TWS: principles in the introduction

[Waldhexe]

Rereading the introduction I realized how many of the principles written there still feel very true and important for me.

Especially those:

- All forms of oppression are interrelated and destructive.

- “All living beings are worthy of respect.”

- “Healing ourselves is part of healing the earth.”

- the three kinds of power: “power-over”, “power from within” and “power-with”

- “power-over” can control the ressources of others – “power from within” doesn’t limit the “power from within” of another person, but can enhance it

- working with a story means opening my own imagination to it and paying attention to which images, feelings, visions, ideas etc. arise within myself and let them guide me instead of analysing the story



- the story transforms and evolve with every person telling (and listening to) it, (there is no only-one-true-version)

- the story doesn’t have to be perfect (solving every piece of the problem or pc in every subtle aspect) because the uncomfortable and imperfect aspects can inspire us

- a story can lay down the path for my own initiatory journey, not to be formally initiated into a tradition, but to be healed, to grow, to become more whole , to become a healer, an artist, a "shaman", a witch, one who walks between the worlds and recovers lost souls

- the split into the three paths makes sence for me although one can use the material in other fashions as well

- using the book as self study in my own way, in any time frame, order, with any alterations for my own self-healing and growth

- everybody being responsible her/himself for her/his own journey, there’s no one who knows the keys to my own power from within better than myself

(This list isn't a full summary of the introduction, but my own subjective selection.)

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Which principles from the introduction do you find important for your own work?

Which principles don't work for you?

Which other principles are you bringing into your work with the story, exercises and rituals?

Any comments and points of discussion you want to add to any of the principles?

[Sperran]

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Which principles from the introduction do you find important for your own work?

Which principles don't work for you?

Which other principles are you bringing into your work with the story, exercises and rituals?

Any comments and points of discussion you want to add to any of the principles?

I have always been taken by Starhawk's discussion of power over, power within and power with. This is an area that I definitely struggle with, in part because I am often concerned with efficiency and getting things done and that often means power over. I tell you what to do, and you do it, and we don't have to sit around talking about how we feel. Of course that is often not the best way to do things, even though it is the fastest. It is a difficult balance for me to strike in my own life.

[veggiewolf]

I have always been taken by Starhawk's discussion of power over, power within and power with. This is an area that I definitely struggle with, in part because I am often concerned with efficiency and getting things done and that often means power over. I tell you what to do, and you do it, and we don't have to sit around talking about how we feel. Of course that is often not the best way to do things, even though it is the fastest. It is a difficult balance for me to strike in my own life.

This. Power-over is actually something on which I am working in therapy. In my job, it works well; in my personal life, not so much.