Note to my followers: I have moved Story-Power to a new podcast host. If you have followed it on Apple, Google, or Spotify, you will most likely need to click the follow button again. I was unable to do a seamless redirect with the plan I have on WordPress. I apologize for the inconvenience.
I help small and medium-sized companies get ranked at the top of Google by using search engine optimization tactics and bringing in traffic via social media, paid ads, etc.
I am happy to help small and medium-sized companies get ranked at the top of Google by using search engine optimization tactics and bringing in traffic via social media, paid ads, etc.
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This episode is brought to you by PodMatch, the dating service for podcasters. They introduced me to Brandon Leibovitz, and I’m so glad they did. I hope you’ve enjoyed our conversation and remember that if you have a podcast or something to share with the world, check out PodMatch at my affiliate link at PodMatch and tell them Lucinda sent you.
Story-Power on Patreon
I’m so passionate about stories that I created the Story-Power podcast and Patreon communities so I’d have an excuse to talk story. You may have seen my Story-Power posts here. If you’re passionate about stories too, and want to talk about your favorite stories, come join me at either SageWoman.life, or patreon.com/StoryPower.
“The running thread of A Course in Miracles is the radical idea that I am freed from past ideas.” ~ Pam Grout, The Course in Miracles Experiment: A Starter Kit for Rewiring Your Mind
“All matter originates and exits only by virtue of a force … We must assume behind this force the existence of a conscious and intelligent Mind. This Mind is the matrix of all matter.” ~ Max Planck
“We cannot solve our problems with the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” ~ Albert Einstein
I don’t share this very often but I’ve been studying a revolutionary book titled, A Course in Miracles for a number of years. The actual book is a door stopper. It has a text part explaining that we humans have had an incorrect idea of how the world really works for millennia, which is couched in flowery scripture like language. Then at the back are daily lessons to help the student retrain his or her brain to accept the real reality; that what we think is real, is all an illusion that we humans made up for who knows what reason. The Course says our egos made it up to “protect us”. But that’s a big lie because it’s the illusion that the world is a scary place, that when something good happens it won’t be long before it’s followed up by something bad, that we are not worthy of love in any form, but especially from God, and so on. You probably know the drill better than I can write here, because those negative thoughts are always swirling around in your head like they try to do in mine. They are hard to get rid of. It takes vigilance. That’s why I continue to study the course every day.
In my podcast, Story-Power, I have talked to so many creative people who share how hard it is to get rid of that nasty little inner critic voice that swears we’re not worthy to be creative. And that if we attempt to share what we create with the world no one will like it. It says it’s telling us this to protect us from getting hurt. That’s all bull hockey!
My favorite version of the lessons are in Pam Grout’s book, The Course in Miracles Experiment. She breaks down the day’s message into regular everyday language, often in funny ways that make them more digestible and accessible. For example, the other day I was reading one of the review lessons. There were two parts, but the second one shot straight to my heart. Now remember, I’ve done this lesson before, but for some reason, this day it meant more to me. The lesson is, “Only good can come to me”. Wow! How often do we tell ourselves that? I did as Pam suggested and made it into a mantra that I say to myself whenever those negative ego messages raise their ugly heads.
The whole point of the Course is to get us to understand that we’ve accepted a very narrow view of reality. There are so many more possibilities than we normally allow ourselves to think of. The title of the book is the biggest clue, miracles are all around us but most of the time we close down our thinking and fail to see them.
What we think is a really big part of changing our lives from wary and miserable to joyous and abundant with all the things we dream of experiencing.
If you think what I’m writing is a big crock, go read some articles about what quantum physicists have discovered. Albert Einstein and Max Planck, were two of the first men to state that what we think creates our reality. If you think the world is a scary, dangerous place in which to live, then it will be, for you. On the other hand, if you think it’s a wondrous place full of miracles and happiness, then you’ll attract that into your life.
Their theories have been around for about 100 years, but we still have a hard time accepting that we’re responsible for “our lot in life”. We’d rather blame someone, or something else.
In today’s lesson, the Course reminds us that “I will be still an instant and go home,” it means that we are capable of connecting with the Divine if we are still and listen. But Pam points out that the time between sleeping and waking in the morning and waking and sleeping at night are the times when we allow ourselves to be connected to the Divine because just a few moments we are disconnected from that silly “asshat”, as she calls our ego. It’s the time of inspiration and she gives three examples of people who claimed that’s when they got their best ideas; August Kukule, the founder of organic chemistry who first envisioned the benzene ring in those moments between sleeping and waking. Also on her list are artist, Salvador Dali, and inventor, Thomas Edison. I bet if we did the research, we could find lots more creatives who claim the same thing. I’m not a well known creative but I get some of my best ideas just as I’m waking up in the morning.
There are a couple more concepts from the Course I want to leave you with today. They have helped me on a number of occasions when I’m feeling particularly upset by personal, or even world events. “Only love is real.” When I want to scream at those who are greedy, or power hungry, or want to curtail the rights of others, I remember, only love is real. What they’re doing is a result of them believing that they have to keep all the toys to protect themselves. But I don’t have to believe that’s real and I can experience miracles no matter what those people are doing. And I remember one other thing from the Course, every single one of us is a part of the Divine. Most of us just don’t know that. So if I attack someone else, I’m attacking myself because we’re all one, part of the big fabric we call Divine Creator.
The only way we’re going to make this world a paradise is to remember that, “Only love is real, My brother and I are one, Miracles happen every day.” All I have to do is look for the love and miracles and when I do that ripples go out into the world. Eventually those ripples will affect enough people that we’ll make the shift from a world of chaos, to one of peace.
I know it’s hard to wrap your head around what I’m writing here. I still want to ride the fence and say yes, only love is real, except that I need to set that person straight, or I hope that one gets his or her comeuppance. And then I remember, I have to let go of blame and wanting retribution. That’s why I keep doing the lessons everyday, so I can clear out all the negative thinking I was taught by well meaning people. Since I choose to claim the miracles, I keep practicing the lessons until they are a solid reality for me.
There are lots of great teachers out there with similar messages like Marisa Peer who encourages her clients and students to tell themselves everyday, “I am enough”. That one mantra helps me break the idea that something’s wrong with me. I think lots of people have that feeling. But, that’s another lie. We’re all worthy of love.
I could go on and on with all the things I’ve learned about loving myself and accepting that good things can come to me if I look for them, but you’ve got your own lessons to learn. So take what is valuable from this post and leave the rest.
I send you blessings of pure love and light and pure source energy.
Analyzing stories gives us CRITICAL DISTANCE from things that have happened to us. That’s why I’m hooked on stories. I get to examine my own life by watching the characters go through their emotional ups and downs. If that sounds like something you’d like to try, you might want to consider taking my course Saving the World One Story at a Time.
I’m so passionate about stories that I created the Story-Power podcast and Patreon communities so I’d have an excuse to talk story. You may have seen my Story-Power posts here. If you’re passionate about stories too, and want to talk about your favorite stories, come join me at either SageWoman.life, or patreon.com/StoryPower.
PodMatch
If you are a podcaster, or have a message or fantastic product you want to share with the world, I encourage you to check out PodMatch. Use the affiliate link and tell them, Lucinda sent you. Then contact me so we can set up a Story-Power chat.
Two weeks ago, I was shocked when a college friend of mine announced that her husband, also a college friend, had died from a massive stroke from which he never regained consciousness. I think he was only 66 years old, younger than me.
He and I were religious studies compatriots and since I was the only woman in the religion program and in the classes, it was good to have someone besides the instructor treat me with respect. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t hounded by the other students in the program. I was hounded by men who studied other subjects but considered themselves God’s messengers. Even so, sometimes I felt like what I had to say was not regarded as important. Maybe it was my imagination, but I thought it might be because I was a woman, or maybe because I was too “liberal” for their tastes.
The other thing about these college friends was that we shared a wedding anniversary and every year we’d wish each other happy whatever anniversary we were celebrating. Now there will be no more anniversary wishes to share with them.
His death got me thinking, I can’t waste the time I have left on this planet being afraid to say what I think and feel. Over the years I have gotten in the habit of keeping my head down, because when I was that hopeful, wide eyed religion major, stating what I thought and felt threw me into more than one controversy. For an introvert, that’s the worst.
But I’m older now with a thicker skin. And I’ve learned not to pay attention to the negativity that permeates much of the media, social and otherwise. I don’t even pay attention to the negative comments by friends and family. I just let them think what they want and love them as they are.
The reason I started Story-Power was to examine how stories, both ancient and new help us understand ourselves better so we can get along with each other. Most people think and even say, that we are living through an unprecedented time of division among the disparate groups. I’m not sure that is historically accurate, but the situation makes people scared. Each group thinks they have the answers to how people should live. But the thing is, even though I know that we are all connected by something invisible, we’re like puzzle pieces and each piece has it’s own place in the larger picture. If we all thought and felt the same there would be no picture. It would be one solid color. How boring is that?
Let me say this, not everyone needs to believe or think exactly the same things. If we did there would be no learning. The human race would not progress. Trying to control the whole of humanity just isn’t feasible. The only reason someone tries to control everything in their outer world is because they are deeply afraid. But trying to control outer events isn’t the way to alleviate fear. The only way you can do it is to go within and exorcize your demons. I was fortunate to have learned this lesson in my mid-20s.
In the midst of those controversies I mentioned earlier, I began keeping a journal at the suggestion of one of my instructors. For months I whined and complained about my terrible lot in life until finally one day I got bored with that and asked, “What am I supposed to be learning from all this?” Immediately answers started pouring out of my mind onto the page. The biggest lesson was that everything that was happening was something I had chosen to help myself grow and expand. That was a huge revelation. I was responsible for everything that was happening to me? At first I thought, “Well that sucks.” But as I kept writing for the next few days I began to feel empowered. If I was responsible for the bad things that were happening to me, then I could choose to have good things happen to learn from too.
I don’t remember the exact chain of events, but writing in my journal and getting involved in the theatre troupe at my college came at about the same time. I loved doing theatre. The students and faculty were so open and welcoming. I loved it so much that I took Introduction to Theatre and was hooked. I added that major to my nearly finished religious studies major. Now looking back on the entire experience, I realize that most of the people who professed to be religious and connected to God were judgmental, didactic, and controlling. My theatre colleagues were accepting and open to all kinds of new people and ideas. No wonder I chose to continue my education in theatre.
The bottom line is this: each person is responsible for finding their own path, developing their own belief system, and deciding how they are going to live in this world. Sometimes the choices of others seem horrible, or tragic and we judge their choices. But being judgmental takes us away from paying attention to clearing out our own demons. I’d rather be curious about the people I meet. I’d rather try to see the world from their point of view so I can expand my understanding of the world.
Dale Carnegie said it this way in How to Win Friends and Influence People, “Instead of condemning people, let’s try to understand them. Let’s try to figure out why they do what they do. That’s a lot more profitable and intriguing than criticism; and it breeds sympathy, tolerance and kindness. ‘To know all is to forgive all.’”
I know that’s what theatre, movie and TV people do. They try to understand the characters and why they do what they do. Other creatives on my podcast have indicated they do the same thing. Maybe scientists, philosophers, coaches, teachers, and theologians do the same thing. That’s the mindset I think we need to cultivate in ourselves, because if I’m asking someone for their opinion about a certain topic, I’m not challenging them. Hopefully they feel that I’m trying to understand them, and that’s a basic need we all have.
My college friend was that kind of person. He was curious. He wanted to understand where other people were coming from. Even though I haven’t seen him in a number of years, I will miss the possibility that we might connect again. Maybe one day soon, we’ll connect with his wife and reminisce about the good times with him. No one truly goes away. They stay in our hearts and/or the lessons we learn from them stay with us. I’m grateful my friend and I got to know each other. He was a good man.
I hope the end of June is turning out to be good for you. Thanks for following, reading, commenting and liking these posts.
I’m so passionate about stories that I created the Story-Power podcast and Patreon communities so I’d have an excuse to talk story. You may have seen my Story-Power posts here. If you’re passionate about stories too, and want to talk about your favorite stories, come join me at either SageWoman.life, or patreon.com/StoryPower.
The Space Between Time
Lucinda is the author of The Space Between Time, an award finalist in the “Fiction: Fantasy” category of the 2017 Best Book Awards.
Have you ever experienced life shattering events? Yeah, after the last few years, most of us have. In The Space Between Time, Jenna Holden gets slammed by her fiancé walking out, her mother’s untimely death, and losing her job all in one week. But she receives unexpected help when she finds her three-times great-grandmother’s journals and begins the adventure of a lifetime.
The Space Between Time is available in all ebook formats at Smashwords and for Kindle at Amazon, or you can find the ebook at iBooks or Barnes and Noble. If you prefer a physical copy, you can find a print-on-demand version at Amazon. Stay tuned for news when the audiobook version is published.
Lucinda is also the host of Story-Power a podcast where she and her guests discuss their creative endeavors, and/or the stories that have changed their lives. It’s available here on Sage Woman Chronicles and on Apple, Google, and Spotify podcast apps. Please rate and leave a review. It helps people find me.
PodMatch
If you are a podcaster, or have a message or fantastic product you want to share with the world, I encourage you to check out PodMatch. Use the affiliate link and tell them, Lucinda sent you. Then contact me so we can set up a Story-Power chat.
“Humans are not set up to understand logic; they are set up to understand stories.” ~ Roger C. Shank, Cognitive Scientist
Grant Barrett is a dictionary editor and linguist specializing in slang and new words, and co-host of A Way with Words, a national radio program about language.
From his perch as co-host of a fun and funny national radio show about language, Grant brings common-sense light-hearted erudition to conversations about language — why we talk the way we do, why when we complain about language it’s usually about *us* and not other people, and where history, family, and culture come into it. No matter your topic, no matter your field, he offers up new and old expressions, slang, and jargon, and talks about how it reflects — or doesn’t — culture, society, and what’s been changing around us. He can have lots to share that isn’t on the internet because he does his own research!
Arrival (2016), Director, Denis Villeneuve, Screenplay, Erick Heisserer, based on the story “Story of Your Life”, by Ted Chang, Starring, Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitiaker
Mexican Telenovelas, similar to U.S. soap operas
The 13th Warrior (1999) Director, John McTiernan, Michael Crichton (uncredited) Screenplay, William Wisher, Warren Lewis, based on the novel, Eaters of the Dead, by Michael Crichton, Starring, Antonio Banderas, Diane Venora, Dennis Storhøi, Omar Sharif
Jane Austen, multiple novels the most famous of them, Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility. Many authors have written sequels of her novels.
Fan Fiction: examples, Star Trek, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel
Slayer Slang: A Buffy the Vampire Slayer Lexicon, Michael Adams
Joss Whedon, creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, (1997 – 2003) Angel, (1999 – 2004) Firefly, (2002 – 2003) Serenity, (2005) Dollhouse, (2009 – 2010)
Bones (2005 – 2017) Created by Hart Hanson, multiple directors and writers, Starring, Emily Deschanel, David Boreanaz, Michaela Conlin, T.J. Then,Tamara Taylor
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) Director, Stanley Kubrick, Screenplay, Stanley Kubrick, based on the novel The Sentinel by Arthur C. Clarke, Starring, Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood, William Sylvester
Diablo Cody, Writer, Producer, Actress, writer of Juno (2007) Directed by Jason Reitman
30 Rock (2006 – 2013) Created and written by Tina Fey and multiple others, multiple directors, Starring Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, Tracy Morgan, Jack McGrayer
The West Wing (1999 – 2006) Created by Aaron Sorkin, multiple directors and writers, Starring, Martin Sheen, Rob Lowe, Allison Janney, John Spencer, Bradley Whitford
Knives Out (2019) Writer, Director, Rian Johnson, Starring, Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis
Glass Onion (2022) Writer, Director, Rian Johnson, Starring, Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Kate Hudson, Dave Bautista, Janelle Monáe
Sharpe (1993 – 2008) Director, Tom Clegg, Based on the novels of Bernard Cornwell, multiple writers, Starring, Sean Bean, Daragh O’Malley, John Tams, Jason Salkey, Hugh Fraser
Coming to America (1988) Director, John Landis, Story by Eddie Murphy, Screenplay, David Sheffield, Barry W. Blaustein, Starring, Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, James Earl Jones, Madge Sinclair
The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996) Director, Renny Harlin, Screenplay Shane Black, Starring, Geena Davis, Samuel L. Jackson, Yvonne Zima, Craig Bierko
The Long Goodbye (1973) Director, Robert Altman, Screenplay, Leigh Brackett, based on the novel by Raymond Chandler, Starring, Elliot Gould, Nina van Pallandt, Sterling Hayden, Mark Rydell
Poirot (1989 – 2013) Based on the Poirot character created by Agatha Christie, multiple directors and writers, Starring David Suchet, Hugh Fraser, Philip Jackson, Pauline Moran
Jeremy Northam, Actor, known for The Net (1995), Emma (1996), Amistad (1997) Gosford Park (2001) The Crown (2016 – 2017) Anthony Eden
Pride and Prejudice TV mini Series (1995) My favorite version, there are multiple versions, Novel by Jane Austen, Director, Simon Langton, Writer, Andrew Davies, Starring, Colin Firth, Jennifer Ehle, Susannah Parker, Julia Sawalha
Sense and Sensibility (1995) Director, Ang Lee, Screenplay Emma Thompson, based on the novel by Jane Austen, Starring Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant, Alan Rickman, Greg Wise
Superhero storytelling giants, MCU, and DC
Bridgerton (2020 – ) Directors, Tom Verica, and 6 others, Creator and writer, Chris Van Dusen and multiple others, based on the novels of Julia Quinn, Starring Nicola Coughlan, Julie Andrews (voice) Luke Newton, Jonathan Bailey, Adjoin Anodh, Phoebe Dynevor, Regé-Jean Page
Sanditon (2019 – 2023) Director, Charles Sturbridge and 5 others, Created and written by Andrew Davies, inspired by an unfinished novel by Jane Austen, multiple other writers, Starring, Rose Williams, Crystal Clarke, Jack Fox, Theo James, Ben Lloyd-Hughes
I’m happy to share that Story-Power won the Positve Change Podcast Awards this past week. I’m grateful!
PodMatch
This episode is brought to you by PodMatch, the dating service for podcasters. They introduced me to Grant Barrett, and I’m so glad they did. I hope you’ve enjoyed our conversation and remember that if you have a podcast or something to share with the world, check out PodMatch at my affiliate link at PodMatch and tell them Lucinda sent you.
Story-Power on Patreon
I’m so passionate about stories that I created the Story-Power podcast and Patreon communities so I’d have an excuse to talk story. You may have seen my Story-Power posts here. If you’re passionate about stories too, and want to talk about your favorite stories, come join me at either SageWoman.life, or patreon.com/StoryPower.
“The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.” ~ Theodore Hesburgh
I know it’s Father’s Day and that I wrote about my father on Mother’s Day. So, I think I’ll talk about both of my parents today.
This coming October, will be the 19th anniversary of my father’s death, and I think my Mother really misses him. We had to move Mom into an assisted living home. In one way it’s great because it’s a beautiful home, with a few other residents for her to get to know, but she admitted that she’s been suffering from depression. I think part of that is because she misses Dad. They were married for almost 54 years, and after that amount of time, at least that’s how it is for Barry and me, you get into a rhythm with your partner that you don’t have with the new people you meet.
We were watching The Night Agent, last night and the two main characters were talking about relationships. They had different points of view when they saw older people together, in the park or in a restaurant and they weren’t talking. The man said something like, “Yes, it’s like they have nothing left to say to each other.” But the woman said, “No, it’s like they know each other so well that they don’t need to talk. They can just enjoy each other’s company without speaking.” I loved that. I think my Mom would love to be able to sit with Dad and just enjoy being in his energy while they each read their separate book, or maybe enjoy, sitting on the porch watching the wildlife. I know I enjoy just “being” with Barry.
In the Jesse Stone movies, Tom Selleck, playing Jesse, says on more than one occasion, “Father’s are important.” And he’s right. Even if they aren’t the greatest father, we can learn lots from them. Mine was great and I did learn a lot from him, lessons I use every day.
So Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers out there. I hope you have a great day to be with family and friends.
On another note, I’m making the transition to a different hosting platform for Story-Power. I’m not sure how long it will take, but soon all of the Story-Power episodes will be moved to the new platform. I’ll give you the link for them, in case you want to listen and read the show notes there.
I will continue to keep Sage Woman Chronicles here on WordPress. Thanks so much for all of you who follow, like and comment.
And finally, some good news. Story-Power won a Positive Change Podcast Award! I’m very excited.
Analyzing stories gives us CRITICAL DISTANCE from things that have happened to us. That’s why I’m hooked on stories. I get to examine my own life by watching the characters go through their emotional ups and downs. If that sounds like something you’d like to try, you might want to consider taking my course Saving the World One Story at a Time. Coupon good through June 18. I’ll create a new one next week.
Lucinda is the author of The Space Between Time, an award finalist in the “Fiction: Fantasy” category of the 2017 Best Book Awards.
Have you ever experienced life shattering events? Yeah, after the last few years, most of us have. In The Space Between Time, Jenna Holden gets slammed by her fiancé walking out, her mother’s untimely death, and losing her job all in one week. But she receives unexpected help when she finds her three-times great-grandmother’s journals and begins the adventure of a lifetime.
The Space Between Time is available in all ebook formats at Smashwords and for Kindle at Amazon, or you can find the ebook at iBooks or Barnes and Noble. If you prefer a physical copy, you can find a print-on-demand version at Amazon. Stay tuned for news when the audiobook version is published.
Lucinda is also the host of Story-Power a podcast where she and her guests discuss their creative endeavors, and/or the stories that have changed their lives. It’s available here on Sage Woman Chronicles and on Apple, Google, and Spotify podcast apps. Please rate and leave a review. It helps people find me.
Story-Power on Patreon
I’m so passionate about stories that I created the Story-Power podcast and Patreon communities so I’d have an excuse to talk story. You may have seen my Story-Power posts here. If you’re passionate about stories too, and want to talk about your favorite stories, come join me at either SageWoman.life, or patreon.com/StoryPower.
PodMatch
If you are a podcaster, or have a message or fantastic product you want to share with the world, I encourage you to check out PodMatch. Use the affiliate link and tell them, Lucinda sent you. Then contact me so we can set up a Story-Power chat.
Sage Woman Chronicles 