Mindful Questions By Jayme Wojciechowskis POV: Los Angeles As I write this, I am also in the process of launching a blog exploring the connection between art, mindfulness, and empathy. The blog consists of a series of interviews I have been doing over the past year with all sorts of artists about the role of mindfulness in their craft. So, what is mindfulness? For me, mindfulness is the ability to be seamlessly present with experience. As actors, we often hear it described as being in the moment. How many times have you heard a coach tell actors to be in the moment? I have heard it hundreds of times from almost every coach I have come in contact with, yet very few of them have been able to actually explain what it means or how you go about doing it. As an actor who has also been a mindfulness practitioner for many years now, I believe that one of the key elements of mindfulness in acting comes down to where we choose to focus our thoughts. If you are auditioning or performing and your focus is on achieving some sort of outcome, such as wanting to impress someone, or wanting to book the job, or wondering what a casting director wants, or any of the many other self-deprecating actor thoughts, you are cutting yourself off from the moment. How can you expect to be present and playful and creative when you are putting yourself in a place of need and fear? We focus on these negative thought patterns, and then we wonder why we are so unhappy and overcome with what Bonnie Gillespie calls bitter actor syndrome. So how do we overcome this critical, results-oriented thinking that is so ingrained in our being? I always recommend meditation, yoga and other mindfulness practices as a way to deepen our understanding and control of being present in the moment. Meditation and yoga teach us to let go of expectation and desire so that we can be in the now without any distractions from our mind. These practices are absolutely wonderful at cultivating this ability, but they can take years to truly master. When I recommend meditation or yoga to a fellow actor, their response is often, Meditation is great and all, but I need to be in the moment right now. Well, no one becomes a master at anything overnight, but we can all begin to plant seeds of mindfulness by simply training ourselves to ask different types of questions. The two most important questions I have begun asking myself are: What did I love most about my work/experience? And: How much fun did I have/am I having? After an audition or a performance, stop questioning all the things that went wrong or all the things you would have done differently if you were able to do it again. Instead, begin asking yourself what you loved most about your work and experience. This question makes all the difference--it puts us in a positive and creative place instead of a negative and self-deprecating one. From this place, we can develop an appreciation of self-worth and begin to celebrate the strengths and gifts we have to offer. Another mindset that is important to correct is a need to be validated by others. Stop basing your self-worth on how friendly a casting director is, or how much you make your audience laugh, or how much time you are given in the room. Instead, base your self-worth on how much joy and passion you feel from being present while you are doing your craft. In my current acting class at Warner Loughlin Studios, we are often asked, on a scale from 1 to 10, How much fun did you just have doing your scene? Once the actor answers, the coach then asks the rest of the class how much fun they had watching that scene. THE NUMBER IS ALWAYS THE SAME. When the actor feels they had a ten worth of fun, so did their audience. When the actor had a three worth of fun, their performance came off as a three. When we as actors allow ourselves to let go and just experience the journey--so that we actually enjoy the process without attachment to some sort of outcome--we share that open and present experience with others. If we come from a place of joy--where our focus is on having fun and simply expressing ourselves--it doesnt matter if we book the job or get the best reviews. We have shared our joy with others, and are left feeling fulfilled and happy. This is my definition of success. It is as simple as choosing to be happy and spreading that joy to others. I also suggest letting these questions filter into every aspect of your life. I know so many actors who are not only incredibly critical of themselves, but also unapologetically critical of others. When you see a movie, do you first look for everything that you think is wrong with it, or do you allow yourself to enjoy the experience and go for the ride no matter where it takes you? It really is a choice, and it is a choice that can change your life. Once we are open to the journey instead of critical of it, we open ourselves up to limitless possibilities. Everything becomes a creative journey we can experience and grow from. I know this is all much easier said than done, but I challenge you to begin making this mindset a daily practice. When it is most challenging, fight even harder to stay positive and open--that is when real discovery happens. I leave you with this quote by Charles Horton Cooley: An artist cannot fail. It is a success just to be one. Thank you, Jayme! This is great, and you know Im a big fan of owning our *choices* in all things. The muscle for criticism is one that we can all let atrophy without negative consequence, I believe. Thank you for this reminder about the importance of mindfulness in a creative career, and good luck with the launch of empacting! About Jayme Wojciechowski Jayme Wojciechowski is an actor and mindfulness practitioner. He is also the creator of empacting, a new blog exploring the relationship between art, mindfulness, and empathy. Check out Jaymes website at jaymewoj and follow him at twitter/jaymewoj. Bonnie Gillespie is living her dreams by helping others figure out how to live theirs. Got a question, some feedback, or a great tip to share with the world? Email showfaxbon@gmail. Follow Bonnie on Twitter, circle up at Google+, subscribe at YouTube, download THE WORK podcast at iTunes, or hit like at the Facebook. For cool weekly emails from Bon and a free MP3, opt on in. Looking for Self-Management for Actors coaching? START HERE! Yay!
Posted on: Sat, 03 Jan 2015 01:04:56 +0000
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