| I am currently rehearsing the role of Rosalind in | | | | comfortable to wear. If you're brave enough, |
| As You Like It with the Living Willow Community | | | | drop all the costumes and make-up and choose to |
| Company and what a gift of a part she is too; | | | | perform as the real you! |
| mercurial in her wit, passionate in her love, wise in | | | | What is even more amazing to realise, is that not |
| her understanding and active in her desire to help | | | | only are we the actor in our own play but we are |
| others. She also spends most of the play | | | | also the script-writer, director, location manager |
| pretending to be a boy which is an education in | | | | and casting agent. We choose everything that |
| itself…….. | | | | happens to us and if we don't like the way it's |
| For a long time now I have recognised the | | | | going at the moment we can effect a wholesale |
| spiritual significance of my acting hobby, aware | | | | rewrite! Just bring into focus a clear picture of |
| that becoming another person for a short time | | | | what you want to create in your life and then |
| taught me about the roles we play in life, the | | | | make it happen. It really is that simple. |
| illusions we maintain for public presentation, the | | | | A fantastic exercise to help you with this ancient |
| importance of compassion for those in different | | | | understanding (you may have heard it called |
| circumstances than ourselves and most of all our | | | | manifestation, cosmic ordering or the law of |
| incredible capacity to change and become anything | | | | attraction) is to choose a situation in your life that |
| we wish to be. I have sometimes arrived at | | | | is currently unsatisfactory for you. Now, imagine |
| rehearsal tired after a long day at work, only to | | | | that you're the director for a movie of this |
| find myself lifted by Rosalind's infectious | | | | situation and you can make the story happen |
| joyfulness as she embraces fully each moment | | | | exactly as you want it to. Where would you be? |
| life offers her. Living her story I have experienced | | | | Who would you be with (we'll allow an endless |
| that self-awareness is vital and happiness is literally | | | | supply of Jonny Depps and Sandra Bullocks for |
| a choice. She herself says to the incurably | | | | the purposes of this exercise)?! What would you |
| melancholy Jacques, "I had rather have a fool to | | | | be doing or saying? What would happen? How |
| make me merry, than experience to make me | | | | would you feel? It has been scientifically proved |
| sad." | | | | that the brain cannot differentiate between what |
| It is easier to embrace life with all its ups and | | | | is real and what is imagined so if you imagine it, |
| downs if you look at your life as a play - you the | | | | it's true! Write it all down and read it once a day |
| eternal soul are an actor in this play, and your | | | | for three weeks. It's very interesting to notice |
| personality and body are the costume you have | | | | the developments in the situation at the end of |
| adopted. The material accessories you surround | | | | this time. |
| yourself with are merely props (prop suggests | | | | The dictionary describes play as: "occupy or |
| that "things" are useful temporary supports but | | | | amuse oneself pleasantly, move freely, have fun, |
| shouldn't be permanently relied on…….perhaps | | | | romp, be flexible, join in." They sound like good |
| that's another article)! Don't like your hat? Go to | | | | ingredients for a happy life. Now, what's my next |
| the costume cupboard and find one that suits the | | | | cue? |
| character you're playing or feels more | | | | |