Everyone knows that theatre involves playing - playing different roles, changing the way we act, speak, dress, etc. But contrary to the established opinion, it is not about betraying our personality. Certainly not! Perhaps the moments we play are the moments we experience life much more fully than usual. Those who have chosen acting as their profession confess that every play helps them to discover more of their self, because they remain open to the idea that their being is not limited to only one possible expression, and is not merely a small, once-and-forever programmed individual.

Supreme Master Ching Hai is known to the world as a spiritual leader, an artist, musician, singer, and a humanitarian. But here I’d like to mention Her extraordinary presentation skills that have rarely been discussed. We are continuously amazed by Her transformations. According to the situation, country, subject, people around Her, Master chooses a suitable attitude, voice, speech, and outfit, covering all minor details. This faculty of transformation and ability to capture the surrounding atmosphere and act accordingly is one of the keys to the performing arts. Master undergoes numerous changes and does so naturally, just as children when they play and assume their parts.

Actors do their best to play their roles genuinely as they do in their daily lives. In order to maintain this quality they must always be open. The difficulty is to open and let free the parts of their selves that remain unexpressed. Thanks to acting, life seems even simpler because we never forget that it is just a game. So in a way theatre helps us not to take life too seriously, and to just play along and enjoy it. It helps us to distance ourselves from what’s happening. And Master shows us that there are so many wonderful, various, happy and fulfilling roles that we can choose and play; without necessarily always remaining the same.

Everyone plays a part on this big stage we call the world. Can’t we simply concede that God made us colorful gave us many chances to express Hirm on Earth to see how it feels! Experiencing those beautiful possibilities keeps us awake to the idea that we are closer to Hirm. And of course allows us to accept others with no judgment. There is more in us than we can imagine. Playing with this richness is being true to the gift of God!

* Sister-initiate Eva Gyurova is an actress and a researcher in Theatre Methods.

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