Sanity Rules!

Living in New York City is not the easiest job in the world.
You would think with so much readily accessible to us urbanites, we'd walk the planet with more ease and a little less baggage to carry around.


Lesson # 1 about New Yorkers: This is NOT the case.


Yes, we have subway cars, bodega's on every corner, a variety of bars and restaurants to choose from, the best theatre in the world, and of course delivery to and from almost anywhere. However, has anyone noticed how rare it is to see someone walking down the street in NY and actually looking at what's around them?
Usually, when I see someone doing this, I have unknowingly identified them as a tourist.

Move. Walk. Maneuver. Run. Climb. Ride......There are oh so many ways to move just as fast as the wind between skyscrapers....Knocking down almost everything it dances through. Unless that something is concrete. Some things are just that grounded.


I prefer to have a balance of both. Balance is something I strive to attain on a daily basis, but it's one of the hardest things to maintain.....especially as an actor.
Life as an actor, is like living as a pirate on a large ship sailing from one island to the next. The city is my ship, and the islands are the jobs and projects I've landed on. Constantly sailing. Constantly relocating. Sometimes adrift and sometimes docked comfortably. We live for the day.


Let me give you an idea of what a typical day is like for us pirates who are not currently on tour, on Broadway, working in summerstock, regionally, or in blockbuster films ( aka 90% of the actors in NY):


DAY 1:
- Awake at 5:30am or 6am, (make a pot of coffee: this is essential)
- Warm up/vocalize, stretch/ wake up as much as you can.
- Shower, get dressed, - Head to audition (It is now 6:30 or 7am) with a rolling cart or backpack filled with music binder, dress, heels, maybe some dance clothes or dance shoes, Normal clothes for later, snacks, a water bottle, and a book (because you will most likely be waiting 4-8 hrs before getting seen, if you are seen at all).
- Get to audition. Sign up as number 124 (where do all these people come from so early?!)
- Stay at audition or go grab a bagel until its start time at 10pm
- Mingle with your competition. (It's good to learn who youre up against).
- Wait..
- Wait some more
- Read
- Wait
- Vocalize
- Fall asleep and wait some more
- Go over monologue, go back to sleep
- Wait......
- Finally 5 hours later you get to go into the audition room and strut your stuff. You do your monologue/ and or sing, and spend exaclty 1 minute doing so.
- You leave, and go about your day (usually to a job that undermines your full potential/intelligence in order to support your life as a pirate.)




DAY 2:
Do the same thing all over again.




And so on and so forth.........


Now to live this crazy life, without actually going crazy,  it is essential to find things that ground, calm and nurture our bodies, minds and souls to remain somewhat sane. (However, I believe no actor is truly sane if they are a true actor, because insanity is a part of what makes us unique and special..... oh and able to portray a variety of characters aka depressives, bipolars, serial killers, vampires, drug addicts, mothers, abused children, disney characters, musical theatre junkies (Glee anyone?) or any of the other more interesting roles that are available to us)...


Everyone has their own unique way of remaining grounded and in balance.


For me, I have found a great love and devotion for the practice of yoga.


YOGA:
Means "union" in sanskrit. That is the union of the mind, body and spirit. The combinations of asanas (poses) with pranayama (breath), so one can practice a moving meditation. I was fortunate enough to discover yoga at an early age (15) but didn't actually understand or gain true benefit from it until I started working for a yoga studio a little over 3 years ago. Ever since, I have been hooked. There is truly nothing better than ending a day completely calm, in balance and feeling alive. And that is what yoga does for me everyime I practice it. Some people who have never done it, do not understand it. It is just one of those things you have to try for yourself. Also some people try it, and get frusterated that they arent as strong or flexible as they'd like to be, so they get insecure, scared away and give up before they have the opportunity to grow at all. Yoga is not about showing off in class, or reaching your leg as high as your neighbor's. It's about doing what feels good for you, and only you.  No one is judging you but yourself.....If you can stick to it, and remain consistent with your practice (sort of like a ritual), the benefits are endless.


I've found that when I practice yoga regularly, I...


a) Grow stronger
b) Gain more flexibility
c) Gain more confidence and belief in myself and the world
d) Eat and live healthier
e) Have less anxiety
f) Get sick less often, and have better digestive health as a whole.
g) Have more awareness
h) Have a more open heart and mind
i)  Develop a closer relationship to the divine + a more spiritual self.
j) Have less fear
k) Am happier :)


There's also always something new to learn everytime you step on the mat. One new thing I learned the other day, is that when meditating, the practice of putting your thumb over your pointer finger, with your three other fingers and palms facing up is to signify the union of the self with the divine. The thumb represents the divine and is placed over the pointer finger, which represents the ego. The divine over the ego brings more awareness to this unity.

Just the other day, I took a delightfully cleansing hot yoga class with one of my favorite teachers. I had had a stressful day at work, was being highly self critical, was full of anxiety, and my body was tight and heavy feeling.


As I made my way from one pose to another, sweat dripping down my face, I remembered my breath. I concentrated on breathing more fully and immediately found it easier to hold each pose. All the worries and self critiscms that had plagued my mind before hand, seemed to disappear without almost any effort. I completley forgot about all the things that had stressed me out before, and I felt lighter, freer and more calm than I had felt in what seemed like years.
My body was no longer tight, and the butterflies of anxiety that flew around my stomach seemed to melt away with each pose. I began to feel an openness unlike any other. All of a sudden, an intense tingling warmth came over me and filled me completely with love. I immediately thought about my family, and how I wanted to share this feeling and experience with them. How through my efforts in yoga, I could somehow manage to pass on the love and positive energy I was creating and experiencing.


I like to set an intention for each time I practice. Every time I step onto the yoga mat, I seek an intention for myself and dedicate the efforts of my practice to someone else who I feel could use the good energy. That day I had dedicated my practice to my parents, who seemed to have been developing a case of the winter blues. I hoped that my efforts would bring them more love, awareness, happiness and most of all, peace.
Within the practice of giving: to ourselves, others and our community, there is always strength to be had.

It is no secret that many actors and artists practice yoga not only for their own sanity, but for their art's. To be open, grounded, more aware and connected can only help produce better art. :)


What keeps you well balanced and grounded?