Powerful Pause Meditation: Pre-audition for Young Performers
This meditation is recommended for ages 8+ and is designed to help calm and centre young performers before an audition or self-tape.
Parents and Guardians are encouraged to listen to this meditation along with their child.
If you are a young performer aged 16+ we recommend our adult performer pre-audition meditation.
12 minute listen. We recommend listening to this meditation with headphones on.
Parents and Guardians may like to follow up this meditation by asking their child the following questions:
- What do you do really, really well?
- What one thing do you really like about yourself the most? Why do you like that?
- What do you love doing the most? Why?
- How do you feel now?
- What’s one thing you learnt (or that’s different) from doing this meditation?
Listen to other meditations in the Powerful Pause series.
Meditation Transcript
Hello my name is Bea and I’m the Mental Health and Wellbeing Manager at Spotlight.
I’m guessing that you’re listening to this because you’ve got an audition or self-tape coming up. Whilst auditions can be exciting and fun they can sometimes make us feel a bit nervous, worried or perhaps concerned. It’s really ok and normal to feel that way - in fact lots of well-known and successful actors have had these feelings too! Feeling this way actually means that you care and you want to do your best. So if you’re feeling a little scared, nervous or anxious, please know it’s perfectly ok and normal to feel this way.
The good news is that we can learn to manage our thoughts.
Every day we have lots and lots of thoughts, emotions, feelings, urges and memories
From when we wake up to when we go to sleep. Often we don’t realise how many thoughts we are having and we can get lost in them. Sometimes we’re not even aware that we’re thinking.
But thoughts are not facts, and they are not always true, even if they seem to be.
So in this meditation we’re going to create a little bubble of calmness together. A place that you can use your imagination to step into before your audition to help you feel a bit calmer and a bit happier.
Take a moment to remember what you love about performing. Is it the excitement of telling a story? Maybe you love playing lots of different characters? Perhaps you like using your imagination to create another world? Just notice what comes up for you. There are no right or wrong ideas here.
So these 10 minutes are just for you
You may be waiting to audition right now
Perhaps you’re sitting in a waiting room
Or maybe you’re at home about to do a self-tape
Wherever you are just find a comfortable position
And then softly close your eyes if that feels ok for you.
And imagine some warm tropical rain
Showering your body and your mind
Washing away any tension or tightness that might be here
Feeling your body get heavier and heavier
as it relaxes and melts into the ground
And just notice with curiosity what thoughts are here
See if you can just notice with curiosity, and not judgement
It doesn’t matter if the thoughts are true or false, right or wrong
Just notice them.
Are the thoughts fast or slow?
Are they all very different from each other?
Are there some thoughts which seem to repeat over and over again?
Maybe they’re focused on one theme or topic.
Some of these thoughts might feel unpleasant or uncomfortable
But instead of reacting to them
Just notice what happens to your body sensations and your emotions when you have these thoughts.
Know that whatever is here right now for you
It is all ok.
Maybe you’re feeling tension, excitement, nervous energy or perhaps anxiety.
Just notice without judgement what is here for you
There is nothing you need to fix or change
We’re just noticing what we’re feeling.
Observing your thoughts is a skill which takes a bit of practice
A bit like playing an instrument
Sometimes you might find it easy
Other times you mind find it harder
You might even have to keep letting go of the same unwanted thought over and over again.
But don’t give up. Keep trying.
If your mind starts to wander
Know that it’s ok
It’s normal
Just gently notice and then come back to my voice
Imagine your thoughts like white fluffy clouds in a blue sky
Watch them gently drifting away
As all clouds do
Knowing that are always just passing through
Observing our thoughts like the clouds in the sky
Helps us to have some distance to see how our thoughts make us feel.
We can then choose to act in ways that bring us closer to what we want.
Know that you have all that you need
Right now in this moment
Nerves and excitement are really the same thing
So know that it’s all ok
You are here
And you are ready to create
This is a place where you belong
Performing is what you were born to do
And all your need to do is take a deep breath here
And release
There is nothing you need to think about
Nothing you need to do
Just breathe
And if the mind starts to wonder
Away from the present moment
Just gently bring it back to my voice
You are safe
You are supported
Take another deep breath now
And release slowly
You have done the work
You are prepared
Know that everything you need is inside you
All you need to do is to just listen and trust
Because you’ve got this
Say to yourself now
I’VE GOT THIS
Allow that positive energy to spread throughout your body
Feeling a sense of lightness and ease
Feel the joy of stepping into the space that you love
Enjoy the trust and support of everyone around you
Notice how encouraging and friendly they are
They are so happy to watch you
You are doing what is natural and easy for you
It feels great
All you need to do is enjoy this experience.
So just becoming aware of any sounds
That might be around you
Maybe noticing the temperature of the room
Feeling your feet on the floor
And when you’re ready open your eyes
Bring some gentle movement back into your body
Go and enjoy this time – it is time for you
You’re going to be great.
Main Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash
