A Blimp from the Blue: Using The Kishōtenketsu Story Structure as an Antidote to the Hero’s Journey (with Kendra Patterson)

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Stories have sat at the heart of human cultures throughout history. We use them as sources of entertainment, information, and education. They help us develop, stay safe, and understand ourselves and our world.

Culture influences the stories we tell, and the way we tell stories shapes culture. But it’s not just the content of these stories that matters. Their structure impacts how we relate to ourselves and other people, our worldviews, and our personal values.

So what happens when a culture’s prevailing approach to telling stories is infused with toxic features? How does that negatively impact people’s perceptions of themselves and their lives? How can we tell our stories in ways that heal rather than harm?

These questions gave rise to this Courtyard Workshop with Kendra Patterson.

Kishōtenketsu: An Antidote To The Toxicity of The Hero’s Journey

Kendra is an author, social scientist, and presenter of Stepping Off Now, a podcast about doing creativity your own way. She recently shared a fascinating episode about the calming effects of Kishōtenketsu, a Japanese narrative structure distinct from the three-act structure typical of Western storytelling.

I was listening in my car, broken down on the side of a busy road at the time. The episode helped me in that moment. It was comforting, inspiring, and a catalyst for a deep surge of creative energy. In fact, it put words to something that’s been on my mind for many years: why so many of our stories (or our readings/interpretations of them) revolve around big conflict, division, destinies, and the elevation of individual heroes (and villains).

Kishōtenketsu integrates reality and explores meaningful paths within the ordinary quietness and mundane happenings of everyday life. By contrast, the hero’s journey requires conflict with reality and uses the external world (successfully slaying goals, acquiring objects, overcoming obstacles) as the source of life’s meaning.

Our Common Cultural Story Structures Impact:

• How we decide what to do and why
• Our capacity for integrating unexpected events, situations, and invitations
• Collective values, assumptions, and judgements about human worth

When Kendra and I first chatted about this topic, it occurred to us that we might not be alone in our desire for an alternative to the toxicity of the hero’s journey. So, we created space to explore it with others.

In this 90-minute workshop we started to consider how to use the Kishotenketsu story structure to develop a healthier and more balanced relationship with life’s twists and turns. The workshop included short talks, reflective exercises, and group discussion. 

Session Replay

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