Article June 1, 1987 Issue

Pushing the limits, or dissolving them?

Sometimes our lives seem boxed in by walls of limitation. But as we learn more of Life as infinite Spirit, walls do come down.

Jan Kassahn Keeler

I Have a friend who is a mime artist. When I watch her perform one of her pantomimes, I am always fascinated with the way she can make illusions believable. For example, she has a routine in which she gives the impression that she is trapped by a high wall. She uses the flat palms of her hands to explore the wall and tries to get out, but to no avail. The wall is all around her in every direction. And, you know, when I watch her I can see that wall. It really looks as though she is boxed in and cannot escape.

One day I asked my friend how she learned to create such an impression. She explained that she attended a performing school which specifically taught pantomime. Her instructors would sit out in the auditorium while she was on stage and ask her questions, such as "How high is that wall? How long has that wall been there? What is it made of? What color is it? How wide is it? What is its history? How close is it?" Only when she understood and believed in that wall could others believe it was there.

Could it be that by believing in the limitations in our lives, by studying them, even relying on them, we are making walls for ourselves—walls that are blocking us from good?

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