Here's another workshop I'd like to do.
The Power of Trickster: Coyote, Raven, Rabbit, and more.
Coyote is the modern world’s most famous trickster, though his colleagues run through every culture, from Maui in Hawai’i, to Raven in the Northwest of North America, to rabbit in Southeast North America and Southeast Asia, and more. Coyote will help us to understand the power and importance of Trickster, especially since (S)he was present from the beginning of creation. Coyote features prominently in sacred, creation stories as a character providing survival advice to the people as well as helping to set up the rules. Outside of Coyote’s sacred roles, (s)he has a collection of trickster stories, which, as one elder put it, are not about Coyote, but are about topics that are otherwise difficult to discuss. Trickster stories allow access to taboo topics. They include humorous behavior but they are not humorous per se. Europeans often focus upon Trickster instead of seeing the topics that Trickster allows us to discuss. More importantly, Trickster is the impetus for transformation and change, and has the job of protecting people from man-eating monsters and more importantly, from themselves. Trickster’s job is to monitor the people and to intervene when they become complacent and secure; in other words, stuck in their ways.
Following these considerations of Trickster (Coyote), we will explore how Coyote works within our own lives and stories. What are the times when we have been tricked for our own good? How did that feel? Who tricked us? Was it cosmic or spiritual forces, or was it our friends?
3. 50-word conference description (to be part of brochure – please keep it at 50 words or we’ll have to edit it down):
Tricksters (Coyote, Raven, Rabbit) have been with us since Creation began. They provide advice, help set rules, challenge rules when the rules become stifling, and make sure that the people do not become complacent. We will consider Trickster’s roles within our lives and Trickster’s influences upon the stories we live.
5 comments:
Dr Madrona,
There is no Trickster in the synchronicities that have occured on the day that I read you comments back to me. ITP is probably the most wonderful thing I have ever done for myself. The director of the program is a gloriuos woman by the name of Dr. Ana Perez-Chisti. I was reading your e-mail in my car about your desire to teach at ITP and I saw her walking by so I stopped her and asked if she knew you.
She said that she had just finished "Narrative Medicine" and I was the third person to mention your name. I told her that I had just received a question from you regarding teaching at ITP and she was very excited. She would like for you to e-mail her at anarabia@earthlink.net .
There is another professor her by the name of Valentine McKay-Riddell who was at your booksigning in Berkley a few months ago and she was the one who told e to contact you along with Ann Marie.
I would love to talk more with you. Please e-mail me when you have time.
Shawn Tassone
ladeaobgyn@yahoo.com
Dear Shawn,
Thanks for the info. I'm going to contact both of them about teaching at ITP. Sounds exciting. I'll be in Phoenix on Feb 13-15 talking to folks about coming back to Arizona. Would you like to meet then? What are you studying at ITP? Have you picked a dissertation topic yet?
Lewis
I am in my first year and have not picked a topic and would love to possibly work with you on something if you are game.
I would also love to meet with you when you come out to Phoenix. My wife's sister lives in Chandler, AZ so I can see them as well. If you would like to meet for dinner or something, I know my wife would love to meet you as well.
Another e-mail for Dr. Perez-Chisti is aperez-chisti@itp.edu.
Please e-mail me at ladeaobgyn@yahoo.com and we can set something up when you are out here.
Shawn
I was lead to this sight - your evaluation is very interesting - however, the roles of these individuals are more than you have revealed...they are also balance keepers... among many other things...and tend to be misunderstood - If you would like to discuss this topic further, feel free to e-mail me -enigmaticfrequency@gmail.com
I was led to this blog. I find it your evaluation interesting- however, there is more to the roles of "trickster" than what you reveal- and they have often been misunderstood. In answer to your question - they are allowed to move the spiritual or "cosmic" forces- if friend has made a comment to you that seemed to fool you for your own good, chances are the friend was simply influenced by a trickster. You would have to evaluate the friend as a whole to find if they actually are a "trickster" or if they were simply acing as a reflection of influence...If you think you have felt the effect of a trickster, chances are the influence was well in the works before it ever reached you. If you would like to discuss this more, please e-mail me at enigmaticfrequency@gmail.com.
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