Storytelling began its extraordinary revival throughout the world in direct response to wave after wave of electronic inventions. As our powers of listening and speaking have been spirited away into an array of mechanical devices, longing has awoken for more wholesome, direct communication. As if foreseeing cell phones, computers and text messages, storytellers began gathering to rediscover this neglected art. By the beginning of the 21st century, tens of thousands of people had heard the call: ‘Be a storyteller; stand on your own two feet in the here and now; warm your heart and breath; hone your imagination; restore the speech that resounds throughout body and soul.’
Now, as televisions reign almost life-size in kitchens, living-rooms and waiting rooms, and printed materials heap up unread in every corner of the house, storytelling circles are meeting all over the world to experience a different kind of communication. An increasing number of parents, grandparents, teachers and community leaders are on a quest to reclaim their natural birthright as storytellers. As they rediscover and nourish whole sentences, plot lines and eloquent turns of phrase, much-needed warmth is flowing again heart-to-heart in homes, schools and every sort of meeting place.
As well as being an entertainer and an artist, the storyteller can offer healing. From time immemorial, the paths of storyteller and healer have intertwined. Even a one-minute, inspirational story can change both tellers and listeners for the better. A shamanistic impulse awakens as storytellers discover that imagination has infinite resources for picturing problems of every sort and bringing to light transformative wisdom that has been overlooked or suppressed.
As our new century began, a group of visionary social workers, educators and therapists decided to reach out to see who else was using storytelling as preventive medicine and to promote health. The response was resounding. Many people working with storytelling in all walks of life stepped forward. Ongoing conferences and alliances formed. Today a well-organised international Healing Story Alliance, based in the USA, is joined by storytelling alliances in the UK, Sweden, Australia and in many other countries around the world to support an oral tradition that restores joy and integrity to the spoken word.
As part of this growing movement, I was invited to Australia for the first time in 2006 to give a course exploring the effect of stories on body and soul. My journey unexpectedly took me to Byron Bay, where the author of this book invited me to stay with her. Modestly, Susan Perrow began to share with me her very extensive accomp lish ments as a storyteller and teacher. As her experiments and discoveries with storytelling gradually came to light from drawers and note books, I thrilled to discover how brilliantly she had been responding to the healing storyteller’s call for many years. The book that you are about to read was born in the awareness that flashed between us then.
After many months of steady work, Susan Perrow’s inspirational adventures with storytelling have grown into this inspiring book. I am confident that her wisdom, imagination and generosity will kindle the joy and healing power of storytelling within you. May these pages encourage you to speak healing words that help both children and adults to flourish.
Nancy Mellon, author of Storytelling with Children