Download - Sage-ing With Creative Spirit, Grace and Gratitude

sage-ing with creative spirit, grace & gratitude39Where are we? Geri Acting drama groupFollow me. Geri Acting drama groupI remember. Geri Acting drama groupformula based. The shows are revealing in their tricksternature, where humour and shadow emerge. In otherwords, what you see is what you get, and what you get isoften a reflection of something you might have mixedfeelings about in yourself. This happens with actors andaudience members alike. In spite of a potential low gradediscomfort, which is what all good artistic expressionresults in, we find ourselves coming back for more. Notunlike the recent movement from representational to thelove of abstract art, people find themselves feeling entertainedby the universal theatrical process. Former scepticsare heard saying, “Can’t say exactly what it is, but I like it,and I feel entertained!” In the end, I believe any creativeendeavour results in emotional expression, an opening ofthe right brain; a kind of spiritual awakening.Faye Stroo, a participant in the Kelowna senior’sproduction by the Geri Acting drama group, was eager toread about a process that had so absorbed her creativeenergy. To my delight Faye applauded the book’s universalappeal. “Ruth Bieber’s book Disability Theatre fromthe InsideOut has many levels and layers – includingpersonal, interpersonal, societal and more. I am sharingmy thoughts and feelings on a few that impacted me themost. I could sense the essence and energy of Ruth and theactors in many of the vignettes included in the book.Ruth has a very unique blend of compassionate support,truth and humor plus the ability to perceive thegreatness of each participant, in spite of any disability. Thatalso was evident in the Geri Acting drama group I participatedin last fall, prior to reading her book.At the beginning of the first class, Ruth mentionedthat she was going to talk to us about her sight. I thoughtshe meant her web site and was surprised to learn that sheis blind.As a long time councillor I realise that although notnecessarily visible or audible we all have disabilities. Thosewho have the obvious are maybe fortunate. The moreoften hidden disabilities such as low self esteem, addictions,unhealed grief, shame, abuse, etc. can be very disabling when unacknowledgedand not dealt with. Before reading this book and participating inthe Geri Acting drama class, I hadn’t really thought of aging as a disability eventhough some of my recent symptoms (including difficulty seeing whendriving at night, less energy for long biking or walking, some memorychanges, etc.) were evident. Although these are often natural symptoms formany, accepting aging can be difficult.