Today at 05.48 was the the Vernal Equinox, when the length of day and night are equal.  Although the date is often used to mark the equinox, the correct term for the whole 24 hour period is the Equilux.  At that time on this day, light and shadow are equal.

In the northern hemisphere, the equinox is often regarded as the first day of Spring, one of the inspirational influences for Igor Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring.  First performed in 1913 in Paris by the Ballet Russes, it was a complex and innovative piece.

From a musical perspective it seems very fragmented, with recurring melodic motifs that emerge from unpredictable rhythms driven by colourful dissonances.  I am always drawn to how glimpses of these fragments emerge and echo, building a wonderfully moving experience from apparent drama and tension.

In Dreamwork, we use the process of Glimpses, Fragments and Dreams to identify, connect and reflect the often fragmented motifs of an organisation’s intentions.  These fragments emerge from the shadows of unspoken drama and tension.  As they resonate and reflect they usually begin to reveal the unique nature of the organisation and where it can truly connect with purpose and potential.

Today is also World Storytelling Day, where storytellers the world over will be telling stories to audiences.  However, these stories are generally one-to-many broadcasts, rather than creating a space in which a collective story can emerge from glimpsed experiences and narrative fragments.  In some ways, this type of storytelling is like traditional folk music, whereas encouraging emergent stories from narrative fragments is like the liberating experience of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring.

Many organisations are using one to many traditional storytelling methods to communicate traditional missions and visions, but these tend to reinforce traditional command and control structures.  To truly innovate and begin to move beyond self imposed limits, they should  perhaps begin illuminating their fragmented narratives, and like the bold and visionary Stravinsky, transform their purpose into a wholly new realm of possibilities.