Open the GATE! Actor Jim Carrey and others speak about spiritual awakening in the Entertainment Industry

At an inaugural meeting of a new organization called, the Global Alliance for Transformational Entertainment (GATE) founded by John Raatz of the Visioneering Group, actor Jim Carrey reveals he had a moment of awakening and enlightment.

GATE hopes to support media and entertainment professionals use the power of the media for positive change and transformation in the world creating a network and a community of professionals committed to furthering global awakening through Entertainment and Media.

Peter Shiao, CEO of the Orb Media Group and one of the speakers at the event said. "We create images that people all over the world see as reality. With that power comes responsibility. This is about delivering rich transformational experiences that people want to pay money for."

 As actors and performing artists you too have a responsibility... Seize the day and start transforming the world by transforming your inner-self...

See the complete article  and a video at THE EXAMINER

Putting the Spotlight on Healthy Fats, by Patti McCabe

It’s the half hour call and you are exhausted.  How are you going to make it through the performance tonight?  Like a ray of sunshine, someone brings you…what?  A cup of coffee?  Soda?  Red Bull?  Candy bar?  Whatever it is, it’s your salvation of the moment.   Sound familiar?  Believe me, I know the drill.   The problem is that the effects of caffeine and sugar are short lived.  So how often do you find that you are back to where you started by the time intermission comes around?   The trick becomes finding a daily routine that supports you all the way to curtain call, thus eliminating the need for quick fixes that can have a detrimental impact on your short and long term health.

I have previously discussed the benefits of increasing your consumption of whole foods and decreasing processed and junk foods.  Whole grains, beans, fruits and vegetables will give you longer, more sustained energy.  But in this post, I want to focus on another area, one that has become quite a hot topic in our society - especially given the prevalence of obesity issues.  While a low-fat diet seems to have become one to be admired and emulated to improve health, the truth is we’ve become so obsessed with lowering our fat intake that we are missing out on the incredible benefits that healthy fats do provide. 

Not all oils and fats are created equal. Heavily processed, hydrogenated, “trans” fats and oils that are used in prepared, packaged foods can be extremely damaging to the body. However, fats and oils from whole foods and other high-quality sources can steady our metabolism, keep hormone levels even, nourish our skin, hair and nails and provide lubrication to keep the body functioning fluidly. Our bodies also need fat for insulation and to protect and hold our organs in place.

A healthy percentage of high-quality fat in a meal satisfies and leaves feelings of energy, fulfillment and warmth. When there are excess fats and oils in the diet, especially heavily processed fats, symptoms can include weight gain, skin breakouts, high blood pressure, liver strain and an overall feeling of mental, physical and emotional heaviness. Signs of insufficient high-quality fats are brittle hair and nails, dry skin, hunger after meals and feeling cold.

There are many sources of healthy fats and oils. For sautéing and baking, try butter, ghee (clarified butter) or coconut oil because they do not break down when used at high temperatures. When sautéing foods at moderate temperatures, try organic extra virgin olive oil. Oils like flaxseed, sesame, toasted sesame, walnut and pumpkin seed are best used unheated in sauces or dressings on top of salads, veggies or grains. Other healthy fats are found in whole nuts and seeds and in their butters like almond butter or tahini. Whole foods such as avocados, olives and coconuts are great sources of healthy fat, along with wild salmon and omega-3 and omega-6 organic eggs.

When selecting oils, buy the highest-quality organic products you can afford, since cooking oils are the backbone of so many dishes. Good words to look for on the label are organic, first-pressed, cold-pressed, extra-virgin and unrefined. Words to avoid are expeller-pressed, refined and solvent extracted.

So, when you are reaching for a snack for a quick pick me up before a performance, consider these options:
•    A few cups of popcorn tossed with olive oil and sea salt
•    Apples and Cashew butter
•    Celery and Almond butter
•    Plain avocado or Whole Grain chips with guacamole
•    Salad tossed with flaxseed oil

I encourage you to experiment with these healthy fat sources and see which work best for you and leave you satisfied.  By nourishing your body this way on a regular basis, you will start giving it the boost it needs to maintain optimal function on stage AND off. 


Patti McCabe is a Certified Holistic Health Counselor who specializes in helping the performing arts community get more out of their lives by getting more out of their food.  She received her training at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York City and is accredited through the American Association of Drugless Practitioners.  She leads workshops on health and nutrition, and offers both individual and group counseling services in person and by phone.  More information at www.pattimccabe.com and http://pattimccabe.wordpress.com

Great Review in the NEW ENGLAND THEATRE JOURNAL!

I am thrilled that A BALANCING ACT just received a wonderful review in the highly respected New England Theatre Journal, a scholarly publication by the New England Theatre Conference.

My favorite sentences are:

" Chaulet readily concedes that she has picked up the trail where others ceased blazing, but she is deft in weaving the ideas together into a relevant system" ...

" Plainly, Chaulet makes her case. The craft of acting has had an unspoken need for a system that dedicates itself solely to balancing who we are with who we are required to become.The structure of Energize! is accessible because it provides an overview of various holistic centering techniques, and successful because it serves as a solid launching platform for those who want to develop their own pre- and post-performance rituals with further research."

By J.J. Cobb, Eastern Connecticut State University


You can get copies of the journal by contacting the New England Theatre Conference

Eric Rohmer, 'New Wave' master, dies yesterday at age 89

Eric Rohmer  left us yesterday...
In my memory remain long afternoons of delicate conversations while sipping tea, in the tireless pursuit of the understanding of the birth of feelings and love.
Weaving the subtle fabric which makes emotions and feelings, Eric Rohmer was, and will remain, a true writer at the camera.

Emmanuelle Chaulet
(Blanche, "Boyfriends & Girlfriends")

Happy New Year 2010! This Year, Make the Shift...

2010 is the start of a powerful expansion time, with a realignment of many institutions, organizations, ideas and people. 2010 is opening for all of us the chance to finally raise the planet’s vibration to a level of understanding of the world where the small ego does not rule anymore.

We are ready! We are ready to move from our fearful small self to our Highest Creative and Compassionate Loving Self. Human beings are capable of many things, from the best to the worst. This constitutes our beauty and our strength as well as our most terrible weakness. We are now ready to power upward and reach our highest potential for the highest good of all.

Are you ready to do the necessary work on yourself to be part of the greatest transformation of the planet? Are you ready to change your ways in order to help the global shift?

Reconnect with your creative artist mission,
Listen to your soul,
There is bliss in doing what you are meant to do!
 
Starlight Acting Institute is here to help you raise your vibration, reach your highest creative potential, recover your energetic balance and reconnect with your creative self. Visit our beautiful new website and check our new offerings for Individual Energize Sessions and Solo Retreat Programs for all creative souls and performing artists.

This year, make the shift…

In Love and Light,

Emmanuelle Chaulet
Starlight Acting Institute, director and founder
http://www.starlightacting.org


January Specials:

Mention the promotional code 01/02/2010 and get the student rate for Energize Individual Sessions (in January only).
or
Choose a “Creative Soul” Reconnection Package:  3 sessions for $201.00 instead of  $240  (a saving of $39!) Sessions from this package can be taken until the end of March 2010.

Gift Yourself With an Energy Refill This Holiday Season

Are you burned out?

Have you worked so hard and performed so much this fall season that you'd rather crawl in bed until spring?

Perfoming is fun, but it often takes its toll on one's energy and stamina. Burnout is a frequent consequence of too many long hours in rehearsals, late nights, and stressful moments on stage or in a film set, or at auditions.

As a performing artist you constantly put yourself on the line, feel constantly being judged, and are repeatedly being challenged to go to new levels.

You ARE embodying the Work of Art, your body, your voice, your emotions and your spirit are what makes the show; and the show  must always go on whether you are in shape or not. It is normal to sometimes feel overwhelmed and tired. Unfortunately, burnout is rarely acknowleged by performing arts schools. Good nutrition, exercise and sleep will help for sure, but often it will not be enough to give you a complete sensation of recharging of your inner-batteries.

The good news is that there are very powerful and efficient ways to recover quickly so you can be ready again for the upcoming JANUARY CASTING SEASON.  Energy work is one  of these powerful, quick and efficient ways to replenish your depleted energy.

Emmanuelle Chaulet (CRPL3, Energy Awareness Counselor, and Reiki practitioner) offers ENERGIZE Clearing and Coaching sessions for performing artists and creative souls.

ENERGIZE sessions clear, repair and align the energy system and help performers reach their highest creative potential as well as rebalance their emotions and energy system after performance. They are also perfect for healing performance anxiety, post-performance stress, creativity blocks and self-esteem issues or to reclaim your Highest Creative Self, your true emotional balance and develop deeper connections with your character.  

Emmanuelle is a  Certified RYSE® Practitioner Level III  (CRPL3) graduate of SPATECH Institute and uses RYSE® as well as other energy healing modalities.

A clearing session lasts about 90 minutes.
A combo session (clearing/coaching) lasts about 2 hours.

Student discounted rates are extended to all performers until January 1!

Sessions are held by appointment at HOLISTIC PATHWAYS in Gorham, Maine and also available by phone and via distance modality.

To Gift yourself with a session (or ask for a gift certificate for the holidays) contact Emmanuelle Chaulet

ACTORS HAVE POWER says Robert De Niro, so USE it! says Emmanuelle Chaulet

From  Entertainement headline
to see the complete article  click here:
De Niro: Actors have a lot of power in industry

07/12/2009 -

"The 66-year-old actor believes making movies has radically changed since he first started working because individual stars have so much power over what projects get given the go-ahead.


He said: "The young actors today have the power to make the decisions on the kinds of movies they want to do, because people want to see them. It's up to them really. I don't want to make it so heavy as to say they carry the responsibility, but they make those choices. "

I would argue that yes, they carry the responsibility to influence project so that the film not only entertains but challenges, teaches and raises the consciousness of the viewer..
YOU ARE POWERFUL ENOUGH TO CHANGE THE WORLD! and we need you to use this power NOW!
 For more info about changing your attitude and belief to find and use your highest creative potential, read A BALANCING ACT

Emmanuelle Chaulet
author, acting coach, director

Announcing Patti McCabe's Monthly Nutrition Column:

We are delighted to announce that Patti McCabe will now write a monthly column on nutrition for the performing artist!

 Patti McCabe is a Certified Holistic Health Counselor who specializes in working with the performing arts community.  She received her training at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York City and is accredited through the American Association of Drugless Practitioners.  She leads workshops on health and nutrition, and offers both individual and group counseling services in person and by phone.  More information at www.pattimccabe.com and http://pattimccabe.wordpress.com

 December 2009:

Refueling the Rehearsal Day

Rehearsal days can be long and demand a lot of energy, focus, and attention – emotionally and physically.  We certainly need to eat to keep ourselves well fueled, but having recently stage managed a show after a bit of a hiatus I was reminded of how easy it can be to default to a junk food and vending machine diet.  I’ll be honest and say that I succumbed myself on more than one occasion, and while I believe whole heartedly in not wasting a lot of time regretting specific food choices in the short term – wow did I regret those choices!  Not because I considered myself a bad person for making them, but because I could absolutely feel the difference in how my body responded as opposed to how I feel after making healthier choices.  Many of us are eating just to keep hunger at bay until the next 10 minute break.  But the sugar, fat, and salt contained in junk foods are simply empty calories lacking the vitamins and minerals our bodies need to maintain peak performance.  By eating these foods to survive the rehearsal day, we are actually negatively impacting our ability to sustain our productivity for the director and fellow cast members.

When we fuel our bodies and our minds with fresh, whole foods – everything changes.  Our energy levels stay higher, our minds sharper, and our emotions more stable.  Here are some quick, healthier, snack options that you won’t find in a vending machine, but they take little to no time to prepare at home with your own ingredients – and you will save money to boot! 

•    Cut up veggies (like baby carrots) and whole grain crackers with hummus

•    Rice cakes with nut butters

•    Dried Fruits

•    Nuts and Seeds

•    Fresh, whole fruit

•    Edamame with sea salt

•    Whole Grain tortilla chips with salsa

•    Popcorn (a whole grain, but try it plain or tossed with olive oil and sea salt instead of packaged versions containing too much butter and artificial flavorings)

•    Yogurt (to avoid the refined sugar in sweetened products, try plain mixed with fruit, nuts, and a little honey)

•    Avocados

If you don’t have time to pack your own food, take note of health food stores or cafes near your rehearsal space where you can get fresh fruit smoothies, vegetable juices, or pick up something from this list on your way.

Here’s a challenge - try replacing your usual rehearsal day snacks with ones you enjoy from this list for a week and notice the difference.  You can even try keeping a food journal – write down what you eat during the day and how it makes you feel right after and then again two hours later.  A food journal is an amazing tool to start becoming more conscious of how the foods you eat affect you.   Get support and motivation by sharing your experiences here!

Wishing you happy, healthy rehearsal days until my next post! ☺

THE FOUR PILLARS OF HEALTH

I was teaching a workshop this weekend at the NETC conference in Sturbridge and we discussed what kind of support a young actor needs to sustain the ruthless rhythm of rehearsals until midnight while going to school full time and getting up early to catch the 7 am school bus. No time to pack lunch or dinner, not enough sleep, not enough rest... sounds familiar? All of this packed with the ever-flying emotions of being in a show, new friends, pressure, expectations, tension, stress...and homework...
Leading to sure burnout and emotional distress when all of it is over...

So what can you do?

The four pillar of health are Nutrition, Sleep, Exercise and Self Love. Without one of these pillars, your whole foundation will collapse and your house fall down...

NUTRITION: Patti will soon write more on nutrition for rehearsals but if you dont' have the time to pack lunch or dinner, you can always get the 'grab and go' drinkable meal supplements. They are filled with vitamins and will be better than pizzas!. Watch the sugar content, use the natural ones, and choose the ones that do not have caffeine. You can get a 6 pack for your week of nightly rehearsals ahead of time.. add a banana, a granola bar.. and it can replace (for a few days) a healthy meal and will not take room in your school backpack.

Drink plenty of fluids, (water, not sodas!) and get a good breakfast to start your day.

SLEEP: you need sleep! 8 hours... if you cannot get it in one shot, try cat naps, and short relaxations in your day (5 minutes each) they can refuel your energy even if your night is too short. Catch up on sleep when you can...


EXERCISE: it is important to daily fit at least a short walk outside, a yoga stretch, a zumba dance, a running or bicycle ride... whatever is quick and easy. Oxygen is important when you spend your time in a rehearsal room. So bunddle up and go out! You will feel refreshed, revitalized and you will act better...

SELF-LOVE: When you put yourself on the line everyday by being onstage and performing in front of people, it is important to spend time to appreciate yourself. Your body (and soul) is the instrument you play. CARE for it with love and appreciation, as if you were the Steinway or the Stradivarius.. YOU ARE THE WORK OF ART, YOU BECOME THE WORK OF ART..
So dare to be introvert: you might need time alone, to recharge, you might need to write in a journal, listen to music you love, or take a long bath. You might need to play with your pet, take a walk, read a book... do what feels good as long as it is healthy.
You will recharge your energy and feel more confident later on stage...

To go further read the book A BALANCING ACT

Emmanuelle Chaulet,
RP III, acting coach, energy awareness counselor

THE WHOLE SOLUTION

by Patti McCabe, Certified Holistic Health Counselor

I have worked as a Production Stage Manager for a long time, and I know all too well the challenges we face in the theater industry (onstage and backstage) with eating on the run and trying to keep up our energy levels through long days of auditions, rehearsals, and performances. The trouble we get into is that we are often looking to artificial sources of energy to keep us going through the day. Caffeine, sugar, junk food, processed foods. These all give us something in the moment, but how long does it take for the rush to wear off and leave you craving for that next fix? And if we know this to be a problem, how do we break the cycle?

The first step is to start to understand the benefits of whole foods. Most people have heard about the concept of simple vs. complex carbohydrates, but they can’t really describe the difference. Carbohydrates have gotten a bad rap in recent years, but the truth is not all carbs are created equal.

Simple carbohydrates have short chains of sugar that break down quickly in the body. Your body works overtime trying to burn up this extra sugar it doesn’t need. This is what causes that all too familiar sugar rush, but once it’s burned up we are left to simply crash. Even worse, the excess sugar gets stored as fat. Simple carbs include processed foods, white flours and breads, cakes, cookies, etc.

Complex carbohydrates have long chains of sugar that are bound within the food’s fiber. The sugar releases more slowly into your blood stream, giving you sustained energy and leaving you feeling full longer. Complex carbs are those found in nature like vegetables and whole grains.

So let’s start with whole grains, which are an amazing source of essential enzymes, vitamins B and E, iron, and dietary fiber. They are also cheap (especially if you purchase from the bulk section of your grocery store) and keep very well in the fridge to have on hand for a variety of delicious, inexpensive, quick to prepare meals. All things I know are important to us when working on a budget and always on the run!

A personal favorite is Quinoa, which is one of the fastest cooking and healthiest of all the grains. It contains all eight amino acids, making it a complete protein. There are many amazing ways to prepare quinoa. I love starting the day with a healthy, hearty breakfast that I know will keep me full and energized for a long time. Try trading in this recipe for your usual sugary cereal or donuts and feel the difference!


Warm Quinoa Breakfast Cereal
(Adapted from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition)

Yields 1-2 servings

Ingredients:
1 cup pre-cooked quinoa
1/2-3/4 cup milk or dairy alternative (depending on the consistency you like)
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup golden raisins (or other dried fruit)
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (or other nuts/seeds)

• Place prepared or leftover quinoa in a sauce pan.
• Add milk, honey, cinnamon and raisins.
• Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until the cereal thickens slightly.
• Garnish with nuts or seeds


Patti McCabe is a Certified Holistic Health Counselor who specializes in working with the performing arts community. She received her training at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York City and is accredited through the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. She leads workshops on health and nutrition, and offers both individual and group counseling services in person and by phone. More information at www.pattimccabe.com and http://pattimccabe.wordpress.com

Workshop: Energy Techniques for Character Development:

Upcoming afternoon workshop with Emmanuelle Chaulet,

Energy Techniques for Character Development:

Introduction: The Mind/body/spirit connection.

Energy awareness, Pre-performance stress analysis, pre-show preparation meditation and focusing, visualization. Reclaiming your highest creative potential. Lecture and exercises

Characters’ Vibration and Blueprint: a new way to develop your character

Listening to the character, peak performance visualization, character blueprint, luminous cord, dual consciousness, letting the character lead. Lecture and exercises.

Sub-Personality Work: the Voices in our Head: Tuning into the Actors’ Inner Facets.

Archetypes, voice dialogue, sub-personalities Choosing the best vessel. Tuning the antenna. Lecture and exercises.

Please note: this is not a beginner acting class

Tuition: $75 (includes a free copy of A BALANCING ACT a $24.95 value)

Location: Acorn Studios, Dana Warp Mill, Westbrook, Maine.

Date: October 25: 1 pm - 5 pm

Pre-registration required before October 20 (send an email to: mailto:energize@starlightacting.org

and we will send you the link to register)

Check our two new websites!

http://www.emmanuellechaulet.com

http://www.starlightactingbooks.starlightacting.org

Fall 09 Energize e-news letter:

Dear Friends,

Fall just surprised us last week and we only have a few more weeks before the annual change away from daylight saving time, scheduled on November 1… Readjusting to darkness falling early is always a challenge for us up in Maine!

But looking at the ‘bright’ side of things ;=) we’ll get longer evenings, sitting by the fire or the stove, for writing, reading, knitting, storytelling, playing, rehearsing, watching good movies or plays, dancing, and for simply being…

Upcoming is a time of reflection inward and re-aligning to our inner-world. 2009 was a trying year for many. The earth is changing rapidly and we are called to adjust and re-align without question, or we will simply no longer be. It is now clear that we cannot continue on the path of self-destruction. As Eckhart Tolle justly points out: “we are running out of time!” The recent planetary catastrophes (tsunami again, along with earthquakes and various shifts) do not give us mixed messages, but say to us loud and clear: change!

So what are you willing to change? What are your new life-guiding principles going to be? Are you ready to walk the talk?

As you already know from your various acting teachers: actors should be able to walk and talk at the same time! The time has come to make the commitment to realign your beautiful selves and raise your vibrations so you can show the way to others. As actors, directors, performers, you have a responsibility to the world: the responsibility to show, demonstrate, educate, and teach, so the world can evolve to a better more peaceful place. You are so much more than entertainers: you are what Derek Rydall calls “Enlightened Entertainers.” You are the new “saltimbanques” (traveling acrobats) of the Italian and Molière traditions of theatre: you are the precious instruments of the change at hand and you are walking the tight rope of its creation.

So look-up, laugh, smile, balance and roll up your sleeves! The work of change is arduous and challenging but it is so much fun and so exciting…

Start it at the beginning: start it within….

F. Emmanuelle Chaulet

Starlight Acting Institute, director

Notes:

Eckhart Tolle’s website

Derek Rydall’s website

A BALANCING ACT gets reviewed in THEATRE TOPICS

The renown academic journal of ATHE (Association for Theatre in Higher Education) THEATRE TOPICS just published a wonderful review of A BALANCING ACT in its September 2009 issue, written by Barbara Sellers-Young of York University.


Excerpts:

"In fifteen chapter and six appendices, Chaulet's carefully crafted
method takes the actor on a journey from personal awareness of his/her energy system, to an application of that knowledge in the creation of a character."

"Since Stanislavski's initiation of this trend at the beginning of the twentieth century with his use of yoga to train actors, systems of body knowledge have increasingly become part of mainstream performance training.. [..] Chaulet's A BALANCING ACT is part of this transnational discourse in actor training. Its strength is in the insight it provides regarding how an actor can integrate these discursive fields within a personal approach to performance, and this is the audience for whom it seems to be written."

To read the review, please go to Theatre Topics/project muse website.

Theatre Topics Volume 19, Number 2, September 2009 E-ISSN: 1086-3346 Print ISSN: 1054-8378 DOI: 10.1353/tt.0.0064

Happy start of the new performance season!

As president Selma Botman of USM writes in her column, there are many calendars and we, in Academia, think in terms of School Year from September to May.

Performers too think in performance season, September to June; and then there is Summer stock!

Best wishes for the start of a new performance or academic season!

May you feel refreshed and energized by a wonderful summer of discoveries.

If you performed all summer, find the time to regenerate your strength and re-focus before hitting the ground and running!
Time alone, even a few days, writing, reading, resting sleeping...to be ready to start on the right track.

Personal health is so critical for good performance. To be creative, you need strength: physical strength, emotional strength and calm and grounding...

Focus on your heart and breathe deeply, and you'll be able to fly high...

For great exercises to bring your focus and energy to the next level: read A BALANCING ACT
10% discount until august 31... email energize@starlightacting.org
for more information or purchase via AMAZON at a discounted price.

New Actors for a NEW EARTH

Eckhart Tolle explains it so well: it is without ego, but with enthusiasm that we do the best transformative work to create a New Earth and awaken Consciousness.

Actors and performers, I invite you to read his wonderful books and develop your acting practice, far from the Ego, but with Joy and Presence.

By letting the flow of awareness of the Consciousness of the Universe pass through you, you become alive, present in the Now and can transform, educate and inspire others...

As he beautifully says:
"Awareness implies that you are not only conscious of things (objects), but you are also conscious of being conscious.[..] Can you feel your own Presence?"

To me, it is very close to the dual consciousness of the actor on stage, and actors should find this very easy to do.. yet, the Ego is the greatest obstacle for performers, as our training mistakenly develops it too often. Our challenge is to recognize this illusory sense of self and find our true I AM presence far from the Ego.

FMI: Eckhart Tolle, A NEW EARTH, Awakening to your life's purpose