Not many people would believe the reason why I originally went to study drama. I love life and I adore literature. It seemed to me that dramatic art somewhat connected the two, so I could live different lives on stage and at the same time work with intelligent texts. I’ve always enjoyed singing, dancing, drawing and particularly speaking and...
I don’t like it when somebody tries to pose as a guru. I don’t like the communications of gurus, I am not keen on their pretence that they have understood something and are now conveying it to those of lesser understanding. I have never clung to idols. Through my work I’ve had a chance to watch a couple of gurus quite...
“Who are you? Who am I?” I am exactly five years old; I’m standing in front of the mirror and looking into my own eyes in disbelief. The tilting mirror in my parents’ bathroom is a bit spooky. I’m standing in front of it silently repeating: “I’m me, I’m me, I’m me.” And a painful realisation penetrates my...
Apart from theatre, film and literature I have been taught most of the important things about life by clients. I’ve also learned from them about optimism. Optimism has two sides. The evident one, many times repeated, saying that a positive approach to life facilitates and lightens our existence, probably need not be analysed any further. The second...
Magdalena Vokáčová focuses on relations during coaching also as the author of the successful theatrical play The Pursuit of Unhappiness and the recently published book A Forbidden Textbook of Coaching. Coaching aims at the development of people by applying a typical method where a coach doesn’t give advice, but works jointly with the coached client in finding a solution...
Why do so many educated and talented people create nothing? Why do so many people not write, compose, paint pictures and so on? It is advantageous for us. In fact we are configured in a way that makes all our acts, thought they might sometimes seem disadvantageous, bring us some benefit. “Is there really anything for me if...
“Happy cooking”, said the shop assistant in a convenience store at the corner of Fifth Avenue. Smiling, I took my shopping, went out and waved for a taxi. In the taxi I was surprised to see a big screen with one colourful advert after another. A “Happy shopping,” slogan appeared to end a series of commercial spots. If I hadn’t already known I was...
When I was sorting out photos from 2013 I came across this quite ordinary picture. Looking at it I recalled one happy summer moment: I am going for a walk, holding my son with one hand and the dog leash with the other. We are dawdling, with a lot of time on our hands. “Mummy, what’s written there?” “Do you mean...
Ballad of a Red Nose and Sad Chair by Ivana Svobodová Vychodilová (www.ivanasvobodova.com) The clink of a Tibetan bowl and my heart starting to beat faster. Hard to admit, but I am afraid. I don’t feel like it, but I can’t stand here for ever. I’m not a coward, am I?! I must prove it to myself and the others. I pluck up...
New York is a city associated with hope. A city which I came to love for its unique combination of history and forward vision. A city which similarly to Prague you can roam around a hundred times but still discover thousands of astonishing details, which you have never noticed before. A city pulsating with life both day and night. A city full...
