This is a journey for women into a profound relationship with stories, women's stories and in fact, the tales of older women in particular. This may be a step on your path to becoming a storyteller, or simply a way to come into a deeper connection with the timeless wisdom of myths and folktales. The outcome doesn’t matter. It’s the spell cast by the relationship with a story that is paramount here: being allured by it, dancing with it, allowing it to work its magic and allowing it to story you.

Cyfarwydd, (pronounced: cuv-ahrr-oeth) the title of this course, is the Welsh (Brythonic~old British) word for storyteller. The root of the word means to give guidance. Furthermore, the word is one and the same as the old Welsh (Brythonic) word for magic. Storytelling then, may hve been considered a kind of enchantment;  narrative spells that transport the listener to a place where the deep truths of the tale can work magic on listening ears, on an open heart, on the receptive soul.

On this course, the aim is to support you to lift a story from the page, maybe to tell it, maybe to work with it and allow it to work on you. There are many reasons why you might want to tell stories. The process is alchemical. The audience could be family, friends, a community of women, the dog, cat or gerbil, or the land itself as part of deep work re-storying and honouring the landscape. And perhaps you don’t want to tell at all. Perhaps you just want to embody the story, have it live with you, work it's enchantment upon you.

These sessions will be held online in a safe, nurturing space, so that you can maybe find your voice, kindle your creativity, grow your skills, inspire projects or simply follow your whims into story depths. We will leave judgement at the door, gather over hot brews and herbal drinks, look deep into the story cauldron and taste the inspiration within. There will be laughter. There may be tears. Friendships will kindle and stories will be shared and the heart-hearth will be forever warmer for it. The stories of women will be served and shared and heard in all the worlds.

COURSE STRUCTURE

Six sessions over three months. 2 hours per session, Thursdays 6.00pm -8.00pm GMT

COST

£180. £90 deposit (non refundable) secures your place, balance to be paid by 10th March.  This covers tutoring for each session and packs of story materials for your use.

SESSION DATES AND THEMES

Session 1. Thursday 16th March, 6-8pm GMT

Finding the story bones

Session 2. Thursday 30th March, 6-8pm GMT

Fleshing the bones

Session 3. Thursday 13 April, 6-8 GMT

Singing a story into relationship

Session 4. Thursday 27 April, 6-8 GMT with guest tutor, Dr Sharon Blackie.

The Magic of Meaning

Session 5. Thursday 11 May, 6-8 GMT

Weaving ourselves with story

Session 6. Thursday 25 May, 6-9 GMT

In service to story

The tutoring elements of the sessions will be recorded and available to course participants.