Peggy Rubin is the founding director of the Center for Sacred Theatre in Ashland, Oregon. She has been a Shakespearean actress, a workshop leader in the United States and abroad, and she is also the principal teaching associate in Jean Houston's Mystery Schools and School for Social Artistry. George Bernard Shaw once quipped: "Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself." In this uplifting paperback, Rubin probes the sacred theatre of our lives as a spiritual path of transformation. The book is organized around what she calls "the nine powers of Sacred Theatre," which are Incarnation, Story, Now!, Place, Expression, Point of View, Conflict, Audience, and Celebration. Rubin spices up the proceedings with illustrative materials from theatre and the rituals of different cultures.
The metaphor of life as the stage on which we embody our passion and purpose is a rich one which the author explores in a variety of ways. The important thing to remember is that each of us is the leading character in our life, which means we must do our best to be at our best. It is also essential that we develop the story of our life and put it in sync with the unfolding story of Life on Earth. There is no need to lock ourselves in the past or flee into the future; the present moment offers us ample dramatic opportunities.
The power of place takes time and patience to develop and understand: it has a great impact on our fulfilling our mission and standing where we belong. In this life, conflict cannot and should not be avoided: it is here that we forge our character and solidify our values.
To be a witness is a very important dimension in our lives. We need others to be an appreciative audience of who we are and what we can do. And then there is the challenge of being a member of the sacred audience viewing other people's plays. No matter what befalls us, we are called to celebrate life with joy and exuberance. Visit Peggy Rubin at www.SacredTheatre.org.
