The blank space

Thursday’s class was a little unclear for me at first what we were doing, but I did the exercise, trusting that there was something to it. after we were done and discussing it, I realized how important understanding and mastering this stage of streaming is for most of us. Having all of the images rush into our brains can be overwhelming when it happens, and for me, I used to think that I was doing something wrong or that having those images flood in meant that I was out of control. For the beginning moments of streaming, this is the exact opposite. Having the flood of images is normal, but now what we have to do is accept that those images are there, then take ourselves deeper into our relaxation. I practiced this a couple times over the weekend to see how long it took me. I didn’t time it, but it usually didn’t take me too long now that I know that those images at first are normal. I don’t get anxious or scared anymore that I’m doing something wrong, and this helps me to get relaxed more quickly and efficiently.

If you don’t have the image well, you won’t be able to hold onto it. The brain is not a single organism. We need a series of “letting go” moments. Parts of our brain are cut off due to our conditioning and discouragement of using certain parts of the brain.
Our compliance to the world is our problem. We normally don’t feel very strong going into this place in the brain. We have a tendency to choose what we are going to see. Don’t do that; we are trying to be unpredictable, and that means no planning what we’ll see. We have to give ourselves a sense of being in that place. Then we can start to feel our brain working in that capacity.
You are going to feel pressure in your body to find it. In actuality, don’t go with what you see first. Slow down and wait for the rush of images and pressure/desire to settle. This takes a TON of practice. The POV will only be there in the second stage/phase of streaming.
We pack our memory down because we do not want to confront it.
Just let it be – and something will hit you. When you start to connect, you will find a sense of peace. When you see nothing, you have to breathe through it. Imagery appears with light.
Don’t turn your head – focus in one direction and scan with your mind. You will enter into a place in the room, and it might not be where you expect. GOOD.
Tracing the basic elements of the room creates dimensions. Follow the image, don’t lead it. If you don’t, you must STOP.
Moving and fidgeting is a sign that the body and the mind are not in balance. Once you are truly in the state of relaxation, the mind will automatically produce imagery. Processing is where our memory changes, consciously or unconsciously. This helps us with both streaming AND empathy. You know that you are in that state because you go black.
We don’t have any huge emotions during the experience, we have them AFTER.

There is no safety in not accessing your memory; this is just avoidance. We have lost the wonder in our lives.
Artists are able to see things that other people can’t see, feel things other people can’t feel, and experience things other people won’t allow themselves to experience.
We will get to a point where we know when we’re in that state. There is a lot of joy and wonder in there. You’re in a frame of a picture, you’re in a room.
We read books, listen to music, watch movies to evoke memory and emotion. Imagery does the same thing. Trust it.
The goal of the exercise today – get to that relaxed, blank state, even if it lasts for a moment.
Imaging is seeing the images. Streaming is bringing it back and feeling it, letting it move through you, letting it hit you.
Sound sometimes starts to stimulate the voluntary images.

None of this is about getting it right, it’s about seeing what you can experience. Streaming is the act of getting it to your emotional core. Imaging is not where we feel something. Feeling comes when you express it later (streaming).
Getting into that state doesn’t follow a predictable, clean pattern. But stay with the first image you get after that blank space and zoom out to see the whole space.
Practice getting to this state – explore your ability to relax. Repetition. Meditate to open things up.
You can’t “stay in the moment” – you can’t in life. What you CAN do is not think about it (that’s what they’re all really trying to say).
Today was good because it was taking a step back from last week so that we can KNOW that we can trust this. Chip away, count your victories.

Molly, this was my favorite quote from what you posted, "Artists are able to see things that other people can’t see, feel things other people can’t feel, and experience things other people won’t allow themselves to experience." It is that relationship with the world and everything around us that seems to resonate and make what we do so very powerful. Sometimes, I feel like being an actor means that I am living life much more fully that those around me who do not experience the joys of our art.

I am so delighted to witness your growth, Molly. Keep standing and knocking at the door. It will open.