Essence of Acting
is Spiritual Practice

ON ACTORS & ACTING - by G.L. Horton

I've got to protest the "acting is behavior we get paid for" definition. That may be so for various businesses and professions. It does describe what is going on when an actor uses personality, looks, talent and training to lend a patina of Truth to a Lie such as "buying a new SUV will bring you power, status, love, and/or happiness".

But the art of acting is an ancient spiritual practice, a mediating priesthood, R & D for individual souls and for the Body Politic. The Truths that we imitate, discover and express serve as life lessons to the participating audience. We teach that actions have consequences, spiritual as well as material. If what we teach is wrong, that also has consequences-- for the artist, personally, as well as for the community. (8/19/2004)

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