Recently, a dear friend shared with me that he was considering taking a break from theatre work to get a 9-5 office job. He was burning out and beyond the financial considerations, there was a big emotional toll he bore daily. At first glance, this sounded like something that every performing artist goes through - sometimes throughout their career. But my friend - whom I know to be wise - then added that he wanted to create space so that he could focus on writing new work, and to then re-engage with the arts on his terms.
Re-engage the arts on his terms. Wise words indeed.
I thought for a moment, then realized what he was doing: he was keeping that which is sacred - safe.
He knew that the work - the pursuit of the work - was taking a toll on him. It had started to eat at him, to tire his heart and to corrupt what needed to stay pure. And so he was doing something about it. Rather than letting it eat at him until what was sacred and pure was no longer sacred and pure, he was taking steps to protect it so that he could continue to engage in the work that he loved.
I started to think about my own journey and the journeys all the people I have had conversations with - especially over the last 10 days - and I realized that this is precisely what we need to be doing more of; this is what we need to be doing every single day: we need to keep safe that which is sacred.
And the very first step is to get to know that part of you that is sacred. Look at it, sit with it, understand it, love it, nurture it and become aware of it - because only then can you know how to protect it.
I know that there are events in the last year that have scarred a part of what I hold sacred. I am also aware that I work every day to heal those scars; I work every day to balance my head and my heart; I keep asking myself the difficult questions, and I gauge - from the responses I have to daily life - how to make minute adjustments to that balance so that I stay safe.
I won’t lie - it is hard work. But I want to stay safe. Don’t you?
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My name is Eu Jin. I embarked on a career as a professional actor after 20 years in the corporate world. I am a big advocate of personal growth in the performing arts. I dedicate time and energy in performing arts education, specifically in the arena of practical approaches to inner health because I believe that this lays the groundwork for a sustainable career as an artiste.
If you would like to engage in a conversation about a healthy inner life practice, please leave me a message on the "Contact" page of my website and a way to contact you. Thank you.