LAUREN O. THYME
Now available on Kindle and Amazon
Traveling on the River of Time
a trauma- free, do-it-yourself handbook for exploring past lives and healing the present.
Thymely Tales
transformational fairy tales for adults and children
Each story in THYMELY TALES is based on a real person and his/her struggles to learn, grow and evolve. My own is entitled “Luminous Laura the Firefly.” In my childhood I loved Grimm’s Fairy Tales as well as Aesop’s Fables. Like the Grimm Brothers and Aesop, THYMELY TALES combines unforgettable, fantastical characters like Bag Ladies, Princes, Psychologists, Nurses, Fireflies, CIA spies, and Fairies, using straightforward stories illuminating archetypes, as well as spiritual and ethical principles in a simple way. Metaphorical archetypes are similar to those elaborated on in the writings of Plato, Jung, and Joseph Campbell.
When I was working on THYMELY TALES I was living with my partner, Devon Q. Thyme, who illustrated some of my tales in cartoon form. I appreciate Devon’s talent as he captured the essence of each fairy tale in his art.
THYMELY TALES are written for both children and adults. I knew some parents who bought my book, then read a fairytale to their children every night at bedtime.
I continually discover that stories are amazingly powerful vehicles for individuals to appreciate and remember -- at a feeling, emotional, spiritual level -- what cannot be expressed or understood in ordinary words.
THYMELY TALES came about as a series of synchronicities leading to an abandonment of my career goal.
I had finished my B.S. in Transpersonal Psychology and was intending to proceed with a Master’s degree, working towards becoming a counselor. I found Dr. Joshua David Stone and he happily accepted me as an intern.
Dr. Stone had recently moved to Sacramento where I was living. Stone had a Ph.D. in Transpersonal Psychology and was a Licensed Marriage, Family and Child Counselor. He was also an American author and teacher in the Ascended Master Teachings (sometimes called the Ascension Movement), a group of religions based on Theosophy, as well as an influential spiritual teacher in the Ascension Movement. Stone created "Easy-to-Read Encyclopedia of the Spiritual Path" containing numerous volumes and worked with ascended masters. Joshua helped organize Wesak, a celebration of Buddha’s birthday, at Mount Shasta every year until his death in 2005. Only in retrospect do I realize how influential Dr. Stone’s influence was on me and how well our beliefs and experiences matched.
As time went by I became unhappy working as a counselor. I observed that my clients preferred I give them a short and snappy solution to their problems, preferably using a magic wand. One day out of my own desperation, as I sat contemplating my client, a story popped into my head. An allegory of that person. His own fairy tale. I related his story to him and surprisingly he burst into tears, unlike his usual stoic, argumentative self. The metaphor had a greater impact than any of my advice, assistance, guidance or “wisdom. Over the following weeks he referred to the story over and over and he began to change of his own accord.
That client’s story is entitled:
“The Prince who thought he was a Frog.”
I began making up stories and telling them to my other clients, with the same effect. I then started creating and narrating stories for my friends and family members. Each person would cry at the conclusion, then remember the story in detail, sometimes for years or even decades. The metaphorical tale had a profound impact that rational ideas and suggestions lacked.
One day I was traveling with several friends on our way to a picnic. I told them what I was doing and they insisted I make up a story for each of them – which I did. They each cried and told me that the story was a deep representation of their life stories. My friend Suzy (whose story became “Susie, the Green Snake”) suggested I write down all the stories and make it into a book.
I terminated my internship, stopped seeing clients, and commenced writing. Thus was born THYMELY TALES and other books followed.
How you can create your own fairy tale - for yourself or someone else
excerpt from Thymely Tales, transformational fairy tales for adults and children copyright 2016
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 sillier 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 – you can 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 others 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
Below is an excerpt from Thymely Tales, transformational fairy tales for adults and children copyright 2016
THE ROSE AND THE GLADIOLA
Once upon a time in an old English garden there lived a Rose and a Gladiola. Their Garden was lovingly attended by the Gardener. He had spent his entire life gardening there. His father had been the gardener before him, and had taught him everything he knew. The Gardener loved the Garden as if it were his own. He spent more time there than with his own family. His son had grown up and now assisted him, and would take over after he was no longer able to work.
The Gardener had put much time and care into the Garden. He collected scraps and peelings from Cook so he could compost. In the fall he carefully raked up every leaf and turned it over into the soil. From the dairy he collected manure which he added liberally.
Consequently, the soil was rich in nutrients. The tilth was loamy and dark. Whole generations of worms lived there with their families; their casings adding to the nutrients. Their burrowing improving the looseness, enabling plants to grow luxuriantly.
The Rose and the Gladiola grew in this environment. The special soil encouraged them to grow large and beautiful. Their stalks were healthy and a deep color of green. Their blooms were full and soft. When the Gardener saw them he would sigh in appreciation. They were both gorgeous, the Rose a pale pink, the Gladiola lemon yellow.
The Rose stood in the middle of the Garden, the warm sun shining down. The breeze ruffled her leaves. She looked over at the Gladiola, tall and proud, near the protection of the garden wall. "She could lean against the wall if she gets tired," mused the Rose. Rose started studying the Gladiola. "She is so nice and tall and elegant. Look how she sways in the breeze. Yellow is such a nice color. I wish I was tall and yellow."
The Gladiola became aware of the Rose's interest. "Rose is a pretty shade of pink. That looks so feminine. She's short and cute too. Being taller than most of the flowers here, I feel self-conscious and awkward."
"She's looking my way," said Rose to herself. "All of her blossoms are pointing in my direction. Wouldn't that be wonderful to have all those blossoms on one stately stem? They keep right on blooming, almost to the sky. That must be really nice. I wish I had all those blooms."
"I feel so ugly next to that pretty pink Rose,” murmured Gladiola. "I can smell her fragrance all the way over here. I wonder how I could get some of that perfume."
"If only I didn't have all these awful thorns. I'd be so much better as a flower," complained Rose. "I don't want anyone to get hurt just by touching me." She started to cry.
Gladiola couldn't look at the Rose anymore. "It's no good. She's a much better flower than me. Even a blind person could smell her. I have absolutely no perfume and I'm too tall. I'm ready to fall over now," she sniffled.
At that moment the Gardener walked into the Garden. He saw the Rose and the Gladiola all drooped over. He walked up to them. "Whatever is the matter?" he asked with concern.
They both told him their sad stories. The Gardener chuckled. "Well my two beauties. This is an interesting dilemma. I suppose you want me to decide who the best flower is."
"Yes, that would be perfect," they nodded in agreement.
"I can't" he stated simply. "You are both different and your beauty is also different. I think you're both great!" He touched each of them on their petals.
"You see, the miracle of life is variety," he explained. "Harmony and peace of mind will come to each of you when you realize that different means joy. Celebrate your differences!" With that he went to weed a different section of the Garden.
The Rose and the Gladiola gave each other sheepish little smiles. The Rose verbalized it for both of them. "Being me is magnificent, whether I'm a Rose, or a Gladiola, or even a weed!" They closed their eyes in contentment and turned their leaves to the sun.
