We also say that the soul is in the eyes…
And we know, we damn well know that Meisner, for instance, is trying to teach you how to listen and how to see (to perceive), especially in the foundation of his technique. Do I agree with the way of implementation? Yes and no, but that’s not the subject of this small think-rant.
One will find gold in old texts…
In Matthew 6:22-23, it reads:
22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness.
My God, in Greek, it is so much better…
22 «Τὸ λυχνάρι τοῦ σώματος εἶναι τὸ μάτι. Ἐὰν τὸ μάτι σου εἶναι ὑγιές, ὅλον σου τὸ σῶμα θὰ εἶναι φωτεινόν. 23 Ἐὰν ὅμως τὸ μάτι σου ἀσθενῇ, τότε ὅλον τὸ σῶμά σου θὰ εἶναι σκοτεινόν.
I love this verse… because it’s not just about listening, it’s not just about observing…. it is about admitting in. LETTING IN. Sometimes it is about removing the eye completely and letting whatever is opposite you drop into your soul immediately.
Is it possible for the actor to really see? To really admit in…
“LET IT IN,” said Demidov, and then he asked, “is it pleasant or unpleasant?”, “do you like it or do you not like it?” Maybe you hate it!
But to let something in, we must first lose that protective membrane that is on our eyes. It is always there as a defense mechanism, as a protective dam that doesn’t allow whatever the object of your attention is to reach your soul. Can I lose that protection? Can I admit?
Yes, you can, by dissolving the membrane, dissolving the eye itself, and letting whatever is opposite you reach your soul! Maybe it is the text… maybe it is your partner, maybe a behavior or a look. ADMIT, AND GET OUT OF THE WAY.
