Have you ever felt talked over? Or misunderstood? Do you worry you’re not advocating for yourself? Are you experiencing stage fright? Do you obsess over a conversation where you said too much or perhaps not enough? Do you struggle with confidence? These are a few of the “pain points” people have approached me and inquired about, and it all relates to –– and therefore exists in –– the voice.
Opening, developing, releasing, and connecting breath and sound may seem so simple, yet it’s precisely one of the most challenging actions one can take. And therefore it’s also the most rewarding. Unfortunately, we’ve lost this art in modernity. We used to read aloud in school, actively and expressively communicate in person, or grow up telling original stories. Yet today most of us are raised in front of a two-dimensional screen, be it a TV, phone, or tablet. Throughout my years of working in the acting and coaching fields, the single most powerful instrument one can utilize and apply is a fully embodied voice. Yet this hasn’t come easy. (It rarely does.)
Because it’s actually society, relationships, and the Industry itself that seem to stifle individuals from having a voice –– both physically and metaphorically. Quite simply, it’s because with each passing year we’re becoming more and more inundated with the visual medium and inoculated by passive experiences. Yet when I lead active workshops, direct live theatre, or work with talented individual clients, I’ve noticed that almost every emotion and creative block gets “lost” in the throat.
In spiritual terms, we call the area of the throat “the 5th chakra.” It’s where we speak our authentic truth. By learning to open and therefore release this space in the body, I’ve seen endless tears and emotional breakthroughs. Old wounds begin to heal, and when actualization leads to realization, living a life that you’ve always wanted “to step into” and experience begins to finally take shape.
