August 2025 Newsletter
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We need volunteers! A successful festival isn’t just about the stories told on stage — it’s also about the dedicated team working behind the scenes.
That’s where you come in!
We’re inviting warm-hearted volunteers to help make each session smooth, welcoming, and memorable.
As a volunteer, you may assist with:
? Ushering guests
? Supporting activities
? Guiding attendees
? General event support
?Volunteers are expected to arrive 30 minutes before and stay 30 minutes after each session for setup and teardown.
Whether you’re giving back, meeting new people, or simply love the buzz of live events — we’d love to have you with us!
The magic spreads beyond the shores of Singapore — from 1–5 September, 4:00–4:50pm (SGT), we’re offering 5 days of free online storytelling that anyone around the world can enjoy.
Students in classrooms are especially welcome to join us live
The 11th Storytelling Festival 2025 – Shine Bright Like a Diamond!
Great news!Most of our on-site sessions for the 398.2 Storytelling Festival are sold out ?We’re so thankful for the strong support and excited for what’s ahead!
Events in Singapore & Around the World
Step into a world where branches whisper secrets, roots remember the past, and leaves carry the breath of legends. ‘The Stories Trees Tell’ will be a storytelling session that celebrates the timeless presence of trees in our lives, cultures, and imaginations.
From ancient myths of sacred groves and folktales where trees speak, to legendary trees that witnessed history unfold, there will be tales from around the world. You’ll hear stories of magic trees that grant wishes, trees that connect the earth and sky, and personal memories where a tree became a silent witness to love, loss, or transformation.
If you would like to tell a prepared story of 5-6 minutes email Christine Carlton at storyaus@gmail.com to be put on the list to tell a short story about trees. The stories are told, not read.
This is a free online event organised by the Australian Storytelling Guild (NSW) Come as a listener or teller. All welcome.
Wednesday, 20th August 2025 – 5.20 pm SGT
Register on Humanitix for your free link.
The aim of the workshop is to enhance the participant’s storytelling performance skills with alternative use of language, voice, music and other simple techniques intended to bring a new level of interest and intensity to their practice.
Colin Urwin will guide participants through a series of applied exercises and discussions, and he will share some tried and tested methods that he regularly incorporates into his dynamic and engaging performances.
Click here to find out more and to register
FEAST has numerous events (some free and some for a small fee) every month. To find out more about FEAST or to become a member go to their
Thursday, August 14th 2025, 7:00 am SGT
Listening is one of our super powers. Through deep listening we go beyond hearing what is being said, and our own reactions. We open to sensing an entire universe of meaning and presence that nurtures intelligence and kindness. We are living in difficult times. Practicing this innate and profound skill of listening without bias, supports our lives, the natural world, and expands our storytelling.
Email for details – Lani@lani.peterson.com or jyotirider@gmail.com
Through our life journey we face challenges that can reveal to us who we are in our depths. In this series of seven virtual story exploration sessions, participants wil revisit key stories of their lives through the Tree of Life model.
Together, we will rediscover who we are through the stories we have lived and now tell, gaining deeper insight into the experience, strengths, and values that have shaped who we are. As in any process of self-discovery, all the wisdom we need is already within. Exploring our stories is a process of remembering oneself. Come join us as we explore our stories through the Tree of Life.
Friendship-Cherry on top of our relationships!
30th July was International Friendship Day!
What is friendship? I have pondered this statement often, but I have not found any definite answers.
Friendships, like most other relationships, need nurturing, a little humility and a panoply of qualities for it to thrive and survive.
I then tried remembering stories of friendship that I heard growing up and a couple of stories stood out for me, that of Krishna and Sudama as well as The Four Friends from The Panchatantra. May we all be blessed with such meaningful friendships.
“Atithi Devo Bhava” is a Sanskrit phrase that I grew up hearing. It means, “Guests are Gods” and friends are usually those special guests.
Friendship Day is incomplete without reflecting on the story of Krishna and Sudama.
“Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art…It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things which give value to survival.” ~ C. S. Lewis
Childhood Friendships
Krishna and Sudama went to the same Gurukul (school) and under the guidance and tutelage of Guru Sandipini they spent their childhood, learning, exploring and gathering all the knowledge they could. Their friendship blossomed and soon they were inseparable.
At the hermitage their financial or social status did not matter. The lottery of their birth had nothing to do with the education they received. Meritocracy was upheld at the gurukul.
Sudama was born into a poor family whereas Krishna belonged to a royal family. Their friendship thrived over the years and withstood the test of their status.
They graduated from the gurukul and each one went his way. Of course, they did hope to meet and be in touch, as without phones and WhatsApp, physical meeting was their only option. Krishna became the King of Dwarka, and Sudama became a priest at a local temple.
One day, Sudama set out with a lot of trepidation to Dwarka to meet his childhood friend, Krishna.
He packed a little beaten rice in a cloth bundle and set out. “Will Krishna still relish beaten rice as he did when he was little? Will I be allowed into the palace or chased away?” With innumerable such thoughts churning in his mind, Sudama after several days of travel stood in front of the palace gates.
Hesitatingly, Sudama approached one of the guards and said he was Krishna’s childhood friend and wished to meet up with Krishna. A chorus of laughter erupted, however amidst the din there was one person who sent a message and informed Krishna about the arrival of a man named Sudama claiming to be his childhood friend.
On hearing the name Sudama, Krishna rushed to the gate eager to meet his friend and relive a small part of his childhood and those carefree years which would never return.
In the meantime, Sudama turned to leave rather than put Krishna on the spot. Krishna rushed to the palace gates, went after Sudama and instinctively hugged him, and nothing else seemed to matter except the joy of meeting his dear friend. His torn clothes, his bare feet, nothing came in the way.
Hand in hand, the two of them, amidst laughter and chatter walked towards the grand palace.
As was the custom, Krishna washed Sudama’s feet with his hands offering Godlike treatment to him.
Krishna then showed Sudama to his room, offered him a change of clothes and asked him to make himself comfortable before they could head for some refreshments. Sudama was crying seeing such unexpected royal treatment by his friend Krishna.
After food and refreshments, Krishna and Sudama relaxed and discussed their days of yore.
Suddenly, Krishna noticed a small cloth bag with Sudama and exclaimed with joy! “What is that you are hiding from me?”
Sudama squirmed uncomfortably as he felt his gift was too inconsequential for the King of Dwarka.
Krishna reached out and accepted the gift of beaten rice with much warmth and both recalled innumerable tales of how beaten rice was savoured by them during their long and tiring journeys through the forest. Krishna said that to date, it was indeed one of his favourite snacks and the one that Sudama pounded tasted the best.
After spending a few days with Krishna and enjoying his hospitality, it was time for Sudama to go back with a promise to meet again.
Sudama left the palace with a renewed sense of devotion to friendship.
That day, at the palace gates of Dwarka, friendship broke all barriers and was embraced for its simple pleasures.
“Friendship is the hardest thing in the world to explain. It’s not something you learn in school. But if you haven’t learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven’t learned anything.” ~ Muhammad Ali