The Orange
Every spiritual tradition in the world has its own collection of rites and rituals that make up the warp and woof if it's particular path.
These rites and rituals, the origins of which are not always understood, give its practitioners something to do -- something not just think about or meditate on, but a physical activity they can focus on to help them remember the metaphysical connection to the essence of their path.
I get it. I do. Rituals work. Or as my rabbi liked to say, "If you want to learn to dance, sometimes you need to start with the box step."
My kids, for example, cannot celebrate Christmas without leaving milk and cookies out for Santa, even though its been years since they realized that the fat guy in the red suit didn't have a snowball's chance in hell of making it down our chimney.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:27 PM | Comments (0)
April 28, 2023The Urge to Serve
One of the outcomes, for me, from receiving the gift of Knowledge from Prem Rawat, in 1971, was the unexpected emergence of a deep desire to serve. The gift he had given me was so profound and so fulfilling that I soon began to experience a spontaneous upwelling of longing to "be of service" in some way.
This impulse to serve was unstoppable. I was not "paying my dues." I was not trying to "do good deeds." I was not being hustled by someone to be a source of volunteer labor. What was moving me went way beyond that. Never in my life had I experienced such a deep aspiration to be of service.
Something at the core of my being wanted to make my best effort to "lend a hand", even if my skills were minimal and my hands were shaking.
Wanting, actually, is the wrong word to describe what I was feeling at the time. It was way more than wanting. It was primal -- rising from an archetypal place within me that I didn't know existed -- kind of like what happens to the tides when the moon is full... and the wolves. I had no idea where this deep-seated longing to serve was originating from, but I trusted it and wanted to see where it would take me.
I am still in the process of exploring this.
More about what Prem is offering.
Photo: Courtesy of TimelessToday
Prem Rawat's Official YouTube Channel
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:34 PM | Comments (1)
April 27, 2023Mentoring and Coaching Services for Aspiring Authors
Award-winning author, poet, storyteller, blogger and editor, Mitch Ditkoff, is now available to mentor and coach aspiring writers. If you are in the process of writing a book and can use some meaningful support, I am a possible resource for you.
The Services I Provide:
- Writing & manuscript assessment
- Skillful, empowering feedback
- Creative process facilitation
- Book structure, rhythm & flow counsel
- Coaching, mentoring and gut check
- Book promotion advisory services
I Am the Right Fit for You If...
- You are thinking about writing a book
- You are writing a book, but are stalled or stuck
- You are committed to becoming a better writer
- You have something to say, but wrestle with doubt
- You are open to feedback, coaching & support
- You are confused about your publishing options
How My Service Works:
1. You and I have a 20-minute conversation to make sure your needs and my services are a good fit.
2. If YES, I send you a Letter of Agreement for your signature
3. You pay a 50% deposit
4. We schedule our first coaching session
My Books
Unspoken Word
Storytelling at Work
Storytelling for the Revolution
Full Moon at Sunrise
Awake at the Wheel
My Websites
Unspoken Word
Storytelling for the Revolution
Idea Champions
SageCatalysts
MitchDitkoff.com
Face The Music
Brainstorm Champions
My Blogs
Medium
Storytelling at Work
Unspoken Word
The Heart of the Matter
The Heart of Innovation
Huffington Post
SageCatalysts
CONTACT: mitch@ideachampions.com
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 03:28 PM | Comments (0)
April 21, 2023Today is the Launch of "Unspoken Word: Love Longing & Letting Go"
Dear Friends:
If you have been reading Storytelling at Work for a while, there is a very good chance you will enjoy my just-published book of poetry,"Unspoken Word: Love, Longing & Letting Go."
Today is the day it launches on Amazon.
If you are thinking about buying it (or even if you're not), today is the day to buy it. Why? Because the more people who buy the book on the same day, the greater the chance the book will rank high on Amazon's NEW RELEASES list. And the higher it ranks, the more visibility the book will get. And since my vision is that millions of people read this book, visibility is a good thing.
PS: If you read the book and enjoy it, please consider writing an Amazon review -- one more way to help me get the word out there. Gracias!
Buy on Amazon
What ChatGBT says about my poetry
The website
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:31 PM | Comments (0)
April 13, 2023INTRODUCING EVELYNE POUGET: San Miguel Pastel Portrait Artist
San Miguel portrait artist, Evelyne Pouget, upon completing her recent series of mosaic workshops, is now accepting pastel commissions (people and pets). Details about her commission process and how to engage her services are noted at the bottom of this post.
EVELYNE'S PORTRAITURE PROCESS
1. Email a photo of your subject to evelynepouget2@gmail.com
2. Evelyne will get back to you with her fee and a projected date of completion.
3. Assuming you are good with #2, Evelyne will email you a Letter of Agreement for your signature.
CONTACT: evelynepouget2@gmail.com
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:26 AM | Comments (0)
March 16, 2023I Thought I Was a Small, But I'm a Medium (at Large)
Like my writing? Want to read the best of the best? Here ya go -- the ten most popular pieces of mine in the past five months. If you like what you read, consider following me on Medium or, better yet, subscribe, so you will receive an email alert whenever a new piece of mine is published.
Most of my Medium articles will take you less than 5 minutes to read.
1. On the Road to Prem Rawat
2. When an Email at 2:00 a.m Changes Everything
3. Learning to Face Your Opponent
4. What a Good Educator Does
5. The Real Marriage
6. Back to the Garden
7. The Beginning of the Book My Daughter, Mimi, Asked Me to Write
8. I'm From Woodstock. Yes, I Am!
9. Last Night I Googled Longing
10. Introducing Eva Snyder
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 03:35 PM | Comments (0)
February 14, 2023Happy Valentine's Day to You!
Here is an inspiring Valentine's Day slide show for you. Includes 21 wonderful quotes on love and vocals by Daya Rawat.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:23 AM | Comments (0)
February 11, 2023GRAND OPENING: Evelyne Pouget's SMA Parisian Salon
If you live in San Miguel de Allende, you are in luck!
Extraordinary curator of soul-stirring salons, Evelyne Pouget, is about to launch a series of cultural + artistic offerings in the town that Forbes Magazine, Conde Naste and readers of Travel + Leisure magazine have dubbed "The Best Small City in the World."
"Evelyne's salon evenings always leave me full of hope. Not just for myself, but for our world. The music... the people... the ideas... the rays of all of our creativity, united for a night." - MaryJane Fahey
WHEN: Saturday, February 25, 7:00 pm
WHERE: Avenue Hercules 39, Colonia Lindavista
COST: $600 pesos
RESERVATIONS: evelynepouget2@gmail.com
More info below:
Continue reading "GRAND OPENING: Evelyne Pouget's SMA Parisian Salon"
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:40 PM | Comments (0)
ON THE WAY BACK FROM AMAROO: Knowledge in Action
Here is the beginning of a real life "Knowledge in Action" story about my mythic journey back home from Amaroo -- beginning with the curious phenomenon of my first leg of the return flight from Brisbane to Sydney NOT EXISTING! There was no Qantas flight 503 and my phone didn't work and there were no Qantas employees on duty (it being 2:29 am) and there was no obvious way to get any assistance.
But that was just the Fellini appetizer.
The LA to Newark flight sat on the runway for two hours. Then we "deplaned" -- waiting for another, much older, plane to be cleaned and "catered." The caterers, apparently, onboarded enough peanuts, but they forgot the air!
Continue reading "ON THE WAY BACK FROM AMAROO: Knowledge in Action"
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:27 AM | Comments (0)
January 30, 2023CONNECTING THE DOTS
I remember, as a small child, playing a game called "Connect the Dots."
In front of me was an activities book composed of sheets of paper with nothing on them but numbered dots. My task was a simple one -- to draw lines between the dots, connecting each dot sequentially. #1 would get connected to #2. #2 would get connected to #3 and so on until each of the dots were connected, resulting in the creation of some kind of picture -- a hat, a house, a boat, or whatever the book publisher had in mind.
Continue reading "CONNECTING THE DOTS"
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 05:41 PM | Comments (1)
January 04, 2023Transparency
Storytelling at Work is honored to publish the following first-person story by Barbara Bash about an extraordinary moment she experienced in the company of her teacher, Chogyam Trungpa.
In 1980 I was 32 years old living in Boulder Colorado, teaching calligraphy and book arts at Naropa University and working as a freelance calligraphic designer.
I was also deeply involved in the world of Chogyam Trungpa, a Tibetan Buddhist teacher who had arrived in North America ten years earlier and gathered a lively and diverse community around him.
During the spring of that year, I traveled to the Bay Area to assist in a Dharma Art seminar that Trungpa was offering in San Francisco. There would be a number of creative events happening -- poetry readings, art and music performances and environmental installations. Since I had lived in Berkeley during the 1970's, I had old friends in the area and it felt like a kind of return.
Continue reading "Transparency "
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 08:29 AM | Comments (1)
January 01, 2023Five New Year Resolutions from a Very Wise Soul
My good friend, Stevie Ray McHugh, author of You Are God Enough and channeler of a wise soul named "Aion", asked for some guidance a few days ago re: New Year's resolutions. Here is the answer he received:
First, resolve to evolve. Stay more present by slowing down. This shift in perception enables you to stop the world and your egoic mind, allowing you to resonate in Higher Self even more frequently. This sets you firmly on the path of evolution in consciousness.
Second, share the stories of your struggles and realizations about soul integration. Sharing stories is an act of generosity and humility. The more you connect with others on the path, the more joy you will experience.
Third, act on your guidance even more closely in everything you do, think, say and feel. This requires the courage to trust in Spirit and transform into an even more fully integrated being. Embody the courage to create and recreate yourself, your life and your perception of the Real.
Fourth, let go of the habitual, egoic identifications that cause fear, anger, doubt or self-recrimination. Commit to letting go of who you think you are. Dance with the unknown. Explore deeper, wider and higher frequencies to fully embody the emergence of the new you, rising like a phoenix from the flames.
And fifth, radiate love and light. Be a beacon of light and forgiveness blessing all souls. Expand the love in your heart and radiate it outward in all directions and dimensions. This adds to the tsunami of love rippling across the multiverse, uplifting all souls and continuing the evolution consciousness Itself. You are that already. So be it.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:53 AM | Comments (0)
November 29, 2022My Top Ten Posts on Medium
Recently, I've discovered MEDIUM -- a blogging platform with more than 100 million viewers per month. Not all of them have made it to my Medium abode yet, but word is getting out.
In case you haven't visited that part of cyberspace, now's your chance -- especially if you have been enjoying my writing over the years. Here are my ten most popular stories on Medium.
When an Email at 2:00 a.m. Changes Everything
Last Night I Googled Longing
What Have You Accomplished?
What I Learned in a Closet From My 3-Year Old Son
On Being Visited By an Angel
What It Really Means to Be a Friend
Here's the Problem with Reading Rumi
On Realizing the Nature of Pure Being
20 Poets and One Comedian on the Awesome Power of Poetry
A Small Bag of Red Berries
If you want to subscribe to my Medium blog and/or receive email alerts whenever a new post is published, click here. Then click on any story. At the end of each story is a simple way to sign up for email alerts. Easy peasy.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 08:37 AM | Comments (0)
November 22, 2022The Zen Filing System
Some years ago, when I was the "Community Coordinator" in Denver, Colorado, I worked closely with a very Zen-minded man named Jon Lieben. Jon was in charge of all maintenance and repairs to the Community Center and had an office next to mine.
One day, as I was walking by Jon's office, I saw that he, with his left arm, was sweeping all of the papers and files on his desk into a big empty box on the floor. My first impression was quite judgmental -- that what Jon was doing was NOT a very skillful way to organize all of the many papers, projects, and details he was responsible for -- anyone of which, if left undone, would end up affecting hundreds of people and possible causing big problems, some of which that I would have to deal with later.
"Jon", I called out," What are you DOING, man? That's a lot of important papers you're just chucking into the trash. Don't you think you should, at least, LOOK at that stuff before throwing it away?"
Jon looked at me with an enigmatic smile. And paused.
"The way I figure it, Mitch, is that if any of these are REALLY important, somebody's gonna call me."
While I was absolutely bamboozled by Jon's approach at the time, the older I've gotten, the more I've come to realize how brilliant it was.
I've got files up the wazoo in my office, stacks of multi-colored folders in more than a few places, each file with a carefully written label telling me what's in it -- or, in some case, big bold words I've written on the folder, itself, words like "DEAL WITH THIS NOW!" or "IMPORTANT FINANCIAL STUFF."
Basically, this stuff just sits there like high school geometry homework waiting to be filed, which I rarely do. When I finally get guilty enough or anxious enough to actually DO something, I look through these stacks and discover that 95% of them are completely useless -- some kind of "paper trail" I never need to follow, the flora and fauna of somebody else's concept of what's important in my life.
If Jon was standing in my office, he would have, a long time ago, simply swept them into a big empty box on the floor, freeing me up from having to look at this stuff -- a visual phenomenon that has always left me feeling there was something UNDONE in my life and that something that REALLY NEEDED MY ATTENTION, when in fact, it didn't.
Let's hear it for Jon Lieben, ladies and gentlemen, and the realization that life is much simpler than how we perceive it most of the time.
(Jon, if you are reading this. THANK YOU!)
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:19 AM | Comments (0)
November 11, 2022The Poetry of Life
There is a moment in everyone's life when all the cards are on the table, all the chips, too -- the moment of truth when the entire universe is conspiring to call one's attention to the choice we have every single second of the day to let go of our past and move towards what is truly calling us, even if we have no idea where it will lead.
One such moment happened for me in 1969, during my first and only semester as a graduate student at Brown University's prestigious MFA Creative Writing Program.
Like most long-haired, sallow-cheeked, Vietnam-phobic seekers of truth whose depression-imprinted parents would have much preferred him to have chosen law, medicine, or teeth over poetry, I found myself, at the ripe old age of 22, majorly existentially challenged -- sleeping 12 hours a day, posting my newly minted poems on trees at midnight, and feverishly reading Rilke, Wallace Stevens, and William Carlos Williams just in case the conversation turned thusly with any number of my far more well-read poetry professors engaging me in literary conversations at any number of ultra hip parties that I kept getting invited to -- the kind of heady gatherings where Kurt Vonnegut and other traveling bards kept showing up, laugh lines around their eyes unable to mask a lifetime's worth of sadness, disappointment, and despair.
Continue reading "The Poetry of Life"
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:33 AM | Comments (2)
November 06, 2022Evelyne Pouget's Next Series of San Miguel Mosaic Workshops
Greetings. My name is Evelyne Pouget, San Miguel artist offering a series of mosaic workshops in November and December. We will meet at my outdoor studio and garden in Colonia Lindavista -- a 10-minute taxi ride from Centro. The #4 bus stops on my block.
You will learn simple techniques to make creative objects of art (i.e. mirrors, frames, small paintings, boxes etc.) out of glass mosaics. No previous experience is necessary.
Continue reading "Evelyne Pouget's Next Series of San Miguel Mosaic Workshops"
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 03:24 PM | Comments (0)
October 30, 2022A Good Story, Like Perfume...
A good story, like perfume, is evocative. Listening to it calls forth a response that moves a person from one state of mind to another, not just for the moment, but for all time -- because a story, well-told, is long remembered. And what it is that moves inside us is not just the plot, or the characters, or even the message, but the space of discovery that the story opens up.
Music is a perfect example of this phenomenon. A good piece of music is composed of pauses as well as notes. Indeed, it is the spaces between the notes that is often responsible for evoking the feeling, allowing the listener to more deeply experience what is being heard.
Amateur composers tend to do too much. They clutter their compositions with themselves, making the music more about their own proficiency than the depth of what's possible to evoke in others -- a phenomenon that led jazz-great, Dizzy Gillespie, to once confess, "It took me my entire life to learn what not to play."
The same holds true with story. Skillful storytellers don't say too much, don't clutter the tale with their telling. Instead, they provide just enough nuance for the listener to enter their world and participate. That's the goal of any work of art -- to create a space for something meaningful to be explored.
Ultimately, the storyteller's task is a simple one -- to create the stage upon which the human heart can dance -- what hearing a cello in the distance evokes at dusk or how you might feel just before opening a love letter.
"Creating a stage upon which the heart can dance" -- Prem Rawat
Excerpted from this book
Not excerpted from this book
Photo: Drew Collins, Unsplash
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:04 AM | Comments (0)
October 10, 2022Why Tell Stories?
In the last 60 seconds, here's what happened:
168 million emails were sent, 700,000 Google searches were launched, and 60 hours of YouTube videos were uploaded, not to mention all the spam, banner ads, phone calls, Facebook posts, tweets, texts, and telemarketing calls that found their way to your doorstep.
A whopping 90% of all data in the world has been generated in the past two years alone. Think about this: Before the dawn of civilization, approximately 5 exabytes of information had been created. Now, that much information is created every two days!
The common term for this head-spinning phenomenon is "information overload" -- the inability to absorb and process all of the information we are exposed to.
Continue reading "Why Tell Stories?"
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:39 PM | Comments (0)
October 06, 2022The Robbers
When I was 13, my sister was 18. She was the proverbial big sister. I was the proverbial little brother. And though she called me "twerp" and I called her "fatso", it was always comforting to know she was in the next room, especially on the nights when our parents went out. I wouldn't be alone. My sister was there.
But when she went off to college, everything changed. Now I was the only child in the house. Now it was just me.
I will never forget my first night alone. My parents, after dinner, casually informed me they were going out for the evening but would be back at a "reasonable hour." They petted the dog, gave me a hug, and were gone in a flash. I stood by the front door, listening, until the sound of their Oldsmobile disappeared into the distance. Then I made myself a huge bowl of ice cream, retreated to my room, turned on the TV, flopped down on my bed, and started doing my homework.
Continue reading "The Robbers"
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:49 AM | Comments (0)
October 04, 2022The Digital Art of Evelyne Pouget
What follows are examples of Evelyne Pouget's digital art, inspired by the danzantes of San Miguel de Allende. Her work is an alchemical blend of photography and digital effects. Everything you see is available for purchase. Scroll down for details.
"The world is an illusion, but you have to act as if it's real." - Krishna
Continue reading "The Digital Art of Evelyne Pouget"
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:36 PM | Comments (0)
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