- “Narrative has been part of human consciousness for a long time. And if it has played a part in all those thousands of years, it will know a trick or two. It will be wise. It will be mischievous. It will be helpful. It will be generous.” – Jim Crace
- “I’m quite interested in the absolute roots of narrative, why we tell stories at all: where the monsters come from.” – Anne Enright
- “Narrative becomes the way you make sense of chaos. That’s how you focus the world. It’s the only reason you should ever try this writing job.” – Dennis Lehane
For August the topic chosen by the group is “Narrative”. Storytelling is at the root of who we are as human beings, co-evolved with language, our self organization in hunter gatherer groups, and our ability to share and pass on knowledge to new generations — our species’ main advantage in Nature. Story led eventually to great heights in literature, philosophy and religion, math, science, and technology. But we are still drawn to simple stories well told. It is the form we best remember and relate to, especially in times of stress, like those we live under today.
Bohm Dialogue is a freely-flowing group conversation in which participants attempt to reach a common understanding, experiencing everyone’s point of view fully, equally and nonjudgementally. This can lead to new and deeper understanding.
Join us to listen to what others think and to share what you think. The Religious Exploration Salon is a group that meets 3rd Sundays to discuss various topics in the format called Bohm Dialogue which emphasizes respectful listening and balanced, synergistic sharing. For more details about how Dialogue works, please see this intro.
Everyone is welcome. You are welcome to think about the topic beforehand but no preparation is required or expected — come as you are with whatever thoughts/intuitions you have, ready to listen, learn and contribute. We next meet Sunday August 16 at 7pm via Zoom. Past attendees should receive an email with instructions. Or contact Paul Reising, Tom Yelton or Jan Hardenbergh for instructions on how to join the Zoom meeting.
Contact Paul Reising, Tom Yelton or Jan Hardenbergh for more information.