The Washerwoman and the Lord’s Ring

The washerwoman and the Lord’s ring is a powerful story of lost innocence reclaimed. We all come into the world “trailing clouds of glory” as Wordsworth wrote, able to perceive the world as a miracle, something perfect and ever fresh.

But life’s daily grind, and the challenges we face, and the traumas we experience, all cause us to close down and lose touch with our capacity to wonder and marvel at the beauty of life.

This story tells of how an old washerwoman, racked all her life with a sense of guilt and failure, rediscovers her lost innocence through a strange sequence of events beginning with the loss of a ring belonging to the Lord of the manor.

Storytelling has the power to draw us back down inside ourselves, reconnecting us with what is most essential, enabling us to recover what we have forgotten.

The evening will be a evocative mix of story and music. Leo Sofer has been a storyteller for over thirty years and has told many thousands of stories, in schools, arts venues, and in diverse settings all over the world. Sundara Sofer has been a musician for even longer and will be playing the handpan, a new and magical instrument that instantly transports its listeners into the story-realms!

“I thank you from the depths of my heart for this story! I have listened to it at least a dozen times in less than a week. I am absorbing the energy of the protagonist, and recognizing the truth that in many ways I have already come to be like him. I am deeply grateful to have this conveyed so beautifully in this simple, deep, rich way.” – Janet Dhaenens

Leo also writes stories, and his regular blog can be found at Stories of the Journey Home.

“I have LOVED your blog ever since I found it. Thank you! For all you do and are. I find that your stories truly transport me to another place inside, where I find an answer that I often didn’t know I was seeking. So important in our world.” – Corva Rose

Storytelling is as old as language and is one of humanity’s most ancient way of sharing what is most mysterious and unexplainable in life. Shamans have usually been storytellers too, using powerful and unusual symbols to bring to life the inner world that we all share. The metaphors in some of the oldest stories in our culture, from the Bible, from the myths and folk tales of our pagan roots, have the power to remind us that we are more than the surface personalities that the world takes us to be. Stories are a gentle yet persuasive way of reminding us that we are always immersed in beauty and mystery, and quite what we are here for is not certain!

If you long to be less sure of your reality, to let the unknown pull you by the hand and lead you deeper inside, then come and share this evening of powerful words and music with us. There will be lots of candles in the darkened space, and just as our ancestors did for thousands of years, we’ll sit together and dream into the mystery of who we might be, and what our world might become.

“Incredible story Leo, really emphasizes getting out of our own way, of how we co-create with the universe and how we are all connected even to that place of spirit. I know this story has planted seeds and it will go deeper as time goes on, I look forward to your next story!” – Brian

Online booking for this event is now closed, but tickets can be purchased on the door.