Yoga in the Audience

Last weekend I attended a product of The Balcony put on by Nimbus Theatre.  As I watched I remembered an idea that I have had before:  that sitting in the audience is a perfect time to practice yoga.  Not in the sense of asana, which may create complaints from fellow audience members, but in attuning to the present moment.

Live performance unfolds before us, and we can choose to be there with the performers or to separate ourselves--wander off in our minds to what we'll be doing after the show, compare this performance to others, pronounce judgement as to the quality of the work.

One of the central tenants of yoga is that suffering is created through avidya--ignorance, or not seeing things as they are.  What prevents us from seeing things as they are?  Our ideas about ourselves, our stories that lead us to classify things as good or bad--I like this, I want more or I don't like this, I will avoid it.  In watching a show I can try to see what is there, or I can decide that the show isn't interesting, or poorly done, or doesn't speak to me.  It may be true that the show is poorly done, or it may be that the show is so different from my expectations that I am not seeing what is really there.

A theatre is made to focus our attention--the construction of the space, use of lights and direction of the show are all designed to bring the audience into the moment with the performers.  But as audience members we must choose to drop our preconceptions and see the show.