A New Day

I've been having a whole lot of thoughts this past week and I don't know if I'm ready to put them into words yet, but this video gives me the chills and makes me so freakin excited to be alive. So I thought I'd share.

Entelechy

My mom recently passed along to me Ellen Burstyn's autobiography, Lessons in Becoming Myself which I've really been enjoying. Early on in the book, she talks about the Aristotelian concept of entelechy as "the realization of the full potential of the being already present in the seed...the idea that there is a life force in each of us pulling us toward who we really are."

I like this idea. It's comforting- the notion that we already have within us the potential of everything we're going to be. That potential of course can be encouraged or discouraged by many external forces, but the seed is still intact. I find this idea particularly useful to call upon as an actor whenever I get into the trap of basing my value on the way that others see me, on how in demand I am, or what I have to show for myself, etc.

I've had this conversation with many artists- that there's always going to be a next step/something to reach for no matter the level of success. In one light this realization can be utterly depressing, that the thing you imagine will make you happy will never be lasting, that there will always be more that you desire,a never-ending chase. It can also be equally liberating- accepting that yes, there will always be that desire for more- the journey is part of the thrill- so you might as well learn to find peace with where you currently are. This, of course, is much easier said than done, to truly truly be okay with exactly where you are in the present moment.

I didn't make any formal resolutions this year, but for 2009 I'd really like to work on this, to focus on ways that I can love and nurture my seed and tune in more deeply to the life force within me. What about you? Where are your life forces taking you?