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Bardic Harp Storytelling~
Many paths lead through the forestAll of them lead to magic ....
For Children of All Ages
As a bardic harper and "magical naturalist" I weave story, song, nature awareness, harp music, and a bit of faerie into performances and workshops in which we experience the real magic of our true nature.
Who are you at the heart of your nature?
Storytelling
My Bardic Harp offerings are customized to your groups' needs. They are straight-out concert performances or are experiencial: an actual journey in nature in which the story, songs, and folklore frame a wander through the woods, or along the shores of the sea. Or they can be tailored to add another layer to a retreat or workshop.
- Patrice K.
"The harp music and 'deer ears' practice opening up my sense of hearing and setting the time for the
morning was enjoyable and helpful ..." "I loved that you incorporated a folk story
- 'The Selkie's Tale' was moving and relevant" "Very gentle presence and invitation
to journey ..."
- Participants, A Day Of Homecoming Silent Retreat
"Thank you so much for the incredible gift of harp playing at two Winter Solstices this year.
The circle of light would not have happened without the beautiful music. I love the peaceful sounds from
your harp and look forward to hearing it again."
- Joanne J., Winter Solstice Festival
My Bardic Harp offerings coalesce around a tale or narrative journey that serves as a terrain in which we unearth the treasures of our personal stories. The songs, poetry, wisdom ways, nature experience, and nature awareness practices become the weavings of a basket of community understanding and expression, all of which we can take with us in some way to transform our own lives and bring us home to the natural world and to our own nature.
The Celtic "Selkie's Tale", Welsh "Tale Of Taliesin", the Greek myth "Theseus & The Minotaur", the Pacific Northwest myth "How Raven Stole The Sun", the European fairy tale "Snow White And Rose Red", and my own "Forest" and "Into The Spirit House" are some of the folktales, stories, and narratives I use. I have used versions of these tales in experiences as diverse as festival celebrations involving young children, concert performances, outdoor education adventures for children and adults, to contemplative retreats centered on themes such as homecoming and blessing.
- Mary L., Children's Literature Workshop: The Trickster Hero
"Thanks so much for adding to the magic of the spiral winter garden at the Solstice Party
this year. I hope you were enriched as all of us who got to walk the spiral."
- Julie A.
"Jane Valencia, a talented and experienced musician, joined our team of presenters in delivering The Hero's Journey program in the Bastyr University/Leadership Institute of Seattle's graduate program in Applied Behavioral Sciences (Seattle, Washington area). She worked directly with our team for four years in delivering this one-day experiential process.
"Ms. Valencia brought her own deep conceptual understanding of the archetype of the hero, experience with small and large group facilitation, and the power of her music to create a container for learning and engaging joyfully with others, as well as for reflecting and connecting deeply to ones self. One of her special gifts to us was how she entered into the audience space, and led the group into deeper experience by respectfully joining them during moving and meditating aspects of the program."
Sherene Zolno, Faculty and Chair
Leadership and Organization Development Department
Bastyr University/Leadership Institute of Seattle
