The Power of Story The universe is made of stories, not atoms- Muriel Rukeyser

Stories are universal All cultures are filled with narratives which shape the awareness and behavior of the individuals and society associated with them. Analysis of narratives from cultures around the world reveals that stories that are respected and repeated often, have common themes reflecting our common underlying biology.

Patrick Hogan, professor of English and comparative literature at the Univ. of Connecticut has identified common narrative prototypes including: - Romantic scenarios focusing on the trials of love - Heroic scenarios dealing with power struggles - These themes appear over and over again as humans create narrative records of some of their most basic needs: reproduction, and social status.

Why we love a good yarn… According to the article “The Secrets of Storytelling” published in Scientific American” ( J. Hsu, Sept. 2008) stories – - Help us keep tabs on what is happening in our communities - May be a kind of training ground to practice social interactions – “Flight simulators” - Have the unique power to persuade and motivate Scientists believe that the emotion stories evoke are one of the reasons stories have so much power.

Stories also Are important tools for learning and for developing relationships with others in one’s social group Promote social cohesion among groups Are a valuable method to pass on knowledge to the next generations

Stories are more than dramas people tell or read Story, as a pattern, is a powerful way of organizing and sharing individual experiences and exploring the world.

Stories can help us to Clarify our identity Make meaning from experience Change Consider the words of some professionals from different fields…

John Kotter on the power of story: “ Over the years I have become convinced that we learn best--and change--from hearing stories that strike a chord within us. The dry academic tomes I wrote very early in my career were earnest reflections of the research I conducted, the analysis I applied and the conclusions I drew. And they had few readers, mostly other academics. I learned along the way and started including more and more stories in my work. My later books were read by many more people than my earliest work.” John P. Kotter, a renowned expert on leadership at the Harvard Business School, has been the premier voice on how the best organizations actually "do" change. His bestseller, Leading Change --with an actionable, eight-step process for implementing successful transformations--became the change bible for managers around the world. For more on Kotter's books, visit the web site for his new book, Changewww.ouricebergismelting.com.

Candyce Ossefort-Russell Candyce Ossefort-Russell There's no doubt about it, telling stories helps to make sense of life and helps to create meaning. But in listening to my clients, in talking with my friends and family, in reading memoir, I am touched at a visceral level by the fact that stories not only make a difference to the storyteller. They also deeply affect the reader or listener. Dan Siegel says in Parenting From the Inside Out that "storytelling is fundamental to all human cultures, and our shared stories create a connection to others that builds a sense of belonging." Receiving a story--an authentic, human story--is as healing as offering one. And the telling of a story invites the listener to respond with his own story. Candyce Ossefort-Russell is a psychotherapist and a writer in Austin, Texas. She has a special interest in grief and loss, life transitions, and transformational growth. For more information about her and her work, please go to Storytelling is an exchange. Accessed 1/2011

The International Storytelling Center is founded on the following principles : The power of storytelling is unquestionable. We are all storytellers and we live our lives through a network of stories. People crave, remember, and honor stories. After years of scientific research in 17 different fields, analysts conclude that storytelling is our most powerful tool for effective communication. Each of us has the power to tap into our stories, our narrative assets, to become better communicators—to entertain, to share our history and culture, to spread knowledge, to persuade, to advance a cause, to teach, to dream a vision of the future.

And even our friends from Starbucks know: Stories are gifts. SHARE!