Story Medicine Wisdom Seeking Group with Dr. Renda Dionne Madrigal

Story Medicine Wisdom Seeking Group

Indigenous cultures view stories as medicine, and believe that old stories hold wisdom and relevance for our lives today. They recognize that stories are not just entertainment or historical artifacts, but are powerful tools for healing, growth, and connection to the land and our ancestors. When we come into relationship with old stories in a traditional way, we are changed by them.  

By engaging with stories in a sacred manner, we are invited into a deeper relationship with the stories themselves, as well as with the land and our ancestors. This can help us to see things from a different perspective, and to gain insight and wisdom that we may not have access to otherwise.  In the same way, if we only understand stories through a colonized lens, we miss out on their deeper meanings and significance. This can limit our ability to connect with the land, our ancestors, and our own intuition and ways of knowing.  

By recognizing the power of stories and engaging with them in traditional ways, we can tap into a vast tool for understanding ourselves each other, and the world around us. Ultimately, stories have the power to connect us all. By engaging with them in a respectful and sacred manner, we can access their medicine and wisdom, and use them to support our personal growth and healing, as well as the well-being of our communities and the planet. 

The Story Medicine process is a 6-week program that is aimed at helping individuals discover the wisdom and relevance of old stories in their lives today, to facilitate growth and healing. The program utilizes a range of experiential processes, including embodied mindfulness, expressive arts, writing, and active imagination journeys. Participants are encouraged to engage with the stories in a personal and reflective manner, to gain insights and understanding that can be applied to their current life situations and the world.  

Here's a breakdown of each week: 

Week 1:  Orientation and intention-setting. The first week is focused on orienting to the land of stories and setting personal intentions for the journey. Introduction to the power of storytelling and exploration of personal motivations for engaging in the process. 

Week 2:  Seeking traditional stories and reflecting on emotions, calls, and themes. In the second week, the group will seek out traditional stories that resonate with them and reflect on the emotions, calls, and themes within the stories. The group will use experiential exercises to help them identify elements that are important to their growth and healing journey. 

Week 3:  Seeking metaphor, imagery, and symbolism through expressive arts. The third week will focus on seeking metaphor, imagery, and symbolism. The group will expand on using experiential exercises to help them explore more deeply story elements that are important to their growth and healing journey. 

Week 4:  Manifesting something essential from the story for continued exploration. The fourth week is focused on manifesting something essential from the story into being for continued exploration. Participants will use a creative process to bring to life a particular aspect of the story that resonates with them, deepening their understanding and personal connection to it using various expressive arts mediums such as drawing, painting, mask making or collage to deepen their understanding and connection to the story. 

Week 5:  Sharing creations and connections to the story and learning through synchronicity. In the fifth week, participants will share their creations and connections to the story with one another. The group will reflect on how others' stories impact them and what synchronicities arise from sharing their stories. 

Week 6:  Reflecting on the personal journey and sharing tools and resources for continued growth. The final week is focused on reflecting on the journey and sharing medicine for continued collective growth.  

Reciprocity Contribution Levels

Benefactor:                 $600

Spiritual Friend:          $450

Supporter:                   $300

Community Builder:   $150

No one is turned away for lack of funds, please contact info@braidedwisdom.org 

We request participants attend the whole program to respect the container of the class and Dr. Madrigal. We understand that life happens, and if you know you will miss more than one class, we recommend that you join at a time when you are available for all the sessions. The classes will not be recorded to honor the oral tradition of Indigenous wisdom. Your presence and engagement in the class is essential for the course.

About Dr. Renda Dionne Madrigal

Dr. Renda Dionne Madrigal is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Registered Drama Therapist, Trainer, and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner with over twenty years of experience in the field. She has been featured on the cover of Mindful Magazine and was recognized as a Powerful Woman of Mindfulness in the August 2022 edition. 

Dr. Renda Dionne Madrigal is also a mentor for the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior Mindfulness Awareness Research Center Teacher Training Program, a UCLA Certified Mindfulness Facilitator, certified with the International Mindfulness Teachers Association, a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, and a Stanford Certified Applied Compassion Educator/Consultant. She is also faculty at the Drama Therapy Institute of Los Angeles and California Indian Nations College and is the President of Mindful Practice Inc. 

Dr. Renda Dionne Madrigal specializes in embodied mindfulness-based practices, which combine mindfulness, somatic therapies, and storytelling to support insight, healing and growth. As a Turtle Mountain Chippewa, her Indigenous heritage informs her work and adds a unique perspective and depth to her approach. 

In addition to her work as a clinician, Dr. Renda Dionne Madrigal is also a writer and performer. She has appeared in indigenous plays written by her daughters and community theatre  and enjoys writing fiction featuring Indigenous female protagonists who save the world. Her book, The Mindful Family Guidebook, has been well-received and listed as a Best Book of Mindfulness 2021 by Mindful Magazine. She is currently working on her next book, Story Medicine. 

This event registration is for the Story Medicine Wisdom Seeking Group on Wednesdays from October 18, 25, November 1, 8, 15 and 22, 2023 6:00-8:00 pm PT.

A Zoom Link will be sent on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, prior to the event. Please check your spam folder if you do not see our email with the zoom link.

If you have any questions, please email info@braidedwisdom.org.