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Metaphor Teaching Stories

Quickies

by Silvia Hartmann

Fun With Cannibalism

Apparently, 18th and 19th century Europeans made much propaganda mileage out of the uncivilised act of primitive savages to eat people, whilst at the same time chirpily ingesting all sorts of corpse derived bits for various illnesses (known as Paracelsian remedies). As fresh blood was supposed to be a cure for epilepsy, people with cups queued up under the gallows in the streets when there was a public hanging.

The researcher went on to ask if the current cultural habit of removing corpse parts and putting them into the living also constitutes cannibalism, and whether the wearing of an organ donor card is permission for cannibalism.

Apparently, this question is still being debated as it also concerns blood transfusions and it remains a matter of definition if "ingestion by mouth alone" qualifies for cannibalism or if it is ingestion in general, which would cover even more unconscious cannibalism such as stem cell injections and taking in crèmes which have been prepared with human placentas through the skin. Or breathing the dust of your ancestors in a graveyard.

Definitions, definitions ... Smile

© Silvia Hartmann 2002


Sailors

Being a successful human being is not about controlling your environment but instead, by responding to it with extreme flexibility. A captain of a ship cannot control the wind or the sea, and those who think they can, will eventually hit an iceberg and die.

They do not seek to control the wind or the water, but instead, they respond to that in such a way that the wind and water become allies to move them forward towards their goal, to the ports on the other side of the vastest oceans.

It is in seeking a co-operation with the environment that we reach our goals, and when we have learned how to do that, then we are free.

Free from fear and strong in the knowledge that no matter which way the wind blows, we will know what to do to get where we want to go.

© Silvia Hartmann 2003



The Frog

Once upon a time, a frog was sitting in his swamp and felt mightily satisfied with the big fat fly he had just consumed, and the swampy water in which he was bathing his webbed feet, and the soothing croaking of his companions.

"Aaah," he said, "all's well with the world."

A passing stork came along and snapped up the fat frog.

"Ouw! Ouw!!" cried the frog. "Ouw it hurts it hurts! But how can this be - only a second ago, I was so sure that all was well with the world!"

The stork finished eating the frog, clicked his beak a couple of times and smiling, he replied, although quite well aware that the frog could not now hear the answer, "You thought that, my tasty froggy friend, because you lacked the overview."

© Silvia Hartmann 2003


Sufi In The Gym

On a visit to a big modern city, the old Sufi teacher noticed a building called "The Dolphin Health Centre" and expressed an interest to see what was inside.

So he was led through the various rooms where men and women in lycra were sweating and with furious concentration on their stern faces, pounding their feet on treadmills, jumping up and down to pounding music whilst being exhorted loudly to "keep it up", lifting weights repetitively and doing many other things the Sufi found quite incomprehensible.

"What IS this?" he finally asked in wonderment.

The young disciples explained that the people were trying to exercise their bodies for health.

The Sufi shook his head and in amazement he exclaimed, "But - have they forgotten how to DANCE?!"



© Silvia Hartmann 2003


Careful With Congruency ...



There was a story about a woman who was abducted by a serial killer and in order to survive, she pretended to fall in love with him.

He didn't believe her, so she had to try harder to seduce him.

Harder and harder.

Becoming more and more congruent in the process, and as her congruency increased, his belief in her seriousness did likewise.

And she tried even harder to be more congruent in her seduction still for her life was at stake.

She became so congruent that he believed her - only, she had then REALLY fallen in love with him.

He let her go and she couldn't undo what she had done and ended up helping him disposing of the corpses, and when he got caught, she got caught as well and got 25 to life.

He went to the gas chamber.

But she was still in love with him, and would always be.

© Silvia Hartmann 2005


Bandler & The Feminists

Dr Richard Bandler, originator of Neuro-Linguistic Programming tells a story of being invited to a feminist institute for a lecture.

So he gets up on the podium after the glowing introduction and says, "Hey babes, and what a lot of pretty darlins we're having here tonite! Should have come talk with the girlies earlier!" or words to that effect.

When the screaming had faded at last, the huffing and puffing had stopped and the books, tables and chairs ceased to fly and landed in their new positions, he said, "Words, ladies. Either you control them - or the ones who control them, control you. Do you want to spend the rest of your lives like an automaton, where just anyone can push your buttons and hey look! Camera, light, action! Or do you want to learn something tonight about freedom, and choice, and power?"

They did not.

I did.

Story over.


Metaphor Teaching Stories

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