How Can I Be 'spiritual' And Live My Lp?

[The White Belt]

I want to be an actor.

It seems like actors have to play with their own emotions a lot and feed themselves thoughts. Is this an anti-spiritual thing to do? Will it cause suffering and 

will it undo meditation progress?

Can acting be a spiritual profession? If so, how?

Also in terms of time, an actor needs to put so much work into what they do, and they need to work very long days. Any tips on how to find time for meditation during hectic schedules? 

 Any help is appreciated. 

[Ananta]

If you really want to be an actor and it's what you're meant to do, then that's what you'll do. Things will align somehow for that to happen, if it's truly meant to happen.

For example, 13 years ago I thought, ya-know maybe I'll be a nurse? So, I decided to take a few classes and see how it went. I was already 34 yrs old, so wasn't holding my breath. 

Anyways, it wound up I was pretty smart and was acing all my pre-req classes. Got in the RN program no problem. Before I knew it I got my license. So, in my opinion, it was meant to happen.

Funny thing is now that it's said and done, I wish I would've gone for accounting or something. Something where you don't deal with people. Lol!

Edited August 22, 2017 by Anna1

[Falk]

living your life purpose and beeing spiritual is actually the same thing!! when you really dig deep it totaly is! 100% shure !!

peace bro

[Viking]

I think on the contrary, it will strengthen your acting skills because you will know you are not your body, so you can detach from "your" identity and become another person.

besides that, you wont really know until you try, if spirituality is really important to you, you will continue doing it, if acting will keep being important to you, just continue doing it, if not, do something else that you will find to be the best thing, I dont see a problem (because they are not real).

[Joseph Maynor]

If you don't attach to an identity, just have fun playing the roles.  Nothing is you anyway.  None of those emotions are yours.  

I guess it's an empirical question to see how acting screws with your egoic-self.  I get it.  Maybe it causes your personality to get screwed up or maybe it causes some neurosis or depression.  But maybe those are just neurotic limiting-beliefs!  Assume that and get in there and tinker and just find out.  Screw what anybody says without actually having done this, it's all made-up or hearsay.  It has no real value to you.  It's just talk without any foundation.  What value does that give to you really?  Nada.  Your ego is looking to cling to some kind of unfounded belief when what you really need to do is go find out by actually doing it.  Or, maybe talk to someone who is very analogous to your situation who has *actually done it* and whose opinion has been established by you as highly-credible.  Don't solidify some limiting-belief based-off what you hear said casually.  Not when it comes to your career.  It's too important, especially if you already noticed you have a passion for it.  Your ego is looking for a way to sabotage you with limiting-beliefs, remember that.  You considering pushing your comfort-zone spooks the ego.  This is why most people never get out of second-gear in life.  The lower-self wants physical and emotional comfort, and it will try to murder all your higher-self's aspirations.

An enlightened person realizes that everything we do is role-playing anyway.  That's all we do is play roles.  All day long.  We play the roles of our little egoic, earth-bound selves.  What do we do or think about that is not role-playing?  I can't think of anything.

I see the growth-potential in acting as a profession and I see how it could go with an enlightened life not against it.  After all, what the hell is genuineness anyway?  It's ego.  The higher-self, the virtuous-self is ego.  Reality just is.  People take Maya so seriously.  Play around with it a bit!  Let's transform our verse into song!  We need to lighten-up in our Maya lives.  Purpose is great, being good and imitating Jesus is great, but man, sometimes I think we just need to relish the illusion and realize it ain't all that serious. We make it serious.  Acting is right in line with this realization.   Just don't compromise your values too much.  Obviously everybody has to compromise a little from time to time.  If our higher-selves ran this place, we would all be hoping for death because the spice-of-life would be conspicuously AWOL.  Just maintain the proper dynamic-balance between Yin and Yang to harmonize with the Tao and you'll do great no matter what you do.

This is how some people practice their spirituality.  Much less cerebral than we do.  I saw this when I was in Florence. Sing -- Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna.  Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare.  Hare Rama, Hare Rama.  Rama Rama, Hare Hare.  The Hare Krishna Mantra is like a baby calling for its father, but in this case the Father is God and we are the baby.  It is a re-union with God.  How does this "singing and dancing" role-playing compare to our "staring at our PCs" role-playing?  It's a distinction without a difference.  But even that belief must eat itself.  Reality just is.

 

Edited August 23, 2017 by Joseph Maynor