
Welcome Sacred Storyteller,
You have crossed over the threshold and entered into the realms of Speak The Spark: A Sanctuary for Sacred Storytelling.
Now that you have registered, please go to our classroom platform and register. (there may be a 24 hour delay between when you register and when you are brought into the classroom, so keep an eye out in your inbox. Once in the platform, you will receive your first assignment.)
Here is the link to the teaching platform: https://speakthespark.teachable.com/
This welcome packet confirms that you have committed to your journey, and provides a enough information to keep you busy for awhile!
You have registered for The Performance Intensive Introduction
You can expect:
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to receive weekly creativity prompts via email
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to be assigned a partner who you can meet with outside of class to develop your stories.
Oooh you are in for a treat. No need to wait for class to begin, you can dive into our sacred storytelling library of master classes right now!
As they say…the course begins when you say "yes"…so I wouldn’t be surprised if the stories begin presenting themselves to you. The old stories may begin speaking up from the bones of earth, and perhaps new stories will start whispering to you through the winds…the muse may strike at any moment, and show up through the unexpected dialogue of a loved one.
In these days of preparation I invite you to consider…
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Is there anything you want to let go of over the course of our time together?
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What are you inviting in?
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How will you know you received what you came for at the end of our time together?
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Perhaps you want to get a beautiful new journal that is dedicated to this course, your reflections, stories, and note taking.
Class Schedule: Classes are on Tuesdays (with one exception in early January), and take place from 5-7pm PST 8-10pm EST
Oct 22nd:
Nov 5th
Nov 19th
Dec 4thrd
Dec 17th
Jan 7th
Jan 21st
Feb 4th
Feb 18th
March 10th
March 24th
April 7th
Performance Intensive Schedule
Zoom classes: (Mondays)
Dec 9th 5-7pm
Jan 13th 5-7pm
Feb 24 5-7pm
March 16th 5-7pm
Retreat Weekends
Saturday afternoon 4pm, Sunday, Monday till 11 am
Nov 16th - 18
Feb 1 - 3rd
March 28 -30th
FINAL PERFORMANCE Monday, March 30th

What is Sacred Storytelling?
This is a question we will answer together. But perhaps we can begin living the question via exploration as you create an altar for you, your choice to say yes to sacred storytelling, and for this class, and for the stories that are on their way to you.
Let’s face it~ if we were meeting in person we would gather in a circle and collaborate in building a big beautiful altar together that we would all add something to. But we are meeting in the virtual space. And so~ we will co-create here. (Check out the altar Sabine created for our online meeting from last year’s class.)
I invite you to build an altar for each class that we meet. This can be very simple ~ and is an act of including and feeding the divine through your intention and attention. It helps separate the day and settle into the gift you have given yourself: focused time on this artform of story. It provides you an opportunity to focus your intention by what you choose to place on your altar. Here are a few examples of altars from last year’s participants that they shared on our FB page. You’ll notice a few similarities: candles, flowers, and objects of symbolic meaning. Building an altar before we officially begin is a way that you can start saying yes to your choice to engage in the sacred art of storytelling, saying yes to the muse and the divine collaborators, and creates a visual reminder and a place where you can physically tend to your intention by lighting candles and changing flowers. At the end of this message I’ll provide a link with more information on how to create an altar. In the meantime, may the participants of last year’s class inspire you.

I created this simple altar while hosting a class from my mom’s house with some crystals I was traveling with and candles.
Daphne created this altar...

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Ways we can develop, maintain, and strengthen, our sacred storytelling collective.
It's no joke to embark on a 6 month mostly online journey. It’s akin to running a marathon, and invites a relationship to commitment, stamina, dedication, and a few fun ways that naturally inspire us to engage with and learn from each other.
Click her to join our Facebook group
This is a place for those who engage in the social media realms to engage with each other as much as we want. It will be as deep or as shallow as we make it. This is a place for our collective genius to show itself by sharing our experience, insight, perspective, resources, and wisdom, humor, and inquiries.
My invitation to you is to let this place be a place where we share
• books that inspire
• quotes
• videos
• wonderings
• deep and not so deep thoughts
• reflections from our classes
• ask for help if you are feeling stuck
• share a short story you are working on and would like some feedback from our collective
• photos of your altars and other things you think will inspire or inform our collective.
My request of you is to introduce yourself ASAP. I invite you to play at the game of poetry and play with eloquence. You can use it as your first creative exercise. When you add a photo of yourself it is that more delightful.
Here’s are a few examples of introductions from last year’s class. May they serve as inspiration for you, and may you find some play and delight in whatever unique to way you choose to introduce yourself. Perhaps it will be through video (facebook live videos make it simple and easy) or other means.
*Please note~ allow yourself to be inspired by your cohorts, and invite the comparing mind to be simply noticed if it shows up. We’ll talk more about that later. If you feel stuck and stymied: use this introduction of yourself as a 4 minute freewrite where you simply write what comes to mind without judgment. And then tell us what it is!
Ex. intro 1:
Fellow adventurers, I am excited to embark on this wild ride with you all!!
“My name is DB [initials have been used for sake of privacy] I was conceived in a union of love, a weaving of German Becker roots with a mixture of Russian, Polish and Austrian Reinstein richness. The winds have blown me many places. After years of wandering through life in the dry, mountainous, painted sunset, howling coyote lands of Arizona I find myself amongst the winding rivers and ancient Redwoods of California. I imagine I will forever be a wanderer in some way or another. Moving with the changing tides and finding my home deep down in the depths of my soul. I come to this class a novice in storytelling but with an awareness of the many stories that have become my life strategies. I am mystified by the way stories seems to show up on my doorstep and and ask me to question, ask me to see who I really am at my core. I am enamored by their invitation. I say YES to their call and full heartedly step into this part of my being with all of you.”
Ex 2:
“I was named after my Grandmother, C. Whom in Spanish is called A. I go by both. I reign from many lineages in this life; Chiricahua Apache, Navajo, Spanard, Irish, Scottish and Mexican. A two spirit warrior of truth and mystery. I am indeed a beloved traveler of the unknown and tender of the wisdom fires. Song has woven many stories into my earthy being. I couldn't be more excited to explore the crafting of story and listen deeply to others in shaping an ancient yet familiar telling of magick and folklore! The beginners mind is my daily practice for to know of all the wonder, has meant to truly revel in its beauty as if I were surprised. Cosmic sips of sublime divinity are always preferred but I'll never turn away a freshly roasted cup of coffee
Born and raised sea side in California, the Sirens of yemaya beckoned me to the rivers of Idaho, Utah, Alaska, Washington and Colorado where I guided expeditions every summer for many a moon.”
Making the Most of Our Time Together
Prepare for our master teachers: Each month I will recommend a book, video or essay written by the guest teacher. I strongly recommend taking the time to review this content. Perhaps you will dedicate time in your small groups to discuss these recommended readings, and allow it to feed and inform any questions you might have for guest teachers during our live class with them.
Our first guest teacher will be Joanna Macy.
You may want to look for a book or video so you can introduce yourself to her work.
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Looking forward to hearing your stories soon!
MeanwhileA gift for you!

When We Were Gods
Please enjoy this audio story created and told by yours truly.
https://soundcloud.com/leah-lamb-626936643/when-we-were-gods