Live Class Today with Emerald Podcast Host Joshua Schrei
Your Value + Imagination + Medicine + Soul Story Council
Greetings lovely humans.
Before I dive in the deep end: You are cordially invited to join us today for a potent class with the host of the Emerald Podcast, Josh Shrei at 11a, PST.
Today’s class with Joshua will focus on working with story as medicine, and the role of the mythic imagination as a gateway to unlock alchemical properties to bring healing.
ON ANOTHER NOTE
On the subject of Value
I’ve been thinking about the process of unwinding the relationship between self worth, value, and what is in the bank account. The LA Fires have created so much drastic change for so many people. There are so many people suddenly out of work with our new political expression. So much change among us.
When so many are losing their jobs: I’ve been curious: how do we tend to this idea of our inherent value equating to what is in one’s bank account?
In my listening for the threads of this tapestry of this story I remembered one of the most powerful stories I ever heard: and so I wanted to bring it back to you.
This is part of a larger story which I share below—
But in short, the story comes from Dr. Jacob Eisenbach, who is one of the oldest survivors of the Holocaust.
I heard him speak a few years ago, and he told us an amazing story about what fueled his courage and hope every day.
“My parents blessed us when we were children.
Every day they told me and my brother that they loved us,
and that we were valuable….
I always knew my life was valuable, and there was
nothing Hitler could do or say that could take that away from us.”
What Defines A Sacred Story?
A few days ago a man e-mailed me with a question about what distinguishes a sacred story from the regular kind of character development one creates to tell a good story. A fair question!
Here is one way to distinguish a Sacred Story: — it is a story that is told in service to life. We tell these stories all day long in how we live — or don’t live— our lives. Dr. Jacob Eisenbach’s parents gave his the sacred story that his life was valuable, that he was valuable and loved…and that story fueled him when he needed it.
We help create sacred stories when we pause to meet someone with curiosity rather than with anger or blame.
We help create sacred stories when we make sure the young, the old, the one’s trying to make their way in the world are reminded, “you are a miracle; the mere presence of you is a prayer answered, and this life is a gift.”
We create these stories, when we make sure our young ones know that their lives are valuable, and their bodies are valuable, and they should always walk through life knowing that their presence is inherently valuable and they don’t have to sell themselves or sell out to make this point.
We give gifts with our words that can be carried over a life time. And once we have strum enough chords of life, and broken a few threads through the experience of learning about living, then we come together to weave the threads of life back together again— into our memory, and into our future, by weaving the threads of information into a constellation of stories that give shape to a life—- and helps bring meaning and understanding into the moment.
You don’t need a stage to be a sacred storyteller.
You don’t need a novel to be a sacred storyteller.
What is required… is the intention to keep the cycle of life going…
… and a deep seeded knowing that you are the gardener who plants the seeds for tomorrow every single day.
If you want to go on a deep dive on the topic of story as medicine with one of our favorite deep and expansive researchers and thinkers, I look forward to sharing this live 2 hour class with Joshua Shrei today at 11am PST.
(Everyone who gets a ticket receives a recording.)
If you missed us live: go here to get a ticket where you can still get a recording after the event.
Two ways to play this week:
2 Hour Class With Joshua Schrei
Soul Story Council: Take a 1 hour journey into your consciousness and explore how you are living through the language of symbol, metaphor, and archetype. No psychedelics are necessary— as story is the medicine you take to go on this journey. We step into a ceremony, receive a story, a song, and weave our collective wisdeom to bring meaning to the times we are living within.
Here is the link to join our monthly membership:
What is your definition of a Sacred Story?
"The intention to keep the lifecycle going..." I love that. Hmmm....I'd say a sacred story is a mirror that reflect the divinity in another.
To be present for myself, so I can better listen to others. If appropriate, and or asked, to share my experiences or stories I've heard from others of their journeys.