How to create your own fairy tale - for yourself or someone else

The value of creating your own story is emotionally, psychologically and spiritually beneficial and revealing.

Here’s how you can create a fairytale:

Step 1 -- sit in a comfortable place where you won’t be interrupted or disturbed. Turn off cell phones, radio, CD player, TV. Close your eyes

Step 2 -- imagine that you remove your logical mind; place it on a table near you. You won’t need it, and can retrieve it later. Your logical mind will get in your way; it may try to edit, censor or make sense out of your story or even discount what you make up.

Step 3 -- you will need your imagination, even if you think you don’t have one or cannot easily access it.

Step 4 -- beginning with the words “once upon a time, there was a …..” – create a character that will represent you at your most fundamental level. Pretend you are standing in front of a full-length mirror and observe yourself as the character. Or you tall, short, fat, thin, attractive, unattractive, male, female, human or non-human? BREATHE. If you are fearful of doing this exercise incorrectly, or that you can’t think of a character, MAKE IT UP. The character could be serious or funny. It doesn’t matter. It can be a character you love. Or one you dislike. The character could be non-human. It doesn’t matter. MAKE IT UP. Your internal wisdom will unerringly guide you, as long as you let go of your logical mind. and pretend.

Step 5 -- next, make up a scenario and an environment for that character to live in. When in doubt, MAKE IT UP. See the details and describe them to yourself. Sense the wind or heat on your skin. Smell whatever fragrances are around you. Feel yourself and objects. Hear voices. Feel the emotions of your character. Happy, scared, peaceful, angry, compassionate or bitter. MAKE IT UP. The more extravagant, the better!

Step 6 -- make up a dilemma or problem for that character to experience. If you get stuck, MAKE IT UP.

Step 7 -- make up other characters for that character to relate to, be friends with, or be antagonistic towards.

Step 8 – create action and problems for all the characters to interact. How does that feel?

Step 9 – add a wise person or being, who can help your character out of his/her dilemma and/or to offer assistance.

Step 10 -- after you have created conflict and difficulties for your character, make up a positive resolution for the scenario and your character.

Step 11 -- open your eyes. Bring your logical mind back into play and write down your story in as much detail as you can remember. Save it (print it) and re-read it to yourself... and other if you like. YOU are all the characters, the problems, and the resolution in your fairy tale. Contemplate and meditate on what the story, the conflict, and the resolution means to you.

THE END