SYNOPSIS OF "THE SCHOOL OF PLAY"

Why ALCHEMY?
Let's cast aside all unnecessary things and try to answer the question: "Without what is the theatre unable to exist?" We will find three main factors: 1) without one looking (a spectator), 2) without one playing (an actor), and 3) without one being played (a role).

THIS IS THE MAIN SCHEME: SPECTATOR + ACTOR + ROLE = UNIVERSAL THEATRE OF REALITY!

Being separate, the spectator, the actor and the role are seen like three base substances in the Alchemy of Play. But having become one totality they acquire the ability to transform their disunity and narrowness into a single noble entity - GOLD OF THE IMAGE - THE MIGHTIEST PHENOMENON OF ALL POSSIBLE.

Using the "spectator-actor-role" scheme and paying heed to the special features and age characteristics of the artists, the Alchemy of Play divides the trainings into OUTER, INNER and SECRET ones:

1) THE OUTER TRAINING. It is for the role style artists. Artists of this structure think more of themselves in the role, i.e. they can play only "out of themselves", their personal, "larval" experience, which is called "cloning technology". The main setting of Mind on this level is "going from oneself", which undoubtedly limits the potential of artistic powers. The artists of this category need powerful protection from the theatre hierarchy. In their art they mainly use the divided position of actor and director (view and action). At the same time, the artists of this level may be talented in their ability to open up to the outer influence, for example, trusting a mature director, translating the qualities of director's gift and achieving rather high results in this way. The artists of this type don't understand the language and the methods of the Alchemy of Play, and most probably they won't be noticing this information for some while.

2) THE INNER TRAINING. It is for the artists with the potential for the actor style. Their views are much wider than those of the former ones are. Not they in the role are important for them and not even the role itself but the ability to express oneself through the role. They think more about others' realisation, at the same time firmly standing for their artistic credo. The ambitions of such artists go as far as creating "not from oneself" but from the Creative Potential of Space. The books of Michael Chekhov, Antonen Arteau, Juan Fan Cho, Zhan Lui Barro, Dzeami Motokiyo etc. seem to jump into their hands themselves. They are totally fascinated by these extravagant views about the creative powers of Mind, and also they try, sometimes to their own prejudice, to experiment with the proposed systems and methods. Also they less than the former ones need to divide the single artistic mechanism into director and actor. They feel attracted to the methods of energy transformation and are more open to the potential of the inner possibilities of Mind. The Alchemy of Play is oriented more to this type of the talent.

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3) THE SECRET KIND. It belongs to the artists who are able to create by their glance. By the felicitous remark of Grotovsky, here we speak about "professional spectators" - those who were called directors by the European theatre tradition not more than hundred years ago. This is a special and very high type of the spectator type of art. It means the ability to create by the very process of looking. So, this is a director - a person who's aware of what's happening more than others are. Director's prerogative is realisation of the potential of play as a whole, subsequently having greater potential to penetrate an empty nature of all the phenomenal, which allows to develop the protective mechanisms for the artistic process. From this level we are able to guide and protect others by the clarity of our view.

4) MASTER'S LEVEL. Here the outer, inner and secret styles of play come together. As was already said, it means an insight of the secret of integrity - the secret of THE IMAGE, the secret of THE INNOCENCE! If we watch a playing child, we see that he doesn't need anybody directing his play from a side. He simultaneously is one looking, one playing and one being played. He is both the form of play, the creative potency of play and enjoyment of play. Three in one! It is the awareness of this type of art that is "aerial acrobatics" and greatest pleasure, realisation of potency of PERFECTION! But we know that the child is not aware of this potency whereas the Master is totally conscious in it.

This assertion means that the central point of the "SCHOOL OF PLAY" is identification with the CREATIVE PRINCIPLE OF THE UNIVERSE that manifests in a form of a kind of Divinity of Play or, in my personal version - THE LORD OF PLAY.

In methodological sense, when we concentrate on this form in our meditations, it's important to know that we work with the GAUGE OF ARTISTIC MIGHT! One can say that there is a mirror reflecting our own artistic potential that has achieved the highest professional perfection. Speaking with the words of Michael Chekhov: "The image seen by me is recognised to be my creation and the creation of someone whose abilities are greater than mine many times…" Or, by the words of "Brihadaranyaka-Upanishada": "One who worships a deity other than oneself thinking: "He is that, I am this", knows nothing. One must worship with the thought that he is yourself as everything becomes one in him."

Thus, THE LORD OF PLAY is embodyment of primordial Mastery, truth of the play. Identifying with this truth, we come close to the most mysterious phenomenon in the artistic process called INSPIRATION.

In the SCHOOL OF PLAY this phenomenon is called TURNING THE WHEEL OF HIGHEST JOY!

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In a rough style, the formula of inspiration looks as follows:

- FEARLESSNESS + JOY + LOVE = INSPIRATION!

It embraces everybody and belongs to nobody. IT IS BEYOND-PERSONAL.

As a matter of fact, the state of turning the WHEEL OF HIGHEST JOY is the goal of all methods in the PLAY. But these high and "supersonic" technologies are meaningful only after having practically mastered THE VIRTUAL POSITION OF MIND, created mighty foundation of THE RIGHT MOTIVATION and sufficient "capital" in THE BANK OF POSITIVE IMPRESSIONS! That's why they say that "… the right for the art by inspiration" is a long-term project.

Theoretically, the most of technologies of the ALCHEMY OF PLAY can be explained as the different ways of identification with the form of THE LORD OF PLAY: single, peaceful, wrathful, purifying or in union with his female aspect. In more complex versions one uses THE FORM OF SUPER MARIONETTE, THE BREATHE OF MYTH and THE DANCE OF UNION, and this leads one to discover the most precious phenomenon in the profession - THE VIRTUAL POSITION OF MIND.

Here, all the three levels of the Theatre of Reality come together so to manifest the most powerful in its effectiveness experience of the IMAGE.

THE PATH AS A WHOLE:
In the Alchemy of Play the path is divided into five levels:
1. UNCONSCIOUS IGNORANCE. Wandering in the labyrinth of dualistic demonic games in the form of a limited role; complete lack of awareness of the Self-liberating potency of the Theatre of Reality, of the Energy of the Eyes and the methods of transformation of the consciousness.
2. CONSCIOUS IGNORANCE. Discovering "the map" of artistic powers and the information about SELF-LIBERATING VERSION OF THE PLAY, disassembling the traditional theatre model into its "gears" (spectator, actor, role); the old models of art moulder away, there is a strong tension in the muscles and a whole lot of enticing doubts.
3. CONSCIOUS KNOWLEDGE. Everything starts coming together on the level of the intellect. One reveals the profound meaning of the Stage of the Theatre of Reality and The Golden Garland of Masters of the Inspiration, the Virtual Position of Mind, the Super Marionette of the Dance of Union, the Breathe of Myth and the Fractail Mandala. Some humble glimpses of the experience of emptiness and self-confidence arise.
4. UNCONSCIOUS KNOWLEDGE. An actor in us enjoys the Energy of the Eyes, unhesitatingly transforming it into the role plays; the states of creative upswing are consciously modelled and a Powerfield is programmed both for the individual and collective success. The traditional symbol of realising this state is butter. It is present in the milk potentially but needs churning to appear. The nature of the milk and its potential ability to become butter is spectator, the process of churning is actor, and the appearance of the butter itself is role.
5. THE STAGE OF THE LORD OF PLAY (THE LEVEL OF THE MASTER). Everything has been forgotten. There is no division into spectator, actor and role, into outer, inner and secret level. There is just effusion of inspiration and powerful, self-liberating manifestation of the play potential of space, which is THE GREAT SEAL OF THE TRUTH OF PLAY. And this is exactly that level where the Master sacrifices the mastery itself for the sake of mastery.

It means VIRTUOSITY!

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Here, all the technical possibilities have been exhausted and the art becomes an "artless art". Dzen teachers describe this level of return and service as "… entering the market place with the hands granting help and love." Joseph Campbell calls this final aspect of the path "return of the hero". Evelene Underhill speaks about this process so: "… this is that rare and last stage of development of the great masters where they return to the world they left once and live there as a kind of centres of transcendental energy…" So, in the words of Bhairavananda, a realised Master knows that "… each single thing and every energy of the world is nothing but the manifestation of himself, the yogi, - a spontaneous and free manifestation of the energy of his nature, glamour of Glory and Magnificence."

All in all, THE EIGHT STEPS OF GREAT DOING AND THE EIGHT WAYS OF PROTECTING THE GREAT DOING summarize using the methodology of the SCHOOL OF PLAY both in life and in profession.

Among the big variety of techniques one finds such approaches as: MULTI-CATARSIC STYLE OF PLAY, ANDROGENIC TECHNOLOGIES, METHODS OF BUILDING THE FRACTAIL MANDALA i.e. THE POWERFIELD OF VIRTUOSITY, and many others.

SELF-LIBERATING PLAY POTENCY is a goal!

- SELF-LIBERATING PLAY:
It reveals its grace in the moment when there is no centre and periphery… when spectator, actor and role rest in their oneness; when highest fearlessness, joy and love are already here to give recognition and completeness to each moment; when the world is similar to a holographic image where each fragment embraces and reflects the whole giving the recognition of the whole to all that comes in touch with it; when any states of Mind become ornaments for the Master. At this point the limitless potential of the Theatre of Reality opens up with the full power of its SELF-LIBERATING abilities.

This is THE GREAT SEAL OF THE TRUTH OF PLAY certifying authenticity and completeness of what happens through the manifestation of a GOLDEN SECTION.

In a rough style: the system of views as suggested by the Alchemy of Play isn't just another version of a "positive thinking", not just an abstract assumption that we can influence our life, but this is an assertion that due to our own conscious ideas, social background and expectations the reality around us manifests exactly in the form that we have created within.

In this way, by merging quantum physics and metaphysics, the "SCHOOL OF PLAY" comes to claim that "… the truth isn't revealed but created!" ONE MAKES IT UP! "IT'S PLAYED OUT FROM THE VERY START"!

And this means that "THE HIGHEST TRUTH IS THE HIGHEST JOY!"
THE JOY OF ART!
THE JOY OF LOVE!
THE JOY OF PLAY!

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So, this is a very dry and superficial presentation of artistic idealism that fills our life and profession with the deepest meaning and allows them to go beyond their own limits.

V. Demchog
03.05.2003