These Forest Finds are for us to pause. They are meant to quickly expand knowledge, spark curiosity and make connections to consider. There are so many disciplines in the humanities that can offer new insights for a chaplaincy practice. As you make connections or discover fascinating facts please post them in the Random Facts Space in the community section.
Your brain loves good storytelling
Storytelling makes us human. It is the oldest art form we have and it is full of surprises.
Storytelling makes us human – not only is it one of the primary ways we make connections and meaning, it actually produces positive effects in the human brain. Paul J. Zak, founding director of the Center for Neuroeconomic Studies at Claremont Graduate University, found that when people listen deeply to character-based stories, their brains release oxytocin – the chemical associated with love and empathy.
Consider
According to studies, 65% of our daily conversations are based on storytelling. Listen deeply to the conversations you take part in today with careseekers, family, and friends. How many stories did you hear? How might you utilize stories from literature, pop culture, the news, folk- and fairytales, and other narrative sources in chaplaincy?