Opening Image
You Are a the Storyteller
ACT ONE | BODY / EARTH
You are the narrator of your life's story
We begin our journey with this simple yet profound beat - you are a story - literally and figuratively.
You must accept this towering truth for this methodology to work :)
In this first beat of our journey home, we assume that are born into life in a state of forgetfulness with our own built-in life's journey that is designed to wake us up so we can remember our true nature.
In the opening image beat, you are encouraged to get creative and choose the first moment you wish to explore in your writing... a moment that will set the tone for the rest of our 12 Beats journey.
Why did I call it "Opening Image"? I couldn’t resist but to pay homage to Hollywood's screenwriters.
The "opening image" of any movie, tv show or even a book is "the hook" and the setup for the tone and the feeling for the entire movie and story.
As a matter of fact, if you really want to get fancy, a great story will have the opening image mirror the final image... think about that for a minute, in the context of your life!
So, before we get too deep and heavy into your damn healing & self-realization journey, let's remember that what we are really doing here together, in this work is learning how to tell better stories!
That's right, the intention of our work together is to decode your journey, uncover some nuggets and have fun in allowing the deeper story to emerge so you can allow it to be told naturally and organically and without forcing anything.
So when you think of your opening image, don't get too bogged down - don't overlook the obvious!
reminder: pick & choose one Primary Relationship to initially work with when you go through the 12 beats!
Suggestions -
You can obviously look at your early childhood and choose a defining moment, especially in the context of your chosen Primary Relationship we are working with...
You can also choose any moment from later on in your life's journey that will capture the dramatic choice you might face during act 3 or 4. Many of today's books and movies start off with a moment of great tension closer to the climax of the story - just to hook us, and then backup and tell the story.
Your call, your choice, your creative freedom here... as long that you do it consciously.
The real aha-moments happen in the writing itself, so right now you are just picking a moment, a story, an event, a moment of choice and you just write a few words down on the Beat Sheet, and as you write you full paragraph, page or chapter later - you will know if that's the actual opening image you'll be working with or choose another one.
Again: the opening image doesn't have to be dramatic - it's any moment, event or even an idea that represent the story you are telling - in particular to one of the Primary Relationships.
So, have you picked a Primary Relationship to work with? I know I keep reminding you to do so... because the 12 beats is much easier to work with when you pick one theme to work with.... at least at first.
Ask yourself this:
If you were hired to make a movie or a netflix series about your life with that Relationship as the theme of the movie, what would the opening image be?
I'll say it again: you can obviously choose a dramatic moment from later - deep into your story, just as a hook, a teaser for your self-realization journey...
Whatever you choose - make sure you are having creative fun with this process.
Got it? I hope so.
Ask Yourself: Netflix just purchased the rights for your book and they are asking you to choose the opening scene for the Pilot - something that will tell the viewer of what's about to unfold on their screens...
This work is not not about telling interesting, thrilling stories - what it is really about is uncovering the rhythm of transformation.
Are you starting to get the idea?
In the next beat, we will explore our motivation for change in the first place...
Last modified 9mo ago