Self Exploration

I one time had a dear director friend of mine say that the best acting class was therapy. 
I could not agree more.

You are only ever using yourself when you work. 
Your truth is the character's truth, and your blocks--if you don't understand them and release them--will naturally become your character's blocks. 
How could you possibly portray someone else if you aren't in touch with yourself?

Any good training is built on the tenants of truth, and the understanding of that truth must begin with understanding your own truth. This involves a lot of self exploration. 

We have to trust that what is inside of us is not only enough, it is also all there is.
It is needed, it is critical, it is crucial.
But we spend so much of our lives hiding these things inside of ourselves, covering it up because we're ashamed. But being an artist is about mining those things out, excavating those things, digging through layers and layers of habits and shame in order to pull it out and bring it to light.

We spend so much time thinking that we're turning into other characters, when really all along, we're just turning more into ourselves.

It is about finding our journey within the character's journey, or maybe it's finding the character's journey within our own. But it's all the same. Whether you're an actor, a writer, visual artist, a songwriter, the process is always the same, even though the medium is different. The journey is about taking away layers of self protection, not adding on layers of falseness. 

"Knowing your own darkness is the best method for dealing with the darkness of other people."
​-Jung