Psychology and Spirituality Part 6

November 13, 2024

Psychology and Spirituality Part 6

Everyone seems to have a favorite actor or two. We enjoy them in whatever roles they might play. Most play a wide range of characters. For example, Jack Nicholson may play the love interest in one movie and the next, the villain: "Here's Johnny." Julia Roberts may play the love interest or a determined hero like Erin Brockovich. Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep also play a wide range of characters. Many of us feel we know our favorite actors as people, even if we have never seen them outside their roles. We are drawn to them, but what makes them our favorites?

For me, the quality of an actor's performance is determined by how believably they portray their characters. Many noted actors report that they go deep within their psyches and souls to become someone else. As we know, there are all kinds of acting coaches and schools. Whether they perform from Stanislavski’s Acting Process or the wide varieties of other acting approaches, such as Method Acting, good actors rely on their deepest emotions, body, and thought memory. These qualities are in our depths — our soul.

The believable actor evokes emotions, thoughts, and body language from their depths, where they find and express other archetypal energies. We are drawn to that actor because we resonate with their depths — their soul. After all, their soul channels the personality of the character they play. Then our soulality resonates with theirs. I believe they become a favorite actor because our souls find a connection to theirs on some level. They "act out" things that are in our depths that we may or may not be conscious of.

From antiquity, there have been plays and actors. Could it be that we humans yearn for more than only entertainment? Could it be that we yearn to see our deepest selves expressed by someone else so that we may experience aspects of ourselves that we would never have consciously known?

Spiritual practice: While watching one of your favorite actors, relax and consciously receive their performance at your depths. What about the actor's soul comes through to you beneath the character they portray? Why do their soul qualities attract you? Do you have the same qualities?

Self-inquiry: Why would you enjoy an actor's performance even if you didn't like the character they played?

Dear God,

I pray to know more about my depths and the many soul qualities I have been given. Inspire me to be aware of these qualities, dear God. Amen