What Do Monks and Improvisers Have in Common?
Improv principles and mindfulness teachings of gurus like Deepak Chopra have many parallels, such as letting go of the ego and being generous.
Jay Shetty's recent book, "Think Like a Monk," highlights similarities between improv and mindfulness, including presence and detachment.
Improv exercises, such as pointing to things and saying what they are, can help people feel more in the moment and connected.
Back in 2012, I did the unthinkable. I cited Deepak Chopra in my doctoral dissertation and academic book, and I totally stand by it. The point I was trying to make was that improv comedy and Eastern philosophy have important similarities that can benefit our everyday lives.
In my book Theatrical Improvisation, Consciousness, and Cognition, I compare Viola Spolin's Improvisation for the Theater and Deepak Chopra's Seven Laws for Spiritual Success . It's a fleeting moment in the book but one that interested me personally, then and now. Improv and mindfulness connect in a way that has inspired me to make improv's principles a usable roadmap for how to live a happier life. The Eastern philosophy connection helps make the case for how improv might be useful to non-improvisers.
Similarities Between Chopra's and Spolin's Ideas
Ego: In Theatrical Improvisation, Consciousness, and Cognition , I point out three connections between Spolin's improv ideas and Chopra's mindfulness teachings. The first is Chopra's pure potentiality or pure consciousness. This is the goal of moving past our ego—not needing approval or validation. Spolin makes a similar claim about improv requiring players to let go of the need for approval from their coach or from each other. The goal for Spolin is for players to play for the intrinsic joy in playing, which has nothing to do with a thumbs up or thumbs down from someone else.
Generosity: Chopra's second law is giving and receiving—the more we give, the more we end up with in return. You can think about this in terms of karma. When I'm generous with my time and resources, that generosity ends up coming back to me and then some. Again, improv's idea of gift-giving is similar. When my goal is to give my partner gifts—contributions that keep the improvised scene moving forward—it makes both of us look better. If I don't give these gifts, my partner's job becomes infinitely more difficult and the scene will probably suffer as a result.
Presence: Finally, Chopra's law of least effort is about being in the present moment and working with what you have. Similarly, improv requires players to focus on the here and now. Things start to feel effortless when improvisers stop trying to force the scene in a certain direction and just play off each other moment to moment.
Think Like a Monk
Nine years later, I'm still mulling over the same improv/mindfulness connection, but this time after reading Jay Shetty's Think Like a Monk. Shetty's description of his time as a monk and the lessons he's taken with him after reminded me of all the ways improv teaches us similar skills and values.
Detachment: The first improv connection with Shetty's book is the idea of detachment. Detachment isn't not caring, it's more in line with improv's concept of playing the scene you're in, not the one you want. If I want to be in a scene where I'm a superhero, but my partner tells me I'm a dog catcher, then I'm a dog catcher. I have to fully drop my desire to be anything else and be in the scene that is unfolding spontaneously moment to moment. Detachment is similar. We have to play the life scene we're in, instead of the one we'd rather be in. In other words, we have to take life as it comes.
Learning from mistakes: Shetty also talks about learning from mistakes instead of dwelling on them. In improv, there's something called justification, which means improvisers integrate mistakes into the fabric of the scene instead of pretending they didn't happen.
Presence: Finally, Shetty talks about the importance of being fully present and connected with friends and family. Yes, that means not being on our phone while we're talking to them, but it also means really hearing what they're saying to us. Improv emphasizes a similar focus on others. You can't miss a detail when you're making up a scene with other people.
Improv, My Mindfulness Roadmap
The reason I find improv such a compelling roadmap for a more mindful everyday life is because improv brings with it hundreds of fun, accessible exercises and games to help me embody its life lessons.
I can point to things and say what they are if I need to be more mindful of my environment.
I can make a new choice when I catch myself being judgmental.
I can repeat what my partner said and then add a new detail if I want to be a better listener.
After a decade, I still think trying to be fully present with other people, more positive, and more open to the uncertainty of life's ups and downs are noble pursuits. I'm glad I have improv to help me take actionable strides toward these goals every day. I'm also glad that I have a little fun in the process.