When providing spiritual care, we often receive contradictory information, or points of view that have to be sorted out by going deeper and deeper. Sometimes we discern that one of the issues might be supported by a tangent mentioned in an initial conversation, requiring us to take a wholly different path in the conversation. This Forest Find put in dialogue two points of view that can converse with each other providing an unexpected path for your care practice.
Decoding life through narrative.
Discover how the stories we tell, from ancient myths to office misunderstandings, shape our realities and truths in Mary Catherine Bateson's "Composing Life."
In her book “Composing Life,” anthropologist Mary Catherine Bateson writes, ”Wherever a story comes from, whether it is a familiar myth or a private memory, the retelling exemplifies the making of a connection from one pattern to another: a potential translation in which narrative becomes parable and the ‘once upon a time’ comes to stand for some nascent truth. This approach applies to all the incidents of everyday life: the phrase in the newspaper, the endearing or infuriating game of a toddler, the misunderstanding at the office. Our species finds meaning and learns through stories.
Mary Catherine Bateson: Living as an Improvisational Art
‘On Being’ with Krista Tippett
Excerpted from her book, The Power of Meaning: Crafting a Life That Matters, Emily Esfahani Smith blends the work of Mary Catherine Bateson and Dan McAdams to propose how small changes in our narratives can help us reframe, refocus, and reorient our life's meaning and purpose.
The two kinds of stories we tell about ourselves – Ideas.Ted.Com
Consider
When was the last time you spent some time on your own narrative? What stories are you telling about yourself these days? How has being a chaplain changed the stories you tell about yourself?