The way we enter into a space is often defined by the nature of the space, and the nature of a space is often defined by how we enter it. These are complementary concepts. The great actor and teacher, Michael Chekhov, often used the word “atmosphere” to discuss how a space affects us and our actions. Consider the difference in experiences between entering your own home after a long day at work and entering a bustling cafe for a first date, or between approaching a beach as the sun begins to set on a tropical island and between stepping outside a small cabin in the Alaskan wilderness in winter. Our attitudes towards these places and the events which will occur in them are just as strongly determined by their objective natures as well as by our expectations of what will happen. It is necessary for the actor to cultivate a sensitivity to the atmospheres of spaces both real and imagined, and it is necessary for us to make sure our dojo is a space that encourages the individual and the ensemble towards discovery and creation. How do we do this?
Many martial arts dojos require you to bow in a particular direction, sometimes towards a shrine, as you enter and exit the practice space, and to begin and end practice sessions with formal bowing. I won’t attempt to unpack all the layers of meaning in this bowing practice here, but I will note that it provides a moment to recognize the separation between where you were and where you are going. The bow recognizes the liminal moment and honors yourself, your fellow practitioners, your teachers, the entire lineage that precedes and will succeed you. I find this to be very similar to another idea/exercise I’ve encountered through Michael Chekhov training, “crossing the threshold.”
The exercise itself is simple. Assume a position of readiness. For me, this means standing up straight, feet below me about the same width apart as my shoulders, my head balanced lightly atop my neck, with the crown of my head directed towards the ceiling. Your joints should be soft, knees unlocked, try to allow your shoulders to release and make no more effort than is necessary to stay standing. My hands are held lightly at my sides, thumbs facing forward, as if I am ready to raise them gently and shake hands with someone or receive a gift. Let’s call this position “a state of readiness.” There is no tension in a state of readiness, but it is also not a state for rest or for zoning out. We will talk more about states of readiness later. You may take this position, enter this state of readiness whether you are standing or if you are in a chair. Hypothetically I would argue you could do it even if you are laying down. “The readiness is all,” to steal from Hamlet. It is important to understand that whatever your physical abilities are you are always able to enter this state of readiness. If you use a device to assist with mobility it does not in any way affect your ability to enter a state of readiness. This is a psycho-physical state, meaning, to a degree, that what our psychology at the moment is affects our physical experiences and what our physical experiences are affect our psychology. There is no difference between my body and my brain, these are just tokens we slap onto ourselves to try and speak of specific things at different times, when the reality is we are our bodies and our bodies are we. I will discuss the idea of “psycho-physical” and understanding ourselves in a non-dualistic state further at another time. What is key is to understand that we can use our own psychology to experience our body differently and vice versa, so that if we are experiencing sensations such as muscle tension in our shoulders which are intruding on our feeling of being capable to enter a state of readiness then we can try and center our mind, our psychology, and the body will follow. The reverse is true, and will be more useful to us as we continue to work. If you have a body, regardless of how you are experiencing it, you can act, and if you do not have a body then I am most curious how you are reading this and perhaps we can discuss it later!
Back to the exercise, crossing the threshold. Enter a state of readiness and let your vision go soft. Imagine that you are at a threshold, a doorway or something similar. One step or measure of movement forward and you will cross the threshold into a new space. Where you are in your state of readiness at this moment, this side of the threshold, is a mundane space. It is the day to day space, the space where you work and where you have a snack, where you think about your bills and your favorite sports teams. Allow yourself a moment, a pause, to experience this mundane world in a mindful way. Usually we are not mindful as we move through our mundane lives. Often we are barely paying attention to our immediate surroundings, much less the more simple workings of ambulation. It is important at this moment to pause, a pause is a rich and essential thing, and simply accept this moment in this mundane world of ours and all that attends to it. You do not need to make an inventory of worries or thoughts, I used to take time to this and have determined it is counter-intuitive. You simply need to spend a moment, paused, experiencing the mundane reality of the moment. When you are ready, and only when you truly feel ready, move forward across the threshold, leaving the mundane world and entering a richer realm of possibility. As you move across the threshold, allow your senses to sharpen their focus, take a refreshing, deep breath in and allow it to release. You may wish to make a happy sigh aloud as you do so. You have moved into fresh air, pleasant water, from a realm of gravity and physics into one where flight and miracles are possible. Maybe you wish to smile, maybe you wish to go directly to action. You should be aware of all your classmates or ensemble members, your teachers, everyone who is in the space with you, and acknowledge their presence. I don’t mean to make eye contact and nod at everyone individually or anything, simply notice who you are in the space with and notice that they have inherent dignity and artistry. You have crossed the threshold. You have, by consent, made our dojo an encouraging space of discovery and creation.
You have left the mundane.
You have entered the honored, or the sacred, the beautiful...the sublime. The space of acting. You have undertaken a consequential journey, and yet you are in the same place, practically, as you were before.