Carolyn Kurr is an author, piano teacher, storyteller, artist, web designer and an intuitive listener. Here’s what she has to say about storytelling:

How do you use stories in your work?

Stories are the narrative of human existence. When we read a book, watch a movie, attend the theatre, talk to our friends – we are immersing ourselves in a story. Stories are how we share the experience of living.

I use stories to access emotions. When you connect with the emotions of an experience, you open the subconscious. And as soon as you open the subconscious, you can remove emotional blocks, let go of unnecessary baggage, tap into the authentic YOU and effectively use the Inner Wisdom that resides in all of us.

Do you use folk tales, fairy tales, or true stories or any combination and why?

I use all of them and in any combination that works. Our own true stories help us understand our experience. When we can understand the experience with our rational minds, we can then reinforce the positive emotional effect, let go of the negative emotions and then move forward with awareness.

Fairy tales and folk tales contain the wisdom of the ages. The act of listening puts us in a different place. And in this different place, we can more easily identify with the characters’ plight. We can understand the resolution of their conflicts and we can also put ourselves in their shoes. This experience offers insight into our own dilemmas.

What are some of the ways stories can be used to heal?

Stories can show the way to create safety, value your gifts, resolve conflicts, understand hidden agendas, and leave all the baggage that weighs you down by the roadside.

Sometimes what we say we want and what we really want are two different things. Tiger loses the coconut soup he has worked so hard to make in “Anansi & de Coconut Soup” because he lacks this awareness.  Discussing the story and playing with different decisions the characters could have made offers a new perspective, which then brings realization about your own situations.

I use stories to illuminate pathways for my clients to move forward in their lives.

You can see more at Carolyn’s website, www.listenwithcarolyn.com.

Poetry slams have been taking the world by storm, freeing poetry from the dusty shelves of academia and electrifying audiences everywhere. Nowhere has this been more true than with the youth of America. 2010’s “Brave New Voices Festival” was held in Los Angeles, California this past July and played to 50,000 audience members over 4 days of poetic competition! Parents, family members, friends and artists thrill to see these emerging artists take the spotlight!

See for yourself at the FREE Youth Poetry Slam (18 and under) on Saturday, November 13th, at 7 p.m. at Bentley’s House of Coffee and Tea, 1730 E. Speedway Blvd. The slam sign-up starts at 6:30 but don’t miss the free poetry workshop for youth (19 and under) from 5 to 6.

This will be a regular happening on the 2nd Saturday of the month in the University area featuring $50 in cash prizes for the top three competitors and fun coupons from local businesses.  Each month there will be a performance by a local or national poet mentor (this month features poet and personality David “Doc” Luben), a poetry workshop led by either the featured artist or other dynamic performers, artists, and educators, and great poetry for everyone in attendance.

On the 4th Saturday of the month (tomorrow!) you can still come down to Bentleys for the ongoing adult slam where you will always be amazed (and sometimes shocked) by the brilliant talent of our Tucson slam poets. More info at www.tucsonyouthslam@gmail.com or 520.413.2382 and 480.390.1063.

Susy Plummer hears stories in her head but not to worry. She wants to hear them because she is an intuitive artist and that’s the way she receives information about the drawings that she produces at her Inner Life Art studio.

On her website, Angels and Spirit Guide Drawings, she says, “Everyone has Spiritual guidance energy around them. It can be seen through a form of art called Spirit Guide drawings. As a visionary artist I can help translate this energy into form. . . . I also receive messages and these are hand written information about who and why the guide has come through for you at this time.”

Even if you are a skeptic, as I was, you can still appreciate the artistic quality of Susy’s work. I’m lucky to have two of Susy’s drawings because, as her sister, she practiced on her family when she began this journey nine years ago. It seems to work across the ocean because although she lives in Australia she can still pick up the energy and express the information she received for me.

The stories that the guides tell Susy are messages –  you can interpret this process as energy, metaphor or something that crosses from another dimension. However you frame them, the stories can be helpful and entertaining. Even being skeptical (less now than before) about this esoteric art form doesn’t stop me from paying attention to the stories I’ve been told.  And it’s amazing how spot on they can be.

For more information visit Susy’s website or you can contact her at susy19@optusnet.com.au.