From January 13 thru 16, about 42 children participated in a work of storytelling in the Nucleus of the Sacred Heart and in Art and Education House, both in the town of Carmo da Cachoeira, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
The event was hosted by the storyteller Ilana Pogrebinschi Szpilman, with children from the Tibetan Park School, located in the Community-of-Light of Figueira, from Art and Education House, from Casa Lar (House Home) and with other children from the town of Carmo da Cachoeira. Ilana works with puppets, music and other materials to tell her stories. One of the activities that took place during the event was an exercise with a ball of wool, where each one told a little of their history and passed to another person of the circle, forming in the end a great web. The idea was to bring about the perception that we are all connected, as a single one. Sister Maria Nazaré, a nun from the Grace Mercy Order, also participated in the meeting, sharing a tale that she wrote about the bees.
Between one activity and another, the children sang songs accompanied by guitar and participated in the making of origamis of animals. According to Ilana, storytelling has very important roles in the education and formation of children and adults: “the very act of truly listening, with an open heart is already a learning for all of us. The stories we shared were carefully chosen. Seeking a content that could bring good values, hope and transforming stimuli for the world of today”.
In the last day of the storytelling event, the children of the Nucleus of the Sacred Heart went to the Art and Education House and told a story to the children of the town. Then, the children of the town told a story to the children of the Community-of-Light of Figueira.
“I consider this work as very important for all of us to perfect our external and internal listening and from this to express the truth in our heart with entire purity and integrity”, said Ilana.
