“We must rejoice in the possession of our physical faculties. We must experience joy in the use of our hands, arms, body, etc. Without this appreciation and the realization of the body and its many possibilities, we cannot really perform as artists.”
Michael Chekhov
First question—do you possess physical faculties? My answer–duh! I do have a body, or else none of us would be here!
Second question–do you rejoice in the possession of your body? My answer…..uh!
From the ridiculous to the duh-blime, this simple little inquiry sends me to another dimension.
I hover over a carnival called my “life with a body.” Now I am sliding down a roller coaster of this body’s life. I am a Carny operator looking to milk every profitable copper cent from this thrill producing mechanism. Carny sees the thrill seekers in line for the ride on the roller coaster. The thrill seekers like my roller coaster because they get fun from anticipating the ride, screaming during it and giggling afterward. Carny sees whether the seats are empty or full and frets about the down time in between gigs, and scrutinizes those who don’t buy tickets. Why didn’t they buy? Or chats up the riders as they exit, tickling their belief that the ride was golden, worth hundreds of copper cents.
Goodness knows this darn thing better keep rolling. If not, I will have to pay attention to it. How cruel a roller coaster can be to its operator! Think of all the lost cash, unmanifest satisfaction, disapproving criticism from expectant spectators. Angry mobs demanding you deliver on your promises! Sounds just like the convention in my mind when I twist my ankle or catch the flu! Have you ever experienced that? Guilt over getting sick or even just for being over booked so your body can’t be in two places at once? It can’t be sitting in your car and at your appointment at the same time. Golly, my physical faculties are sooooo limited. Grrh–why can’t I just teleport, divide myself, be in five places around the world at once? Uh….duh…try skyping on your Iphone! Right? Yeah—pretty soon I won’t need this darn body at all.
I won’t need to every feel the soothing touch of a hug, or expose my truth with an accidental gesture of my hand. No need for my hands to do anything but txt!
As the cliché goes “All the world is a stage.” And because we perform each day and night of our life, your life will be fullest and most deeply appreciated when you experience the many possibilities of your body.
Its kind of weird that the only real education we get to operate this oh so fundamental aspect of existence-our body-the very thing that makes us human, able to feel, to know, and to do anything-is pretty much limited to how to get from point a to point b, or how to master a specific narrowly targeted skill set. These would be sports, tying shoes, painting, musical instruments. etc. But our everyday skills of walking, eating, gesturing, observing and reacting, posture, etc. are left highly undeveloped–or rather…deeply developed to reflect our personality patterns by the age of 8 or to emulate or avoid replication of our role models.
So what’s so profound about having a body? Isn’t it what we all have in common whether we act on the stage of life or as a profession? I am an actor. Of course I can not perform with out my body. When I consider my life as a human being, you can not perform without your body. Imagine how you can move as an artist of life today and please let me know what happens.
Well–I am sitting in Las Vegas at Denny’s and gotta get on the road… Will finish this in the next blog—meanwhile, here’s a little challenge for you:
Try to notice your hand and eye patterns today. What do you do to express yourself with your hands? How do you hold things? Pick them up from the top, the bottom? How do you use your thumbs. Notice how others do mundane things? What does it reveal and mask about them? About you? Where do your eyes focus in conversation? Do you actually look at the store clerk or the person passing you? Please post your observations and consider what would your life be if you had no physical faculties. Share with me what you appreciate about having physical faculties and specifically your favorite things about your body, your eyes, your hands, how you walk. Anything you want to share, I want to know.
