The art of listening is central to telling the story and to letting it permeate through to the heart of our being. In how many ways this can happen the contributions in this book are testament to.

Beyond the immediate ideas, insights and experiences a new mode of teaching is seen in action. It is a teaching from the heart embracing all the perceiving faculties and engaging the “digesting” capabilities of “students”. A two way process emerges: the teacher is learning and educating and the students are educating and learning. A deep respect is expressed in this sharing, something we experienced with all of those involved in Talkstory: The Art of Listening.

On multiple levels healing occured. Healing in its original meaning: making whole fragmented beings, fragmented subjects, fragmented objects. The task of the colonisers is to acknowledge and embrace the indigenous cultures they tried to obliterate. The task of the colonised is to imagine the possibility that colonisers can re-learn and be redeemed in this process. Talkstories, in all cultures through all ages to present-day, empower, educate and enlighten all participating.

In this individual and collective regaining of wholeness, there is the potential of healing institutions and the wider society.

Here we have a body of astute academic work at its best — without the jargon but with keen observation, fun, and constructive critical skills. With talkstory a methodology has evolved which reconnects the fragmented self and fragmented knowledge into a coherent, re-defined science.

It has been a delight, an honour and a joy to work with the texts. They have fed me during the long hours of layouting. May they also feed and inspire you through the manifold ways in which they talk to you.

Karin Meissenburg
Global Dialogues Press
August 2007