Bone & Bloom

Joanne Harris author of bestselling novel Chocolate. A conversation on the significance of folklore, fairy tales, & food in culture and storytelling. It explores the therapeutic role of folklore, the impact of AI on storytelling and creativity, and the emotional significance of folklore and food in modern society. We discuss the emotional disintegration of society, the disconnection with the body, the repackaging of Catholicism for a new generation, the role of stories in processing difficult experiences, the upcoming novel 'Sleepers in the Snow', and the theme of travelers and nomadic lifestyle in stories. Key takeaways include the significance of food as culture and connection, as well as the power of storytelling and its impact on processing difficult experiences.Chapters00:00 Introduction and the Meaning Behind 'Bone and Bloom'00:28 Joanne Harris's Prolific Writing Career and New Book Release01:40 The Inspiration for Writing a Prequel in the Chocolat Series02:51 Midlife, Motherhood, and Reassessing Identity04:01 The Urgency of Exploring Vianne’s Origin Story05:04 The Unanswered Mysteries of Vianne’s Birth and Heritage06:23 The Deep Educational Value of Harris’s Books on Humanity07:19 Grief, Loss, and the Human Condition in Harris’s Work08:54 Story as a Safe Space for Exploring Difficult Ideas09:28 Folklore as the Language of the Subconscious10:55 The Reinterpretation and Reworking of Fairy Tales11:54 The Relevance of Fairy Tales in the Modern World13:14 The Role of Fairy Tales in Processing Modern Fears and Monsters14:12 AI and the Threat to Human Creativity and Connection15:26 The Power of Stories to Reclaim and Rework Cultural Inheritance16:21 The Freedom to Adapt and Reimagine Fairy Tales17:10 The Evolution of Folk Ballads and Oral Traditions18:40 The Significance of Child Ballads and Their Modern Reinterpretation19:56 Maiden Mother Crone: Exploring Myth and Archetypes21:05 The Myth of the Selkie and Its Universal Themes22:49 Joanne Harris’s Upcoming Novel 'Sleepers in the Snow'47:11 A Folk Horror Ghost Story Set in North Yorkshire48:29 The Connection Between Food, Culture, and Storytelling50:35 The Nomadic Spirit and the Desire for Home52:04 The Power of Disruption and the Trickster Archetype54:26 Closing Remarks and Connecting with Joanne HarrisResourcesJoanne Harris Official Website - https://joanneharris.co.uk/Sleepers in the Snow (Upcoming Book) - https://joanneharris.co.uk/books/sleepers-in-the-snow/Maiden Mother Crone (Book) - https://www.amazon.com/Maiden-Mother-Crone-Fairy-Tales/dp/1785039274Rising Appalachia (Music Group) - https://risingappalachia.com/Joanne Harris and the Storytime Band (Music & Stories) - https://joanneharris.co.uk/music/ guest linksWebsite - https://joanneharris.co.uk/

The conversation delves into the concept of soma and somatics, exploring its meaning and significance. It also provides a historical context of the mind-body split and its impact on modern society.TakeawaysUnderstanding the concept of soma and somaticsThe historical context of the mind-body splitChapters00:00 Exploring the Concept of Soma and Somatics

Abbey Galvin and Selena Garefino discuss the practice of Katonah Yoga, its impact on flexibility and boundaries, the importance of home practice, and the exploration of self cultivation. They delve into the differences between traditional Vedic practices and the material of Taoism and Chinese Medicine as it is applied in the Katonah Yoga material, the concept of reflection and safety, and the idea of internal safety and being versus doing in the practice of yoga. The conversation delves into the importance of self-cultivation techniques, the pleasure of doing things for their own sake, and the power of deep reading and intellectual development. It also explores the role of archetypes, mythology, and the mind-body connection in personal growth. Additionally, it addresses the significance of yoga practice in troubling times, emphasizing the need for self-reflection and community building.TakeawaysKatonah Yoga is a way to mediate the polarities of practice, life, nervous system, interior, and exterior.The practice of yoga is a self-cultivation technique that allows individuals to navigate their own lives and develop their character. Self-cultivation techniques for personal growthThe importance of deep reading and intellectual developmentChapters00:00 Internal Safety and Being vs. Doing32:50 The Pleasure of Doing Things for Their Own Sake52:10 Yoga Practice in Troubling Times

In this episode, Selena Garefino, oral storyteller, anthropologist, and comparative mythologist, is joined by Sarah Mouhyddine, the FIRST woman storyteller to stand at the famous Marrakech International Storytelling Festival. In this episode, Sara and Selena discuss the origins of storytelling and its power for making meaning and holding community together as well as sharing culture. Emphasizing the therapeutic and cultural exchange present in oral story. Don't miss the film about Sara: A Marrakech Tale.For more oral story, visit Selena's substack Tracing the Golden Thread.To book your cultural experience in Marrakech, reach out to Cultural Caravans and be sure to mention this episode.

I'm thrilled to introduce Michael McRay a dear friend, storyteller, podcast host, coach, speaker, and author. In this episode we're discussing narrative intelligence (the stories that shape our lives), restorying (owning and shaping our stories), and rekindling our relationship with our wild selves. Michael McRay is a nationally recognized storytelling expert, experiential coach, and keynote speaker who helps people and organizations become better stories. He’s founder of Becoming Restoried, a life-story coaching practice rooted in experiential healing and conflict transformation, and the host of Tenx9 Nashville (“ten by nine”), the city’s longest-running monthly storytelling event with over 1,000 stories told across nearly 12 years. He currently heads up the Istoria Institute, a global hub for narrative intelligence, where’s pioneered two new narrative certification programs, including in Experiential Narrative Practice. Michael is the award-winning author of I Am Not Your Enemy and the forthcoming book The Wild Way: Navigating the Space Between the Old Story and the New (October 2025). Michael's storywork has been sought after from the likes of NASA, TEDx, Cisco, Accenture, and more. He lives in Nashville with his son and a deep love for wonder, words, and the wild.