“I find value in thinking in stories. Aren’t we all woven through with stories? Isn’t that how we think of our lives, how we survive them?”
- Lidia Yuknavitch, “Woven” from Guernica Magazine
In July, Mindy Wong, creative non-fiction writer and facilitator of WholeHeart’s recent Mindful Meditations offering, led participants through three virtual group sessions as part of the ongoing Art of Listening Series. Each session was 90 minutes of identity exploration and connection through non-fiction writing. As the supporting facilitator, I held each gathering with a sense of gratitude and relief. Listeners and truth-tellers shared themselves in transformational ways. In August, we began our second offering, Listening To Our Heart-Song with Ferene Paris Meyer, storyteller and creator of All Heart Inspirations, LLC. Ferene led us through vivid memories and intimate reflections using song and meaningful objects to conjure stories of identity, love, and place.
Listening is a healing practice - an art in which holding takes precedence to power or outcomes. WholeHeart is committed to this holding, and to saying “Yes” when the opportunity arises to be in service of the whole. My heart is broken and daily rendered as a woman of color by the abrasive torrent of white supremacy culture I swim in. I find alignment and welcome in WholeHeart’s practice and vision to uplift and amplify voices of color, as we have in these series.
Like a black man who’s shot in the back, point blank, seven times and survives, the stories of Black, Indigenous and People of Color living on this land prevail and will be heard. We survive to tell the story in love and community.
This share is woven through with the collective wisdom of the Summer Art of Listening participants to date. I invite you to listen to their reflections below. These words are in gratitude for their showing up and an offering for all who may be seeking love, listening, and connection.
“I really enjoyed the workshop and found the connection points of objects and identity particularly compelling. They really grounded me in reflection and brought out words and ideas I didn't even know were bouncing around my brain.” - Jessica Laporte
“I often feel, like, scattered and like there are many disparate parts to me that don't all show up together. This helped me feel a bit more integrated.” - Sarah Woodard
“I attended two Art of Listening series and each one was unique and engaging. There are so many ways to listen and to share our own stories. Having a variety of facilitators, as well as many different voices of other participants sharing, really created a meaningful container for connecting. This experience amplified both my own listening and engagement with others, as well as giving more texture and depth to my own voice.” - Jason Vanderlaan
“I loved being able to take some time with a group of strangers, getting to know each other in intimate ways, and getting to know ourselves more. During the pandemic, it has been really rare for me to be in any groups, and this fed my soul in a unique way.” - Julie Rubaud
Natanya Vanderlaan is the Director of Development and Community Engagement at WholeHeart, Inc. She lives in Burlington, VT and is currently soaking up every last bit of summer hiking and swimming.