The word is disponibilité. Yes, it is a French word, and one that is really hard to translate into English and maintain the fullness of its meaning. That is why many people involved in dramatic improvisation (even those that speak English!) still use this word that was introduced by the French dramatist Jaque Lecoq. Basically, it means an availability, openness, or readiness to respond to the conditions of life. In a book that overviews improvisation in drama, Frost and Yarrow explain what this means:
Disponibilité sums up in a single term the condition improvisers aspire to. It offers a way of describing an almost intangible and nearly undefinable state of being: having at (or in) one’s fingertips, and any other part of the body, the capacity to do and say what is appropriate, and to have the confidence to make the choice. It’s a kind of total awareness, a sense of being at one with the context: script, if such there be, actors, audience, theatre space, oneself and one’s body. ~Improvisation in Drama, 152
So what does this big French word have to do with Christian living? Well, since I am working on a project regarding Christian ethics as improvisation, this naturally means that developing disponibilité is how Christian prepare to live well in the world, to improvise in the theodrama. Ethical disponibilité is a responsive awareness to the Spirit, Scripture, tradition, context, and other people that allows us to act fittingly as Christians in the world.
Do you think this has some potential? If I were to swap out an English word or phrase for disponibilité, what would it be? The word that I have used in some previous posts–readiness–does not seem to encompass the whole concept, but I think “responsive awareness” gets closer. Any suggestions?
Posted by Joie on November 11, 2009 at 11:11 am
I think your most accurate definition is “available/availability”, which, as you probably know, is the closest translation of the French root word: “disponible”. French speakers often say, “je suis disponible” meaning what English speakers mean when we say “I’m free [now or at 3 pm - etc]“. And to me it gives the impression that “I’m at your service- i’m available to do whatever you need me to do – i don’t have anything else planned”. I’m intrigued that this word has worked it’s way into the foundations of what you’re studying and that it’s English translation is not used. It makes sense to me that as Christians, this life we live is not our own- we’ve been bought with a price and so we don’t have to ’store up’ things here on earth, “our” resources are available, “our” time is available, “our” lives are to be lived for the Kingdom of God and not for ourselves. That’s what this word seems to be trying to express- being free/available to give everything. The quote you included discussed awareness of surroundings as a key to being able to respond accurately to them – of course, and as Christians, if we live like this AND make ourselves available to reach out to the needs that we’re aware of around us, God gets the glory. I don’t think it’s so much about preparing (or being ‘ready’) as it is about just getting down to it and LIVING an available, freely-giving/serving life. I’ve seen a handful of people live like this- it’s powerful.
Posted by Wes on November 11, 2009 at 2:03 pm
Yes, I think that “availability” does get at part of the meaning, and I love the way that you traced out the implications of how this word can be used! I love to think of what it means to be available to live as Christians in the world. The question is: how do we become available in this sense, to be ready to live an available, freely-giving/serving life, as you have so beautifully phrased it. So far in my study of Scripture, I am thinking that we can develop ethical disponibilité by responsively attentive to the Spirit, Scripture, tradition, our context, and to other people. Being responsively attentive to the Spirit’s work means, of course, that we are already engaged in walking by the Spirit and putting on the character of Christ. There is a mystery to the idea of availability/readiness for Christian living in that it can only be developed through passionate involvement in the action. In other words, we prepare for righteous living by living righteously! We prepare for improvising by improvising! Thanks for your interaction, Joie. It’s really helpful and insightful.
Posted by Wes on November 11, 2009 at 2:08 pm
As you may have noticed, in the last few hours I have switched the phrase “responsive awareness” to “responsive attentiveness,” which is even closer to what I think is involved in developing ethical disponibilité (availability/readiness). I like it better because awareness too easily implies knowledge whereas attentiveness implies more of a personal, involved commitment to whatever object someone is attending. In these preliminary stages, my thoughts are evolving quickly!
Posted by Molly on November 13, 2009 at 10:01 am
I really appreciated the comments posted above and I would like to add to the foundation of those comments that being “available” and “responsively aware and attentive” would involve cultivating a receptive heart; one that is receptive, open, approachable, amenable, accessible, interested, friendly and sympathetic.
Posted by Wes on November 14, 2009 at 10:54 am
Very good point! How do you think we can develop, in addition to the work of the Holy Spirit, that sort of receptive heart?