HomeThe Actor's InstrumentThe Actors Instrument — Part 3

“Chakras are organizational centers for the reception, assimilation, and transmission of life-force energy. They are stepping stones between heaven and earth.” – Anodea Judith

THE ACTOR’S PRESENCE

Integration of mind, body and energy makes ‘presence’ in the actor possible. Anodea Judith (Eastern Body Western Mind) talks about two energy currents running from the ground up through the body and from consciousness down through the body. These two currents keep us grounded and aware.

There are also two horizontal currents flowing into and out of each energy center. One current of energy is for reception and one is for expression. When these are blocked we cannot play the full range of our instrument.

ENERGY AND EXPRESSION FOR THE ACTOR

Expression is a mixture of different energy centers working together in the body. For instance, when we want to express ourselves through the throat center, our ground, breath, and thoughts will help support this. When our expression is blocked we don’t experience the free flow of energy or intention. For what blocks our Chakras see the article on The Four Bodies of the Actor.

ACTOR BLOCKS AND DEFENSES

Basically the blocks are protections and defenses. Our defenses create holding patterns in our musculature that restrict the free flow of energy. We hold tension in our bodies which creates a kind of body armor.

In our Toronto Acting School, two actors in the Actor’s Instrument Class practice dissolving body armour before scene work

Body armor affects our breathing, posture and physical states, our emotional states, and our perceptions. This impacts on our creativity in a profound way. Our freedom is limited. We are out of balance in our work as actors. We are unable to fully receive. We are unable to fully express. To varying degrees, we are either deficient in how much energy our body has, which might look like someone who avoids and withdraws from stimulus. Or we are excessive in how much energy our body has and that might look like someone who talks incessantly and has difficulty listening. We can be deficient in some of our energy centers and excessive in others. We can even have a deficiency and an excess at the same time in one chakra.

The good news is that there are physical exercises an actor can do to unblock the energy centers in the body. I will offer some of these in future parts of this article. Stay tuned!

If you’d like to continue to Part 4 go here:
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All characters exist inside of you because you are connected to the “Collective Unconscious”. You are enough! Believe in that…

Cindy Tanas Actors Studio teaches acting classes for Theatre and Film in Toronto and the GTA, Collingwood and Southern Georgian Bay.