Q:
Tell us what you’re doing now.
Ms.
Stevens: I just finished writing a Western
movie that I’m going to direct. It’s called Hard
Ride. I’d like to make it a really wonderful, memorable
film. I want people when they see my movie to say, “Oh! That was
great! I want to see it again.” That would make me happy.
Q:
How is Andrew, your son?
S:
He’s now an executive producer who makes movies. The last movie
that’s now out and that Andrew produced is The
Pledge with Jack Nicholson, directed by Sean Penn.
Q:
How did you come to know Supreme Master Ching Hai?
S:
I had the pleasure of meeting Her at an Academy Awards party in Hollywood.
Her clothing, pottery, fans and artistry, such as Her fashions, are
incomparable. They’re just magnificent, and I admire Her so much
as an artist. I knew that She was a Supreme Master so I was surprised
that She was not dressed as a nun. I learned that She was a nun earlier
in Her life but felt that She could reach the people better through
glamour. And so I think we actors reach people through glamour as well.
It’s not that we want people to envy us,
but we want them to enjoy us for the happiness we can bestow through
our good fortune, through sharing it. Because people are so happy when
I just speak to them on the phone or shake their hands or hug them or
we take photos together, and it makes my day. We’re put in the
public eye and we do have an influence. So if I can in my heart help
others in any way, it’s my pleasure. God bless Her for doing the
wonderful work that She does.
I think it’s wonderful that She’s
created those fashions and made Herself accessible to people so they
can actually touch Her and know that She’s real. Even in Her infinite
vision and knowledge, She’s still humane and can talk to everyone.
I was also taught that one of the highest things a person can do is
to communicate with the simplest of people and with everyone. And the
greatest Masters who have lived before us were always able to talk to
the common people who were very poor, or sit at a table with very rich
men.
As I said, She’s sharing Her knowledge and
Her inspiration and Her love with everyone through Her art work. And
all of what She does is art work — the costumes, the fashions,
the paintings and the lamps that She has designed — everything
to enlighten others and impart to them the Heavenly experience that
She’s had and feels in life, the joy of living. People get kind
of tired of life because they have routines that they get bored with.
I had a gentleman teach me one time that washing
dishes was his meditation time. During any type of menial task that
you don’t really have to think about, where your mind can wander,
you can meditate. You don’t just have to sit in the lotus position
and stare at a candle. You can do that if you wish. But as long as you’re
doing some task, even if you’re raking or sweeping or cleaning,
or doing something that doesn’t require much thought — that
you know how to do or your body knows how to accomplish without thinking
— then your mind, your brain can be free to pursue any kind of
imaginative thought that you might have.
And you should never be afraid of or surprised by
the power of your mind. I think some people are afraid when they have
enormous thoughts and visions and things that they don’t know
where they come from, but they’re from inside us. We all have
the capacity; we just don’t know how to reach those chambers of
our brains to open up and show ourselves these things.
Q:
So, before we finish, would you like to just say a few words to Supreme
Master Ching Hai?
S:
Hallo, Supreme Master! It’s so nice chatting with you again, and
I’m very impressed by Your beautiful book containing all Your
art work, and by all the joy You bring to others in Your life by sharing
Your visions. And I hope that in my small way I can share a vision with
people through films. I hope that my films are worthy of my high hopes
and that my films about family and family values can inspire some people
as Your works inspire others. And You definitely are a great inspiration
for me.
For
on-line viewing of this interview, please visit
Sun TV program serial no. 51 of A Journey
through Aesthetic Realms
at the following URL:
http://www.Godsdirectcontact.org.tw/eng/hichannel/index.htm
(English, with Chinese subtitles)
