The Story Apothecary

Story Prescription: To know love, we also must know that it may not last forever. To appreciate life, we must know that it cannot stay for eternity. This is a story about love and about death, and how the two are interlinked. Mostly it's a story about life and love, from Armenia.Thank you to InFeathers for the Music.Get your ticker to join me for A Damsel Not In Distress - Untamed Tales for International Women's Day. It will be a great night.

​Story Prescription: A Christmas story about hope​​A story from the Ukraine about a poor family at Christmas, but miracles do happen!​​Stories of ⁠Vampires, Ghosts & Creatures of the Night:⁠ Saturday 4th January on Zoom. If you're interested in hearing some wonderfully dark stories for the Bulgarian 'Dirty Days' join me and musician In Feathers. ⁠More information here.⁠​If you enjoy this podcast, you can '⁠buy me a coffee' ⁠as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening. ​Music: Thank you to ⁠In Feathers ⁠for the beautiful music.

Story Prescription: A story for jealousy. It's easy for it to be all-consuming, but sometimes it devours us. A story from Bulgaria about the ruler of the wild cats, Bashakote. It's a humorous, slightly dark and wonderful tale. Stories of Vampires, Ghosts & Creatures of the Night: Saturday 4th January on Zoom. If you're interested in hearing some wonderfully dark stories for the Bulgarian 'Dirty Days' join me and musician In Feathers. More information here. If you enjoy this podcast, you can 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening.  Music: Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music.

Story Prescription: A story for Hallowe'en, All Hallow's Eve, when the souls of those past are remembered. An ethereally spooky story from Scotland, about two sisters who love the same man. It doesn't end well, but it does end with a song of a harp that sings of sorrow. If you are listening from the Scottish Highlands, or know someone who might enjoy Stories and Harp, join us on Saturday 16th November for Love in the Underworld. If you are not local to Scotland, but would like to join me online, then Wild Women, a six months journey into the wild feminine through stories starts on the 8th November.

Story Prescription: A story that shows us that it's possible to keep the inner fire burning no matter the challenging circumstances. Story Caution: This story contains domestic violence as a central theme. If you choose to listen, take care of yourself. A story from Russia about a woman who loves fairytales, and who only lets guests stay if they can tale a tale. Her husband however, does not agree. WILD WOMEN starts in November 2024, for more information go to ⁠⁠https://www.nanatomova.com/wildwomen⁠⁠ To support this podcast, you can '⁠⁠buy me a coffee'. ⁠⁠You can also tell your friends, which costs nothing. Music: Thank you to ⁠⁠In Feathers ⁠⁠for the beautiful music.

Story Prescription: A story for relationships, with significant others and also with ourselves. It takes many transformations, a life-death-life cycle to make a relationship work. It is also a story about overcoming difficult experiences, and the journey it takes to do this. A story full of courage. A Baltic story from Lithuania, where a hardworking hedgehog wishes to marry none other than the King's daughter. How will he succeed? What does his future bride think of this? And how does an unequal marriage such as this one work? For lovers of the story East of the Sun and West of the Moon. If you enjoy this podcast, and wish to find another story, head over to https://www.nanatomova.com/story-prescriptions to listen to a story for the ailment you are looking for. If you wish to contribute you can 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening. Music: Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music.

Story Prescription: A story about the greed and the dangers of prioritising gold over the real treasure of the land. A sweet story from the Ural Mountains about a young man who gets given a sieve and three feathers by his grandmother and the advice about where to find real treasure. To support my work financially can 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening.  Music: Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music.

Story Prescription: A story about freedom. A story about overcoming fear, asking the right questions and speaking your longing aloud. A story from Armenia, where a controlling king locks his daughter away so that she may never leave his side. .... To support my work financially you can '⁠buy me a coffee' ⁠ if you enjoy listening.  Music: Thank you to ⁠In Feathers ⁠for the beautiful music. For more Story Medicine, following this link to my website where each prescription is linked to a story of this podcast. https://www.nanatomova.com/story-prescriptions

Story Prescription: A story about love, and that if we open our hearts to feel the fire, we take a risk. But if we don't then we live in the shadows of the basement, where life is grey. A story from Russia, where a snow child becomes alive. But she wants to feel the fire in her heart, even if that comes at a price. .... To support my work financially you can 'buy me a coffee' if you enjoy listening.  Music: Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music. Links for events which are coming up: https://www.nanatomova.com/events

Story Prescription: A reminder to live in the present to embrace each season of life as it arrives. A magical story from Bulgaria about the time that all the twelve months gathered together, and what happened when a brave young girl saw them in the midst of winter searching for snowdrops, for new hope. I wish you all very merry Christmas and a Joyful New Year! _To support my work financially you can become a a regular patron on Patreon, and you will receive the gift of stories and folklore.  .You can also 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening.  _Music: Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music.

Story Prescription: A prescription about the moon and the Northern lights. A Saami story of love and loss, of hope and light. A story for the autumn and winter, so that we may find the light in the skies.  If you wanted to join my Wild Women course, a 6 Months Journey into the Wild Feminine through Stories, starting on the 9th November, then find out more ⁠here.⁠  To support my work financially you can become a regular patron on⁠ ⁠⁠Patreon⁠, and you will receive the gift of stories and folklore.  You can also '⁠buy me a coffee' ⁠as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening.  Music: Thank you to ⁠In Feathers ⁠for the beautiful music. 

Story Prescription: A story for those who stay at home and don't have their work valued. For women whose labour doesn't get appreciated. A story for the equality and appreciation of women. A story of hope. - A humorous story from Bulgaria (and all over Europe) about a husband who thinks that his wife's work at home is meaningless and easy. Then one day the husband stayed at home... - To see my future Story events, courses and workshops visit my website here. To support my work financially you can 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening.  Music: Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music.

Story Prescription: A story about coming of age, about having courage and about the importance of wise grandmothers. . Story Caution: This story is for people over the age of 14, not because there are scary wolves, but because it contains some mature content. . If you think you know Little Red Riding Hood, think again. I share with you the oral women's version of the story from France, before it became a written down and 'famous' version. There is a wolf of course, but this is where the similarities end. A story of women's sexuality and bravery. Enjoy! . To support my work financially you can become a a regular patron on Patreon. You can also 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening.  To join me for the Handless Maiden workshop, you can find more here. Music: Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music.

-Story Prescription: A story for naming something which you fear by its true name; a story which cautions those who make promises in haste; a story about giving up that which you treasure the most . A story from Germany, collected by the Grimm brothers about a miller's daughter who needs to spin straw into gold to save her head. She gets help from an other worldly creature, but the helps comes at a price. . To support my work financially you can become a regular patron on Patreon. . You can also 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening.  . Music: Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music.

Story Prescription: A story for grief, loss, longing and hope. Story Caution: This story deals with loss and death. Like many other stories, this is a tale for older humans. Recommended age 14+ A traditional Cinderella variant from Bulgaria. A story of Mara who becomes Cinderella (Pepelashka). We all know the story of Cinderella, or do we only know one sanitised, Bourgeoisie version made famous by one particular author? This Cinderella story deals with the grief of losing a mother, tending to the bones, the love of a cow, and of course a slipper. To learn more about Rewilding Cinderella, follow this link: https://www.wildstorycommons.org/rewildingcinderella To support my work financially you can become a a regular patron on Patreon, and you will receive the gift of stories and folklore.  . You can also 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening.  . Music: Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music.

-Story Prescription: A reminder of not trading or giving up those parts of us that are integral to our being. A story from Hungary about a traveller whose fiddle plays the most beautiful music. But he gives it all one day for something more worthwhile. . To support my work financially you can become a a regular patron on Patreon, and you will receive the gift of stories and folklore.  You can also 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening.  . Music: Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music.

-Story Prescription: A story for the freedom of women -Story Caution: TW: This story deals with domestic violence A Bulgarian well-known folktale of Bogdana, who was a spoilt daughter and therefore a bad, good-for-nothing wife. But is there more than meets the eye? In a ecofeminist retelling of this story, we might find that there is more than meets the eye to useless, spoilt Bogdana, and her idiot mother. Perhaps their voices have been forgotten, up till now. A story I dedicate to all Bulgarian women across the world, who were only told a singular version of this story. The stories we are told influence the lives we live. To support my work financially you can become a a regular patron on Patreon. You can also 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening.

Join me from the warmth of your home on Monday 19th December 2022, to listen to Stories for the Dark. Stories to guide us through the darkness. A woman who walked in iron shoes for nine years, a woman with no hands given to wild beasts, a woman who lost her son, and seeks him in Baba Yaga's hut. Tales of transformation, hardship, loss and love. We need such stories to guide us through the darkness of winter. There is no light without darkness. Stories teach us this. They teach us that we can overcome long journeys in the deep forest of life. They teach us that we can depend on our strength when the time comes, that we have enough courage and enough softness to make the journey. For the tree bark is hard, but the heartwood is soft. Both are needed to survive in the forest of life. You can book Stories for the Dark here. I wish you a peaceful winter season. Love, Nana Thank you to InFeathers for the music.

Story Prescription: A story of the Woman's Quest, a feminine journey, a story of female initiation into adulthood, and into an awakening. A Bulgarian wondertale about a girl to enters into an old woman's hut and finds gold; and her step-sister who instead of gold finds darkness - but that too is a gift, if you know to recognise it as one. Music: Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music. You can find more of his music and musings at https://www.instagram.com/in.feathers/ If you enjoy my podcast please leave a rating and a review, as this helps others to find it. If you know a friend who needs this story, feel free to share it with them. To support my work, and to hear more stories you can find me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/NanaTomova.

Story Prescription: A story about entering the frightening places in our lives, like Baba Yaga's hut, in order to come out on the other side. A story about following inner wisdom and intuition, and embracing the darkness that we all need to face sometimes. -Story Caution: Recommended age 12+ A story from Eastern Europe about a girl called Vasilisa the Beautiful, who needs to go to Baba Yaga's hut for a light, and face her ultimate fear - a human devouring, frightening witch, the keeper of the underworld, a powerful goddess. But is there more to Baba Yaga that meets the eye, and can Vasilisa make it out alive? A story perfect for Samhain and Halloween. _ To support my work financially you can become a a regular patron on Patreon, and you will receive the gift of stories and folklore. . You can also 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening. _ Music: Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music.

Story Prescription: A story about doing what feels good rather than what one should do. A story for self-indulgence, pleasure, rest, and enjoying life with no guilt. A humorous story from Germany about a clever and witty woman, a cook, who knows what she wants, and takes it with no guilt and no apology. With so many of us having lost touch with what we want or desire, through life circumstances, and if and when we take it, there is a lot of guilt. This story speaks to this part of us and offers medicine.  Episode artwork: Vincent Van Gogh To support my work financially you can become a a regular patron on Patreon, and you will receive the gift of stories and folklore. . You can also 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening. _ Music: Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music.

-Story Prescription: A story of hope, of marking endings, and remembering stories. A lighthearted, bittersweet and hopeful Yiddish tale of a Tailor in Russia who made a beloved coat that just kept giving, until there was just not enough. _ To support my work financially you can become a a regular patron on Patreon, and you will receive the gift of stories and folklore. . You can also 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening. _ Music: Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music.

-Story Prescription: For anyone who is is need of some Trickster energy, in a world that is often serious. A story that offers the richness of humour and transformation, as well as challenges the status quo.  - A funny and lighthearted story from Tanzania, about the day Tortoise fooled the Elephant, told by the brilliant Wendy Shearer. Wendy is a Professional London Storyteller and author. Wendy's repertoire of stories of tricksters, shapeshifters, ancient Greek heroes, gods and goddesses is drawn mostly from her Afro-Caribbean heritage and her first degree in Classics. You can find out more about Wendy, her upcoming events and her story books on her website: http://wendyshearer.co.uk _ To support my work financially you can become a a regular patron on Patreon, and you will receive the gift of stories and folklore. . You can also 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening. _ Music: Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music.

A funny and lighthearted story from Bulgaria about a man who decides he is better off following advice because it cost him a lot of money. -Story Prescription: For anyone who likes to give advice freely, and for anyone who follows advice that does not serve them. For those who wish to have some wisdom by which to live their lives. _ To support my work financially you can become a regular patron on Patreon, and you will receive the gift of stories and folklore. . You can also 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening. _ Music: Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music.

A story from Sudan. Bat is shunned from animals and birds as he doesn't belong in either. He is neither bird, nor animal. Story Prescription: A sad, lighthearted and endearing story about not belonging, which we can all relate to. . To support my work financially you can become a regular patron on Patreon, and you will receive the gift of stories and folklore. . You can also 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening. _ Music: Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music.

A story from the Slavic lands about Baba Yaga - the liminal Crone Goddess. It is an uncomfortable and uneasy story about burying the animal, wild, parts of us and the dangers that follow. Story Prescription: A story about the importance of initiation, and having elders in your life. A story about the importance of those wild barking parts of us that tell us when something is not right, and how we chose to bury them. -Story Caution: A frightening story for children. This one might be for adults or for slightly older children. There are also themes of animal cruelty throughout. Nonetheless, a story full of wisdom and metaphor. _ To support my work financially, and benefit from the Story Apothecary community, you can become a regular patron on Patreon, and you will receive the gift of stories and folklore. . You can also 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening. _ Music: Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music. Story Artwork: Baba Yaga by Ivan Bilibin, 1909

A Bulgarian Christmas Story (available in English for the first time here) about a sister and brother who met misfortune one winter day. A story of hardship and hope. -Story Prescription: A story to feel festive, a story for gratefulness, for the unfairness of life sometimes, for small miracles. -Story Caution: Some not very nice things happen to brother and sister. If listening with little ones, I recommend listening to the end with them. _ To support my work financially you can become a regular patron on Patreon, and you will receive the gift of stories and folklore. . You can also 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening. You can book tickets to Slavic Stories for the Winter Solstice here _ Music: Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music. Episode Artwork by Winslow Homer, 1892.

The Seventh Swan (Cambridgeshire, England) - a somewhat dark, and beautiful tale about a boy who tries to kill a swan. The other six swans, her companions come to her aid. -Story Prescription: A story of feminine power, of true friendship, of wild nature. -Story Caution: This story is rather intense in places and deals with taking that which is not given in multiple senses of the word. It is beautiful though, and rather wild. I hope that you like it. _ To support my work financially you can become a a regular patron on Patreon, and you will receive the gift of stories and folklore. . You can also 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening. You can book tickets to Slavic Stories for the Winter Solstice here _ Music: Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music. Episode Artwork: The Threatened Swan by Jan Asselijin, 1650

A story from Norway. A girl finds herself in a castle asked to spin impossible quantities of flax in just a night and a day. Three old women come to help her. -Story Prescription: A tale of women's power and intuition, of help from wiser generations, of respect for grandmothers. And a little bit of humour. _ To support my work financially you can become a regular patron on Patreon, and you will receive the gift of stories and folklore. You can also 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening. _ Music: Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music. Podcast Art by John Baur.

A tale from Germany about a strange creature called Mannikin Spanalong which a young girl helps to free, and she gets her own freedom in return. Story Prescription: A story about facing your fears and moving forward; about being kind in the face of uncertainty and adversity; a story about being strong and independent; about importance of caring for elders, and the wisdom that you can gain in return. Story Caution: If listening alone, some very small children might find Mannikin Spanalong a little frightening. It is a story worth finishing till the end. Episode Artwork by Jacques Robin, 1974 Join me for live online Stories of Baba Yaga for Halloween on 31st October 19:30 GMT. Support this podcast: Patreon: www.patreon.com/NanaTomova Music by In Feathers

A lighthearted story from Russia. This is not a story of Vasilisa the wise, the brave, the beautiful. This is a different girl called Vasilisa. Vasilisa is also called Vasily, a boy's name. Which is she - a woman or a man - the king desperately tries to find out. But he can't. A wonderful story of wit that defies the perceived social roles of gender. Story Prescription for breaking gender stereotypes, and stereotypes of many a kind. A story for having the courage to live life in the way that you want, a story for fighting for what you believe in for yourself and your community. Artwork: Riddaren Rider by John Bauer 1914, from Wikimedia Commons Ways to Support this podcast: -If you have enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a rating or review as this helps others to find it. Share this podcast with your friends and on social media. You can find me on Instagram @nana.tomova or on Twitter @NanaTomova or on Facebook @NanaTomovaStoryteller To support my work financially you can become a a regular patron on Patreon, and you will receive the gift of stories and folklore. . You can also 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening. . _ Music: Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music. You can find more of his music and musings at https://www.instagram.com/in.feathers/

A story from Portugal. A father and his daughter move from place to place. His fear that she will abandon him keeps them moving, despite her wanting to settle down. A story of breaking free, of a love - suffocating rather than nurturing. -Story Prescription: A story for anxiety, for unbalanced relationships of any kind, of loving too tightly, a story of being afraid to let go. A story of seeking freedom. _ Ways to Support this podcast: -If you have enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a rating or review as this helps others to find it. Share this podcast with your friends and on social media. You can find me on Instagram @nana.tomova or on Twitter @NanaTomova or on Facebook @NanaTomovaStoryteller To support my work financially you can become a a regular patron on Patreon, and you will receive the gift of stories and folklore. . You can also 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening. . Stories of Baba Yaga for Halloween are available to book here: https://www.nanatomova.com/event-details/baba-yaga-stories-of-the-slavic-crone-goddess . Music: Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music. You can find more of his music and musings at https://www.instagram.com/in.feathers/ . *Artwork: Momoyogusa–Flowers of a Hundred Generations (ca. 1909–1910) by Kemisaka Sekka.

A sweet story about the bread of life, and about the tenderness and richness of the harvest. -Story Prescription: A story for the earth and the land. _ Ways to Support this podcast: -If you have enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a rating or review as this helps others to find it. Share this podcast with your friends and on social media. You can find me on Instagram @nana.tomova or on Twitter @NanaTomova or on Facebook @NanaTomovaStoryteller To support my work financially you can become a a regular patron on Patreon, and you will receive the gift of stories and folklore. . You can also 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening. . _ Music: Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music. You can find more of his music and musings at https://www.instagram.com/in.feathers/

A beautiful and lighthearted story from from former Czechoslovakia about a girl who tends her goats when she meets a wood maiden - a forest nymph in the woods. -Story Prescription: A story about knowing when to work and when to dance. A story about giving yourself permission to feel joy, and maybe sometimes - letting go and enjoying the magic around. _ Join me for Sun Stories for the the Summer Solstice on the 19th June 2021. More information and tickets: here _ Ways to Support this podcast: -If you have enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a rating or review as this helps others to find it. Share this podcast with your friends and on social media. You can find me on Instagram @nana.tomova or on Twitter @NanaTomova or on Facebook @NanaTomovaStoryteller To support my work financially you can become a a regular patron on Patreon, and you will receive the gift of stories and folklore. . You can also 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening. . Music: Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music. You can find more of his music and musings at https://www.instagram.com/in.feathers/

A story from Russia about a poor cottager who is granted wishes by a magic linden (lime) tree. He gets carried away and, well, things turn out differently to how he wished. -Story Prescription: A story for greed and for gratefulness. A reminder of not desiring what is impossible- if you desire too much, you may lose what you had. _ Ways to Support this podcast: -If you have enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a rating or review as this helps others to find it. Share this podcast with your friends and on social media. You can find me on Instagram @nana.tomova or on Twitter @NanaTomova or on Facebook @NanaTomovaStoryteller To support my work financially you can become a a regular patron on Patreon, and you will receive the gift of stories and folklore. . You can also 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening. . _ Music: Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music. You can find more of his music and musings at https://www.instagram.com/in.feathers/

A story from Russia about a seven year old who knows the important things in life. -Story Prescription: A story about the wisdom of women, and of our younger selves. A story of nature, and for valuing the strong, wise, and independent girls in our stories and in our world. _ Ways to Support this podcast: -If you have enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a rating or review as this helps others to find it. Share this podcast with your friends and on social media. You can find me on Instagram @nana.tomova or on Twitter @NanaTomova or on Facebook @NanaTomovaStoryteller. You can book story walks and find out about my work and upcoming events via my website www.nanatomova.com To support my work financially you can become a a regular patron on Patreon, and you will receive the gift of stories and folklore. . You can also 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening. . _ Music: Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music. You can find more of his music and musings at https://www.instagram.com/in.feathers/ Episode Art: Young Woman in Profile (1910) by Odilon Redon.

An important and lighthearted story from England, about King Arthur who must save his life by answering a riddle - what do women want, more than anything. Does he succeed to find the answer?  -Story Prescription: For all women out there, for all who identify as women, for all who treasure their feminine qualities, for all that appreciate the women in their lives. For International Women's Day, there couldn't be a more apt story. _ Ways to Support this podcast: -If you have enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a rating or review as this helps others to find it. Share this podcast with your friends and on social media. You can find me on Instagram @nana.tomova or on Twitter @NanaTomova or on Facebook @NanaTomovaStoryteller . To support my work financially you can become a a regular patron on Patreon, and you will receive the gift of stories and folklore. . You can also 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening. . Buy a ticket for Slavic Stories for the Spring Equinox here. _ Music: Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music. You can find more of his music and musings at https://www.instagram.com/in.feathers/

A wise and sobering story from Bulgaria, which I've translated especially for this podcast. It's about a woman who poisons a loaf of bread to teach someone a lesson. Things don't turn out the way she planned. -Story Prescription: A story for pondering on our actions. One for reflection and for helping us to set an intention for what we do. A story to encourage kindness towards ourselves and others. -Story Caution: This story can be triggering for anyone who has experienced loss and bereavement recently. If this is the case for you, ensure that you are in a place both physically, and emotionally, to be able to receive this story. Coming Up: Slavic Stories for the Spring Equinox: Book Here Ways to Support this podcast: -If you have enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a rating or review as this helps others to find it. Share this podcast with your friends and on social media. You can find me on Instagram @nana.tomova or on Twitter @NanaTomova or on Facebook @NanaTomovaStoryteller . To support my work financially you can become a a regular patron on Patreon, and you will receive the gift of stories and folklore, and Baba Yaga's Calendar. . You can also 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening. . _ Music: Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music. You can find more of his music and musings at https://www.instagram.com/in.feathers/

A lighthearted and yet poignant and cautionary tale from Tibet about some monkeys, led by their monkey leader, who doesn't take time for reflection and advice, leads his monkeys to rescue the moon from deep water as he thinks she is drowning. -Story Prescription: A story about misguided leadership, one to give courage and strength to speak up in challenging circumstances. A story to provide inward and outward reflection. _ Ways to Support this podcast: -If you have enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a rating or review as this helps others to find it. Share this podcast with your friends and on social media. You can find me on Instagram @nana.tomova or on Twitter @NanaTomova or on Facebook @NanaTomovaStoryteller . To support my work financially you can become a a regular patron on Patreon, and you will receive the gift of stories and folklore. . You can also 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening. . _ Music: Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music. You can find more of his music and musings at https://www.instagram.com/in.feathers/ You can find more about National Storytelling Week at: https://www.sfs.org.uk

A wise and lighthearted story from Nepal about a potter who makes a wish for his pots to be unbreakable. -Story Prescription: A story for perfectionism, a story for and about creativity, imperfection and the beauty of impermanence. _ Ways to Support this podcast: -If you have enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a rating or review as this helps others to find it. Share this podcast with your friends and on social media. You can find me on Instagram @nana.tomova or on Twitter @NanaTomova or on Facebook @NanaTomovaStoryteller . To support my work financially you can become a a regular patron on Patreon, and you will receive the gift of Baba Yaga's Calendar, stories, poems and folklore. . You can also 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening. . _ Music: Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music. You can find more of his music and musings at https://www.instagram.com/in.feathers/

A sad, sobering and hopeful Bulgarian story which I've translated into English about Grandmother Plague, old woman, who comes to visit. -Story Prescription: A story to help with not living in fear and being present in our times. A tale to encourage kindness and compassion. -Story Caution: This story talks of the Plague taking lives. It conjures up similarities to the current pandemic, and therefore if you or someone you know is ill, or you have lost someone, this story may be difficult for you. _ Ways to Support this podcast: -If you have enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a rating and review as this helps others to find it. Share this podcast with your friends and on social media. You can find me on Instagram @nana.tomova or on Twitter @NanaTomova or on Facebook @NanaTomovaStoryteller . To support my work financially you can become a a regular patron on Patreon, and you will receive the gift of stories and folklore. . You can also 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening. . _ Music: Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music. You can find more of his music and musings at https://www.instagram.com/in.feathers/

A warm European story about a poor traveller who enters a poor village and he shows them how to make stone soup to ease everyone's hunger. This episode might make you peckish! -Story Prescription: A story about the power of community. A story to bring hope in times of divide and ease loneliness, with a reminder that community can be formed in many different ways. _ Ways to Support this podcast: -If you have enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a rating or review as this helps others to find it. Share this podcast with your friends and on social media. You can find me on Instagram @nana.tomova or on Twitter @NanaTomova or on Facebook @NanaTomovaStoryteller . To support my work financially you can become a regular patron on Patreon, and you will receive the gift of stories and folklore. . You can also 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening. . _ Music: Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music. You can find more of his music and musings at https://www.instagram.com/in.feathers/

A hilarious and wise story from Norway about a girl riding a goat with a wooden spoon in her first. -Story Prescription: This story is helpful to redefine ideals of gender and ideals of beauty. It's a story of bravery and determination. A humorous story to ease feelings of insecurity and to embrace who you are in the world, so that your beauty may shine. A story for balance between your wild and tame side, so that your inner wildness wakes up. _ Ways to Support this podcast: -If you have enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a rating or review as this helps others to find it. Share this podcast with your friends and on social media. You can find me on Instagram @nana.tomova or on Twitter @NanaTomova or on Facebook @NanaTomovaStoryteller . To support my work financially you can become a a regular patron on Patreon, and you will receive the gift of stories and folklore. . You can also 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening. . _ Music: Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music. You can find more of his music and musings at https://www.instagram.com/in.feathers/

A beautiful, sad and hopeful story from Lincolnshire in the UK about the Moon, and people's reliance on her light. -Story Prescription: For anyone who is looking for light. For those who wish to get in touch with their intuition, and to honour their feminine nature. For those who need to know when to rest. For those people who wish to uncover what lies for them inside the bogs, and to uncover where the light has gone. For anyone who might be feeling down, or going through dark times - a story about light and hope prevailing after darkness. And for all mothers out there, who at times may sit in the darkness for those they love. -Story Caution: In this story, there are some parts which deal with violence against the Moon. If anyone has experienced physical or sexual trauma, ensure that before listening you are feeling resourced. It's such a beautiful and medicinal story - if listened at the right time for you. _ Ways to Support this podcast: -If you have enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a rating or review as this helps others to find it. Share this podcast with your friends and on social media. You can find me on Instagram @nana.tomova or on Twitter @NanaTomova or on Facebook @NanaTomovaStoryteller . To support my work financially you can become a regular patron on Patreon, and you will receive the gift of stories and folklore. . You can also 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening. . _ Music: Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music. You can find more of his music and musings at https://www.instagram.com/in.feathers/

An ethereal Japanese story about a man who saves his favourite willow tree from being cut down, and meets the woman who will become his wife under that beautiful willow. -Story Prescription: This is a story prescription for the Earth, and for anyone who would like to cherish or deepen their relationship with nature. _ Ways to Support this podcast: -If you have enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a rating or review as this helps others to find it. Share this podcast with your friends and on social media. You can find me on Instagram @nana.tomova or on Twitter @NanaTomova or on Facebook @NanaTomovaStoryteller . To support my work financially you can become a a regular patron on Patreon, and you will receive the gift of stories and folklore. . You can also 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening. . _ Music: Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music. You can find more of his music and musings at https://www.instagram.com/in.feathers/

A funny and lighthearted story from Ireland about two strange friends who go picking blackberries and it doesn't quite go according to plan! Story Prescription: For anyone who is is need of laughing kindly to themselves, if they have gotten caught up in something and forgotten why they had started on their journey. For anyone prone to having too much of a good thing, or anyone who ruminates about something over and over again. Story Caution: This story is humorous, however it does mention the topic of hanging. Munachar wants to hang his friend Manachar for he has eaten all the blackberries. If you have been affected by this in your life, then ensure that you are in a place within yourself where you are able to listen before you do so. _ Ways to Support this podcast: If you have enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a rating or review as this helps others to find it. Share this podcast with your friends and on social media. You can find me on Instagram @nana.tomova or on Twitter @NanaTomova . To support my work financially you can become a a regular patron on Patreon, and you will receive the gift of stories and folklore. . You can also 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening. . To visit the Crowdfunder page of the Mental Health Storytelling Project I spoke about in the podcast, you can click here. _ Music: Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music. You can find more of his music and musings at https://www.instagram.com/in.feathers/

In this episode, I conduct my first ever interview. It was really lovely to interview Daniel Allison for this podcast, and I will be featuring in his: House of Legends. You can find more about Daniel here: https://www.houseoflegends.me  In this episode we discuss creativity and the dance between writing stories and telling stories, how the places we live in and have a connection with influence the stories we tell. We discuss how we can be in relationship with stories more deeply, how it is important to keep them as true as possible. We talk about what wisdom we have gained from stories, and how they can encourage us to welcome life fully - all parts of it - the beauty, the sorrow, the hardship, the joy and the love. Daniel tells Duncan Williamson's beautiful Jack story called "Death in a Nut”. Duncan Willimason used to be an oral storyteller from the Scottish travelling community, and his stories have lived on and are truly special.  Story Prescription: For anyone who is finding it challenging to accept the good and the bad, the happiness and the difficulties intertwined. For anyone who is grappling with the trials of death in their house or community - whether that be of a life or an idea, a relationship, a creation. This is a light and humorous tale, and yet acknowledges something really important: Death is what keeps the world alive. Music: Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music. You can find more of his music and musings at https://www.instagram.com/in.feathers/ If you enjoy my podcast please leave a rating and a review, as this helps others to find it. To support my work, and to hear more stories you can find me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/NanaTomova.

A king has dreams he cannot decipher, and a young peasant interprets the dreams due to the help of a wise serpent  A poignant story about how we may be influenced by our surroundings more than we think. And a story about how the dreams that visit us at night might be worth listening to.  Story Prescription: For those that wish to belong, for those that have done something they regret, or for those that wish to live life differently. Music: Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music. You can find more of his music and musings at https://www.instagram.com/in.feathers/ If you enjoy my podcast please leave a rating and a review, as this helps others to find it. To support my work, and to hear more stories you can find me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/NanaTomova. You can find the Mental Health Storytelling Project Crowdfunder here and you can find out more about and join the Crowdfunder Launch Party here Story Source: Based on a Georgian folktale called "The Peasant and the Serpent" from a story collection titled Folktales from all nations;  F.H. Lee; 1931. Storyteller Hugh Lupton also tells this story by the name of "The Snake of Dreams" Image: A snake by Johan Teyler (1648-1709). Original from The Rijksmuseum.

A beautiful story from Croatia about a young ex-soldier who falls in love with the woman inside the white wolf. Story Medicine: For anyone who has lost their wild nature, or is losing their intuition. For those that are trapped somewhere where they don't wish to be or where they don't belong - either a place, or a relationship. Music: Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music. You can find more of his music and musings at https://www.instagram.com/in.feathers/ If you enjoy my podcast please leave a rating and a review, as this helps others to find it. To support my work, and to hear more stories you can find me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/NanaTomova. Episode Image: The White Wolf, by ArtistJames Corwin Fine Art

A beautiful Korean folktale about a woman who needs to bring back a whisker of a dangerous tiger in order to be healed. A medicinal story about finding your inner strength. Story Prescription: This story serves as medicine for anxiety; PTSD; finding courage; finding inner strength; facing up to your fears, and healing a relationship. Song within the story: I found a lovely little Korean lullaby called Island baby, which was written in the 1950s during Korean wartime. It was written by Han Inhyun and composed by Lee Heungyeol. Here is a translation of the lyrics of the entire song: When mama goes to the mudflats to pick oyster Baby remains alone watching the house To a lullaby the ocean sings His arms as a pillow, baby falls asleep. While baby is sleeping soundly Seagull's crying sound thobs her mind Half empty oyster basket on her head, Up the gravel road, Mama comes running home. Episode Picture: "Tiger and Cubs", ca. 1884 Artist Jean-Léon Gérôme Music: Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music. You can find more of his music and musings at https://www.instagram.com/in.feathers/ If you enjoy my podcast please leave a rating and a review, as this helps others to find it. To support my work, and to hear more stories you can find me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/NanaTomova.

King Solomon asks his trusted advisor to find him a magic ring - a ring that can make a happy person sad, and a sad person happy! A beautiful Jewish medicinal story about the magic ring that gave King Solomon even more wisdom for the rest of his ruling days. This marvelous story is very poignant for this time in particular, and can offer hope and a little ray of sunshine on dark days. Story Prescription: For anyone feeling down, or in need of some hope or good news. This healing story will do just that. If you'd like to support me and this podcast, you can do so on Patreon. There you will find many different story gifts. https://www.patreon.com/NanaTomova Music: Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music. https://www.instagram.com/in.feathers/