecha is dedicated to nourishing the sacred and social artists of the world, be they bards, musicians, poets, artists, healers and leaders, through a cauldron of social, spiritual and artistic transformation.
The Mythic Call
Posted by Mystecha on Feb 13, 2008
The Clarion Call of the hero’s journey burns deep in the cells of bone and blood.
Come, it whispers…it lures…it beckons…
Leave behind the world of fact, figure and logic…
Enter deep into the magic and mythos of a realm
far beyond the boundaries of time.
We welcome you to the land of the mythic depths, to the House of the Jaguar, to the roots of your deepest self.
Won’t you join us? You will never again be the same.
Welcome All!
Mystecha’s Mission
Posted by Mystecha on Feb 10, 2008
Mystecha’s ongoing intent is to create a series of fun and juicy artistic adventures: storytelling and poetic jams, books that lure us into promises of new possibility , articles and newsletters that gently (or not so gently) remind us to reframe our inner (and outer) dragons, and theatrical rituals, like those of the ancient Greeks, that will serve as catapult catalysts, pulling us out of our sticky mindsets and freeing up vistas where new growth can germinate. Together with that which is deepest and truest in us, we hope to celebrate and participate in an artistic re-greening of the world, doing it in a way that promotes joy, hope and possibility for all.
We will be soon launching a site that will be bringing stories from all world traditions together so as to seed a new level of excitement into the virtual layering of the earthen realm.
The purpose of this blog is to prepare the way, to create the buzz for reweaving story back into the consciousness of the human imagination.
Transformational Storytelling
Posted by Mystecha on Feb 10, 2008
Welcome to Mystechal Mania, the blogging home of transformational story, theater and ritual. We hope to use this site to provide the stream of consciousness thinking needed to bring this new artistic adventure to life. We invite any and all comments as to how to grow this vision of possibility.
The destiny of the world is shaped less by its battles than by its stories. We need big vibrant stories to stretch our imagination and prime our minds for outrageous possibility. We are committed to bringing such stories to life.
All who are ready to seed change into their lives….
*Re-forge yourself by entering this realm of myth, magic and fantastical and story.
*Plunge into our cauldron of transformative fire.
*Allow your imagination to ride the dragon’s breath.
We Promise, You will Never Again Be the Same!!