Spiritual Exercises – Story

Option A) What’s Your Wizard of Oz?

Stories companion us. Most of us fell in love with a “made up” story in our childhood without which navigating our real life story would have been a struggle. One person shares that The Wizard of Oz was the story that helped. The Cowardly Lion helped her see that courage comes from community, not simply from inside of oneself. The Good Witch and the Wizard warned her about types of people to look out for. Dorothy helped her see that answers are found by returning home not just by leaving it. All of them — Dorothy, the Lion, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodsman, Toto — weren’t just characters in a childhood fantasy but companions that accompanied her into and through real life adulthood.

What childhood story gave such companions and guidance to you? Our children might name Harry Potter. For others, it might be Anne of Green Gables, Sherlock Homes, Treasure Island, The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe, or maybe the one you remember is from your teens such as To Kill a Mockingbird, or The Lives of Girls and Women.  Or perhaps it was a movie or television series or game that helped you make sense of the world.

This month bring that formative fiction back into your heart and head.

Identify your guiding story from childhood or youth.  Think about how it helped you out.  Find something you have that reveals its influence on your life.  That might be the old back or a toy or a dvd.

Take the time to look around your life and find some trace of that children’s story in your adult life.

Bring your story and object to the theme group.

 

Option B) Your Six-Word Spiritual Story

Six-word stories are a common exercise in writers’ groups because they vividly display of the power of brevity and encapsulation.  Think of Caesar’s famous quote: “I came. I saw. I conquered.” (And it was only three words in its original Latin: Veni, vidi, veci.)

This month, you are invited to apply the power of pithiness to your spiritual journey:

Describe your personal religious journey/story in six words!

Here’s some inspiration found from all over the internet:

“Born Jewish. Discovered bacon… still Jewish.”
“No more Sunday school. Sleeping in.”
“I’ve fallen and finally got up.
“Fairytales. Thought. Deliberation. Reason. Awakening. Atheist”
“I pray. She answers. Each time.”
“Brainwashed, manipulated, guilted, awoke, objected, rejected.”
“Realized Reality; Expressed Reality, Connected Others”
“Filled the emptiness; Emptied the fullness.”

Come to your group ready to share and explain your six word spiritual journey story.  If you feel creative, create a banner or card with the six words.