Grid Walking

Grid Walking was another tiring exercise we did that had the same goal and same effort as the first. We all had to walk in the formation of a grid that was supposed to be on the floor, only walking in straight lines and turning on 90 degree angles. We were told to picture something that we really wanted in our heads that could have been a place or a person or a goal and dream. We started off walking to this desire of ours and yet ended up running to it. The more we saw it and the clearer it appeared to us, the faster and harder we ran as we began to actually believe it was just a few metres away from us. Of course it never was but this again challenged our minds as actors and we forced to believe.

This exercise was a good example of “mind over body.” We began to get tired and hot and frustrated as, despite the pace and ferocity of our walking, we just weren’t getting any closer to the thing we so desperately wanted. I agree with this completely as I felt all of those emotions. I had to ignore my worn out feet and my fear of banging into someone else completing this task, and to just get on with it and really truly believe I was getting closer to my desire. This had complete power over my mind and my body and although I wanted to give up, I was suddenly put in this mind frame that I wasn’t just wasting my time, I really was getting closer. My mind was superior over my body and as an actor I believe that task was highly beneficial.