Homo Fabularis: How Stories Create Our Future
🌀 Explore the hidden power of storytelling in shaping human destiny.
Weaving the fabric of reality
I am a story maker. Not unlike you, I am here to tell stories.
In our lives, stories are foundational. They shape our perceptions, mold our realities, and dictate our behaviors.
Often, these narratives are not chosen consciously but are imposed by societal norms or personal experiences. Stories like "life is hard," "you can't trust people," or "I am not good enough" start as protective mechanisms, perhaps useful at some point, but they can become limiting, even damaging, over time.
Echoes of the subconscious
Everything around us, national identities, economic systems, are narratives. Even our concepts of love and god, are narratives (at least until we encounter the real thing through experience).
Some of these stories serve collective or individual interests; others serve to manipulate or control, crafted as tools of propaganda or instruments of profit.
Recognizing these as stories, not immutable truths, is the first step toward personal liberation.
The narrative alchemy
As a story maker, the task is not just to tell tales but to help others create their own narratives, one that empower them rather than control them.
This involves delving into the stories we tell ourselves about who we are and what we value, examining their origins, and assessing their current utility. It's about rewriting the scripts of limitation, contraction, control and reinforcing those of empowerment, expansion and freedom.
Birth of a new reality
Creating new stories requires honesty and courage.
It demands that we confront the narratives we have accepted about our limitations and capabilities, our worth, and our potential.
It's about constructing stories that aren't just safe havens but launching pads, narratives that don't merely comfort us but challenge us to grow and transform.
Ripples across the infinite field
When individuals change their stories, the effects ripple outwards. Transformative narratives can alter communities and, ultimately, societies.
By consciously choosing and crafting our stories, we can shift from passive recipients of pre-written scripts to active creators of our destiny.
The two shadows: Safety and Worthiness
After years of coaching people to make new stories, I've encountered narratives of all kinds: money, relationships, sex, work, broken childhoods and dysfunctional families, depression, death, suicide, trauma, and loss. Yet, while the specificity of each story vanished with time, it became apparent that
all stories stemmed from two simple fundamental fears: I am not safe, I am not worthy that I explore further here
The cosmic thread
These root stories provide profound insight into the human condition and shape countless other narratives we tell ourselves.
At its core, life is not safe. Safety is not found at the physical level but at the spiritual level, where one comes to understand that death is not the end of life.
Life, inherently risky and unpredictable, was never meant to be safe; this is not a flaw but a deliberate design. It is part of a larger spiritual journey where the temporality provides a striking contrast to eternity. By shifting our perception of safety from a static condition to a dynamic aspect of the human experience, we can come to realize that we are always safe, in a deeper sense.
Separation and return
The narrative of worthiness originates from the very act of creation, or the separation from oneness.
This separation introduces the potential for relationships, which are impossible in a state of total unity.
However, this separation often gives rise to a narrative when the longing for reunification is felt.
Without recognizing the gift inherent in relationships, it is easy to view separation as a curse.
Questions like "Why was I separated? Was it because I am not worthy of love?" can arise. For anyone spending just a few minutes contemplating these questions can evoke deep feelings tied to our sense of worth.
Understanding these dynamics allows us to view our concerns about safety and worthiness not as personal defects but as reflections of a deeper psycho-spiritual dynamic.
The art of story reshaping
As story makers, our role is to guide individuals in finding the way from the surface narrative back to these root stories, facilitating a process of understanding, processing, and rewriting.
This transformative journey involves recognizing both surface and root stories not as immutable truths but as narratives that can be rewritten to support spiritual and personal growth.
Mystical practices for earthly journeys
In my work, I blend the concepts of coaching and mentoring to guide individuals through the transformation of their personal narratives. Coaching typically involves short, focused sessions that target specific issues or goals. In contrast, mentoring offers comprehensive, full-spectrum support that extends over a longer period, providing a more in-depth exploration and sustained guidance.
In this holistic approach, the first phase is awareness and creation, where I help clients recognize the narratives that shape their lives and assist them in formulating new, empowering stories.
The cognitive reconfiguration sets the stage for the subsequent phases.
The process then moves into emotional release, where clients confront and let go of the emotional baggage from old, limiting narratives.
This cathartic release is essential for clearing the space necessary for new growth.
Next, we engage in somatic imprinting, creating corrective experiences that are deeply felt and integrated at the bodily level.
Somatic imprinting ensures that changes are not only intellectual but also profoundly embodied, making the transformation tangible and enduring.
The final phase involves integrating these new perspectives and behaviors into daily life, turning healthier narratives into habitual ways of being.
Integration cements the new normal, fully embedding the transformative experiences into the fabric of everyday existence.
For a deeper understanding of how coaching / mentoring can provide comprehensive support and facilitate significant life changes, you can explore further in my detailed post “The 4 phases of transformation”. This piece offers insights into the full scope and benefits of extended guidance and support in personal and professional development.
Homo Fabularis
As we explore the transformative power of narrative, it's important to introduce "Homo Fabularis," (the title of my upcoming book?). Derived from Latin, "Homo Fabularis" translates to "the human that makes stories," reflecting the core theme of our innate ability to craft narratives that shape our reality.
In "Homo Fabularis," I delve deeper into how the stories we tell ourselves influence every aspect of our lives, from our personal identities to our broader societal roles.
The book is structured around the concept that by understanding and mastering our storytelling, we can significantly alter our experiences and perceptions of the world.
This work builds on the themes discussed here, offering readers a comprehensive guide on how to harness the power of their narratives for personal growth and transformation.
"Homo Fabularis" aims not only to enlighten but also to empower, providing the tools needed to rewrite the limiting stories we've told ourselves and embrace new narratives filled with potential and positivity.
For those interested in a deeper exploration of how narratives shape our existence and how we can actively reframe them, "Homo Fabularis" will serve as an essential resource, guiding you through the journey of becoming a conscious and proficient story maker.
🌀 This post is part of the “Change Your Story Companion Workshop” — a 12-week journey to rewrite your inner narrative and transform your life.
PS: “Change Your Story, Change The World” is a storytelling endeavor that looks deeply into the psyche that creates the stories we live by—with the intention to help us shape better stories, both personally and collectively.
Because the stories we tell are not just stories—they are the reality we live.