See Tom’s bio, photo, and Part 1 of this Q&A.
Q: What people or entities have been most influential to you in your story work and why?
A: I have been blessed with so many remarkable people who have shaped my life.
Here’s a short list of the most influential people who helped me open my eyes and discover new dimensions in my mind, heart and soul. All these remarkable people have influenced my story work by the very nature of who they are.
How did they influence me? They taught me to question. Question reality, my purpose, my work, my legacy. They taught me to push and not settle for “good” or “average.” For that, I am thankful.
Ira is a magical storyteller. Pure genius. Ira hosts This American Life on NPR. In addition, This American Life on Showtime continues Ira’s storytelling format for television with short “slice of life” stories from around America. Believe me, the stories Ira discovers and captures are extraordinary.
His ability to ask questions that few dare to ask is what inspires me most about his work. Sometimes I’ll watch his DVD before I film an upcoming interview to remind myself how powerful great questions can be in getting to the heart of a story.
From the time I read Seth’s first book, All Marketers Are Liars, I was instantly hooked!
I’ve read every single book from Seth because he’s like a modern day
Columbus; he discovers AND creates new territory before almost anyone else. Seth’s marketing/business background often crosses over into the psychology of why we do what we do. Seth presents different angles into how life works so few others are capable of doing.
Errol is my favorite filmmaker. Period.
Errol Morris is the Oscar-winning director of “The Fog of War.”
Like Ira Glass, his inquisitive nature is apparent when he interviews his people. Sometimes we hear his questions off-mic while the camera is rolling.
The camera zooms in capturing a close-up of the person; sometimes thinking, sometimes laughing, sometimes confused.
I enjoy Morris’s inquisitiveness into the nature of the people he films.
I love Michael’s ability to take a simple point, sometimes an abstract idea
or concept, and capture it on film in a scene that allows us to “get it” immediately. I think he’s a master at metaphorical storytelling. To me, that’s his greatest gift as a director.
My world totally flipped when I met Fr. Ben Wren at Loyola University in New Orleans, LA.
A Zen Master? A Jesuit priest? At the same time? Is that even possible? Indeed, it is!
Not only that, Ben taught several classes in Zen. Of course, I took every Zen class and from that time in 1977 till now, meditation has become my daily foundation.
Ben quickly became a friend I could count on at any time of day for anything.
While studying under Ben, Eastern philosophy and spirituality absorbed every spare minute I had.
I practiced Zen meditation, kundalini and hatha yoga, tai chi. I read Alan Watts, the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita. I couldn’t read enough of these ancient teachings.
My soul was happy. I was being filled with experiences I always longed for but didn’t know where to look. These disciplines pointed to realities beyond our everyday senses. These teachings began answering the many questions I had about the deeper underlying truths about the nature of reality.
Ben was the first person to open my eyes and mind and show me there’s more to life that what we see in front of us. He passed away in 2006 from lung cancer.
While at Loyola, Ben pointed me to Bede Griffiths, the next most influential person in my life.
I first met Bede in 1979 while in New Orleans. It was Bede’s first visit to America from India. This was my introduction to Hinduism, the Upanishads and the Vedas. I finally felt at home.
Bede Griffiths was a Hindu-Christian sannyasi; a monk, a holy man.
Bede left England while still young and spent most of his life in southern India. While there, he headed up an ashram; the East’s version of a monastery, welcoming everyone of all faiths. The ashram is still very popular to this day.
I was immediately attracted to Bede. If you’ve never been in the presence of a saint, it’s extremely hard to put in words. It’s life changing.
Since Bede’s first visit to America, I had the good fortune to see him many times after that when he returned to the States. My days were spent listening to his teachings, meditating with a community and exploring new ideas. I can’t imagine my life without having met Bede.
Bede passed away in 1993 but his holistic teachings are close to my heart.
If you want to see a current master storyteller, look no further. For me, it is Deepak Chopra. I can’t think of a contemporary teacher who pushes, challenges and integrates cutting-edge concepts for the lay person to easily access any more than Deepak.
A great storyteller will grab your full attention without you even noticing
it. Weaving poems from Rumi, quantum physics, science and breakthrough medical findings into his seminars, Deepak can hold your attention for hours at a time. And you never look at your watch.
I have spent many days in Deepak’s presence and can tell you this with full certainty; every time I see him, I’m more impressed. He answers everybody’s questions. He spends time with those needing it.
I start seeing the inter-connectedness of life when I read Deepak’s words and attend his seminars. I’m whole again. I’m reminded of my purpose in life.
- My parents