It comes
naturally to scream, swear or cry when someone hurts you physically, whether it
is on purpose or by accident. It is a reflex. You would think that the same
should go for when someone hurts your feelings. Some people do show their
reflex when this happens and I say good for them. What happens to me in real
life and I think for many of you is that we go up in our heads and we try to
figure out how to behave when it happens. I don't think I am the only one who
after a while in such a situations, when it is too late, comes up with
something brilliant to say but then the moment is of course already gone.
Wouldn't
it be nice if that reflex actually kicked in and you could land that brilliant
reply that will make the other person's chin drop, once in a while? If you pinch
me I will ouch. 'The pinch and the ouch' is part of the Meisner technique and
one of many reasons why I cannot get enough of it. In class we are provided
with a safe environment where we learn to listen and answer truthfully and where
the opposite of being truthful is being polite. We learn not to go up into our heads
trying to figure out what a civilized person would do. We learn to trust the
impulse and just react to what we get from the person in front
of us, in the moment. Reacting on your instinct, showing truthful behavior and
listening to the other person, I find essential elements if you want to become a
good actor. For most of us this takes time.
We have spent
years trying to fit in to all kinds of social situations that very often
include taking shit from people around us. I
think the word school says enough. It is not so strange that we have learned to
restrain some of our emotions.
It has become
instinct to deflect behavior from other people. For me it is often harder to
connect to compliments from others compared to when the other person is being mean.
The other person says "You're cute" and really means it and all of a
sudden there is a big glass wall in front of me. And that deflecting smile that
has become a mechanism for me spreads like an ugly grin on my face and I panic
a bit. There I am, served with first class behavior on a silver plate and I am
totally blocked. "That should have gone up our ass a mile!" my
teacher used to say and then laugh with the greatest smile. I hope she
forgives me for quoting her here. I know that was not language that she used
outside of class but it was so to the point and we all understood exactly what
she meant.
We all struggle
with being on the receiving end of other peoples behavior in different ways, facing different
kind of behavior in different ways. So we get pinched again and again until we learn how to ouch.
Very true indeed! We must reclaim our inner truth and honour it. Conventions and conformism only get you so far (not very, basically). So, it seems to me that Meisner doesn't just make for better actors, but also for better people.
ReplyDeleteLina, has it occurred to you that you might already know a lot about this? I'm not saying you shouldn't go to New York (which sounds like an amazing adventure), but that you can practice here, every day.
I had a fantastic Chi Kung teacher when I lived in London. When I was about to move to Amsterdam and knew I would not be able to go to his lessons anymore, he told me to 'remember it when I was walking'. Perhaps the same applies to you. <3
It makes you a better person, at least that is my experience. I know a lot but I have so much more to learn. And you need to be in a group with a teachter who knows what he/she is talking about (at least when you are at my level). I wish it was something I could pratice everyday at home. One thing I can do is improve what I have already learned about myself. Then I think it will be even more fun next time I get up in the chair to repeat. ♥
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