Personal Story
Have you been wondering why my blog posts are relatively short? That’s because I am a person of few words. In fact, in the 70’s I created and directed a Mime Troupe in San Diego as a traveling troupe of Lamb’s Players Theatre. So that would mean: NO WORDS. Well, you can see a sign on me, but that probably wasn’t necessary. Yes, I am the one with the signature curly hair of the 70’s.
At first we were called Hands & Feet, and later Lamb’s Players Mime Troupe. This photo was taken in the early 70’s when mime was really popular. Anyone remember Shields & Yarnell? How about Marcel Marceau? It was a comparatively short-lived trend, but it was a natural for me, since I was trained as a dancer. I loved creating invisible scenes and objects.
Less is Better
I have always believed that we learn better and understand more if we have to think; to work a little harder to visualize the story in our minds. When you see a mime trying to escape an invisible cage, you are creating the cage in your mind – and the story is being embedded in your brain. When the scene involves multiple objects, you need to keep track carefully or you will miss the story. Our mime troupe involved multiple people telling the same story – so it was imperative for us to be aware of what each other actor was doing at all times. Quite the brain exercise.
Pay Attention
Something I am learning these days is to be more mindful, more aware of what’s going on around me. I am learning to pay attention. That’s what the audience of a mime performance needs to do. And that’s what we all need to do to live more fully into the present. It’s important to be aware of what we are focusing on, what we are allowing to come into our thoughts.
Mindfulness
Another practice that is helping me live in the present is Mindfulness. Here’s another thing that can be done with NO WORDS. Just focus on the breath. It has helped me with pain relief, and with the tendency to A.D.D. There are many many resources available to learn about mindfulness, but I would be happy to share things I have found. Just contact me, or leave a message in the comments.
Back to Nature
For the next post I will get back to nature photography, but every now and then I will share a personal story. Hope you like it.
