Belonging and the Stories We Live By: Myth, Self-Narrative, and Spiritual Quest in Community

Publication information:

Garvanne, Eric. 2026. “Belonging and the Stories We Live By: Myth, Self-Narrative, and Spiritual Quest in Community.” in Belonging: Practices of Inclusion in Spiritual Communities, the Academy, and Society. Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA: Harvard Divinity School: Program for the Evolution of Spirituality.

Abstract

"Belonging and the Stories We Live By" is an experiential workshop that explores belonging as a process of narrative transformation shaped by myth, spirituality, and community. Belonging is not only something we find in communities, but something we learn to inhabit within our own stories. Drawing on research on self-narrative construction, the brain’s Default Mode Network—a neural system that supports self-reflection and meaning-making—and Spiritual Quest, participants will engage in a guided myth-based practice adapted from The Alchemy Method™ facilitation. Through storytelling, reflective writing, and circle-based dialogue, participants will explore how personal and communal narratives shape identity, meaning, and a sense of belonging.

Presenter Biography

Eric Garvanne is a researcher, writer, and program facilitator specializing in the integration of psychology and spirituality. He's currently exploring how myth, spirituality, and neuroscience shape identity and belonging. As a facilitator with Alchemy, Inc., he leads myth-based group experiences that support narrative transformation and meaning-making.