"When the soul wants to experience something she throws out an image in front of her and steps into the image.”
Ekhart Tolle
If we are willing to let a story crawl into us, it will work its magic...
A story is a living thing, a being to interact with, we can quietly listen and let it slither like a wise serpent into us, slow and steady, working its quiet magic in our dreams and silent imaginings.
Or we can chose to walk into their tangled forest, eyes open, riddling the patches of light and shadow, actively attentive to the wisdom buried in their strange images.
Some stories cling to us when we aren't looking, like a burdock seed, claws deep in our woollen coat, waiting until we notice it all tangled into us and start to pick at its prongs.
Some swim up to us like a silver salmon, their mind full of the only map that really matters, the one that leads us home.
Stories are shape shifting spells that invite us to shift and inhabit our other selves.
Each time we engage with a story they change us, they call something awake that was sleeping, breath life into stilled parts, offer the language to speak consciously of what our souls understand.
"Your language is powerful and hearing the words move through your voice gave them even more depth and power."
Story Nights and Workshops
Once a month on a Thursday evening 6.30pm to 8pm (UK) join me online through Zoom to hear a story or two.
If you would like to go deeper, you can purchase a ticket that includes the story night and a workshop the following morning. For this you are invited to take time to sleep on, and dream into, the story then join me the following morning - Friday 10am to 12 pm UK - for an expressive writing and sharing based workshop to explore a theme, motif or symbol in the story.
Each month i will also hold an online creativity circle on the Friday afternoon 2pm to 4pm (UK), these session are free for paid subscribers to my Substack however you can also by tickets to attend if you are not a paid subscriber. These sessions offer space to work on any creative project you may have going on, or a new one that may have been inspired by the story or the workshop, more details about that here.
Story Night
Monthly on a Thursday evening
6.30pm to 8pm
Join me online from the comfort of your own home snuggled around the virtual fire of a story or two.
Upcoming stories and booking links below.
Each session will have a comfort break in the middle and the story will be followed by some music to help the images sit with you before we end our time together.
These sessions are recorded.
Pay-what-you-feel starting at £10
Taliesien Shining Brow
Thursday February 12th - 6.30pm to 8pm
This is a story of becoming, of accessing the bright world beneath this one and suddenly knowing all that is and will be.
The young boy Gwion Bach, set by Cerridwen to stir the cauldron of Awen for a year and a day, accidentally takes the magic potion intended for her son and instantly learns the art of shapeshifting. We will follow him as he is chased by the enraged Cerridwen over land, through water and into the air, until at last she eats him - what will become of him then?
The Selkies Stolen Skin
Thursday March 12th - 6.30pm to 8pm
This is a story about what we need to survive beyond food and shelter - to live a full life we need our connection to depth.
We follow a lonely fisherman, who one day, out on the cold waters, sees a circle of silvery maidens dancing on a rock. Paddling closer he spots their shed seal skins and, lonely as he is, he steals one. She begs for its return but he bargains with her for 7 years of her time. Will he keep his promise and if he doesn't what will become of her?
Riddling Tales
Thursday April 23rd - 6.30pm to 8pm
Two stories about the power of questioning and testing.
The protagonists of these stories are both beautiful and intelligent women who understand the art of riddling - tricks of word and mind that reveal truth. The Mountain Princess, tired of boring suitors, becomes cold and distant, will the man in the red shoes pass her tests? And Marcella, feisty and wild, yet warm of heart and clever of mind - can she convince her king that her influence as queen is worthy too?
Birth of Hermes
Thursday May 21st - 6.30pm to 8pm
The story of a lucky find, that in the right hands, changes the order of things.
The trickster god Hermes was born in a cave, kept away from the eyes of the gods, he grew quickly, and left his cradle only days after he was born. He sought to leave that cave and at the opening came across a turtle, as luck would have it, for luck was what he called it and more than a meal from the turtles body he also made a lyre. He is the trickster, what will this lyre and his tricks win him, and how will it change the order of things?
We go to the myths not so much for what they can mean as for our own meaning. Who am I? Why am I here? How can I live in accordance with reality? The myths never have a single meaning, once and for all finished. They have something greater; they have meaning itself … they have meaning for me, for you and for everyone else.
P.L. Travers - What the Bee Knows
Exploring Story Workshops
Symbolic strolls in storied landscapes.
Once a month on the Friday morning following Story Night - 10am to 12pm
After story night you are invited to take the story into your somnambulant state that evening, and return the next morning to explore a the theme, character or motif.
Each session is carefully curated to take you gradually deeper through layers of expressive writing, a free writing form that offers the subconscious space to tell us what it knows. Dipping our drinking cups into what Clarissa Pinkkola-Estes calls rio abajo rio - the river beneath the river, we will tap into our medial natures and uncover our souls wisdom.
You do not have to be a writer to attend and comments and responses to words shared will not be based on creative writing skill.
The purpose of the writing exercises is to invite your soul to speak, you will not be judged on literary skill. The writing creates an opening so that the quiet inner voice can be heard and your own innate wisdom rise to the surface. Discussions will be based aorund the themes and how our writing expands on those themes. You cannot be wrong in your personal response, equally you will not be forced to share your writing.
Although stories draw from the well spring of the collective unconscious, and carry, therefore, a wealth of wisdom and insights into the human condition, they are not strips of code. Although i may share with you some contexts of cultural influence and the land from which a story comes, mostly we will be seeing how they speak to you as an individual. So that you can discover your personal responses to the tales, and uncover what they mean for you in this time and place you have find them, and equally they have found you.
These sessions are not recorded to give everyone the space to share openly, knowing that our sharing is only ever with the people present.
What to expect...
Grounding back into the story, refreshing it in our minds through a short guided visualisation.
Optional space to share any thoughts, dreams, feelings, impressions from the night spent with the story.
Gently curated free writing and optional sharing, that, each step, take us deeper and deeper into our personal relationship to the tale.
Held wisdom pot sharing and discussion.
Space and time to reflect and integrate.
Plenty of comfort breaks for my fellow wrigglers and snackers.
What people say...
"Jade leads us into the journey of story with beauty and grace. She weaves the telling through with opportunities to listen, move, feel and embody the story."
Making Sacred
Ritually Held Creativity Circle
Once a month on the Friday afternoon 2pm to 4pm
after Exploring Story Workshop and break for lunch.
Art for the sweet release of expression and the soul satisfaction of reflection.
Making Sacred is an online creativity circle for those who wish to create in shared sacred space.
An opportunity to hang out with other creatives in an intentionally set sacred space, sharing our work, working on our own projects together in a supportive community.
Struggle to take time for your creativity?
Feel you would benefit from the company of other creative beings?
Long to work in a sacred way?
Could do with some support to structure your time but don't want, or need, to go to a taught class?
Bring whatever creative project you are working on...
This is a space to share with a creative community and take some time working peacefully together in an intentionally set space.
We will make open space for the muse through ritualised practices, we maintain that connection through taking are of our bodies as we work and being aware of our mental capacity to avoid burn out.
These sessions will have a simple structure...
Opening with a simple ritual to invite the muse to be with us and the generative force to flow through us. We will take time to settle in to a creative state leaving all distractions behind.
We will share with one another what we are working on, and, if you choose, you can ask for peoples feedback or advice.
You might ask the circle - This colour or that? Longer or shorter? Does this work? Does it communicate what i hope? What does this evoke in you emotionally? I'm struggling with this practical/aesthetic/meaning aspect does any one have an idea that can help me move forward?
These sessions will run in 20 to 30 minute bouts of work time divided by comfort breaks. These time slots are designed to help support our ability to focus whilst giving our bodies and minds well needed rest breaks. They are perfect for people who struggle to concentrate, those who benefit from structure that reminds us to take breaks, or people who benefit from the company of others to inspire and help with focus. Yes i'm kinda talking to you wonderful ADHD creatives, but not exclusively, i do not have ADHD but benefit greatly from this kind of work flow!
There will be sections with music and no talking, and others in which we can chat, should we choose, those wanting quiet are invited to mute the chatter.
The session will close with another (optional) sharing and the thanking and releasing of the muse and the generative force.
These sessions are free if you are a paid subscriber to my Substack,