Those of us who are Master’s lay practitioners still work in the world and inevitably face the question of how our daily profession or job can be useful or helpful to others. Of course the noble ideals behind certain professions such as physician, humanitarian worker and teacher are obvious. But other activities are also driven by a conscious or unconscious desire to master ourselves and better realize our God Nature, thereby enabling us to serve others more effectively.

The creative power that inspires us to express ourselves through artistic work is one example of this process. Art not only teaches us to love beauty and harmony, but also makes us aspire to understand ourselves and realize our hidden capacities. The arts of acting and dancing have long held an allure for me, but I never understood why. Then, after spending time on stage and in dance studios, I gradually discovered at least part of the answer.

While dancing or acting, performers more fully and consciously use the body, mind and soul, and are obliged to pay attention to qualities within and outside themselves that might otherwise be neglected in the course of daily life. Moreover, some of the best actors have confessed that while performing they have had out-of-body experiences. And through these experiences of witnessing themselves rather than performing self-consciously, they have learned to observe and use their physical forms more objectively, realizing that there is another power above the bodily aspect of human existence.

 Renowned theatre figures have developed techniques that allow this creative process to be emulated and many acting teachers also speak of extending one’s awareness beyond the physical body. The basic principle is that the more concentration one applies to an object or figure outside of oneself, the bigger one’s awareness becomes. Some call this an “expanded body” while others call it a “dilated body.” But the important point is that it causes the artistic performer to become much more conscious, open and understanding of his or her surroundings.  

Having applied some of these techniques and principles myself in acting and dance, I have also experienced this fantastic feeling of “supra-normal” awareness. Such situations allow one to lose all thoughts of one’s personal problems and break free of habitual behavior patterns so as to perceive many possibilities of change for the better. This occurs because by seeing oneself from the outside one can gain better control over oneself, and thus the performing arts can be a great tool for overcoming the ego.  

Of course our Master has taken the chance to teach us about this process, most recently in Her Hungary videotapes, where She discusses how important it is for us to consider the people and environment around us. Master says that each time we try to understand and help others, the act of reaching out to them causes us to expand. Thus, little by little, we learn to become bigger and greater. In addition, our ideals become nobler because we are able to observe the world from a more expanded perspective and are no longer limited to only our own body or personal concerns. And what more perfect example could there be of this phenomenon than our Master? Looking at Her we see a Being who radiates love and blessing energy to every corner of the Universe, to every single creature within it.

* Sister Eva Gyurova is an actress and PhD researcher.