This study was conducted to address a gap in the literature concerning the connection between the actor’s body and creativity from the perspective of the functioning of the nervous system. Approaching the body as a holistic entity, where the unseen emotions, sensations, thoughts, and character structure become visible, provides crucial insights into the actor’s creativity. It also helps establish a solid foundation for their practice. By examining neuroscience-based theories and practices, particularly the Feldenkrais Method, this study investigates the parallel functioning between them. The focus shifts from a dualistic view that separates mind-body or inside-outside performance to a more integrated approach grounded in scientific principles, emphasizing the central role of the body in acting practices.

Through a holistic approach to the body, Kohut’s (1977) concept of self and self-perception and Maslow’s (1970) idea of self-actualization are explored to provide a general framework. This perspective emphasizes the embodiment of the self and highlights the importance of approaching the body from different angles. The study underscores that the actor’s creativity is rooted in their self, making the awareness and understanding of the self essential.

To examine the layers that constitute the self, the study discusses the layers of consciousness that are the objects of attention and awareness. It highlights the importance of conscious attention as a critical component of creativity, focusing on its significance in the actor’s process of creating more impactful, authentic, and profound performances.

Damasio (1994, 2000), a leading figure in neuroscience, argues that the self forms through the interaction of the body, brain, and environment, with the body playing a central role in emotion, sensation, thought, and behavior. He elucidates how communication between the body and brain shapes the self within the framework of the nervous system, shedding light on the body as more than just a moving entity but a receiver of sensory information that is integral to the formation of self-consciousness. The notion of the "feeling of knowing," activated by the body’s receptors and noticed through conscious attention, emphasizes the importance of sensory information in creating original and creative characters for actors.

Concepts such as body maps, somatic markers, and the "as-if body loop" are crucial for understanding how neurological processes inform the actor’s answers to the question of "how." Body maps are not merely schemas for movement or muscle activation but represent neural pathways that form behaviors through multisensory input. The central role of the sensory-motor system is highlighted. It is further noted that the sense of self is recorded in these maps, drawing attention to how the self becomes embodied through a scientific lens. In this way, the study examines the operation of habitual body maps in the light of neuroscience and their influence on the actor’s practice.

The Feldenkrais Method, which approaches the self holistically and emphasizes the sensory-motor system, is investigated as a system that accesses body maps and reorganizes habitual patterns through developmental movement processes. Feldenkrais argues that the greatest obstacle to creativity is habitual patterns, which are body maps formed through neural pathways. He highlights how emotions, sensations, thoughts, and movements are intertwined, forming habitual records of actions and behaviors that are stored in the brain, thus fixing sensory-motor systems and limiting potential. The restriction of potential through habitual body maps also limits the self. Thus, concepts like self-awareness, self-perception, and self-actualization are shown to be equivalent to the utilization of one’s potential. Feldenkrais’ concept of the "self-image," which he defines as the perception of the self, is argued to be self-perception. This study focuses not on an exhaustive examination of the Feldenkrais Method but on its relevance to creativity from the perspective of neural connections, sensation, and movement.

The study also explores the parallels between Stanislavski’s system of physical actions, which starts from movement, and the Feldenkrais Method, which uses movement as a tool to go beyond habitual body maps to reach potential

. In conclusion, the study reveals the connection between body and self and how this relationship affects the actor’s creativity from both neuroscience and practical perspectives. The body is found not to be an object but the foundation of self, where information from sensory receptors, directed by consciousness, and the importance of sensory feedback are highlighted. Thus, the actor’s bodywork is not merely about repeating movements or enhancing flexibility but about establishing the connection between sensory feedback and movement to unlock creativity and the potential of the self. As the actor investigates their own self, they also construct the self of the character they create. The key to avoiding the repetition of habitual patterns lies in first discovering one’s own body-self/potential. Expanding the actor’s potential enhances their creativity and ability to make choices, enabling the creation of new and unique selves for every character.