Within the silence of the music and the stillness of the motion , the expansive area of objectivity unfolds whereas I dance. On this area, all the things appears leisurely, there isn’t a urgency within the unfolding of characters and no seen finish to this state of consciousness. However because the muktayam performs, the attention and objectivity diminish to a barely recognisable, miniscule presence inside me, and I shortly emerge once more with my title, my titles and roles, absolutely intact.
As a dancer who liked motion, the stillness of the bodily follow of yoga was not very pleasurable as a youngster. I used to be stressed and thrived on the bodily positive factors of yoga greater than the psychological quiet and single pointed consideration that it demanded. I used to be ecstatic with the bodily prowess that I developed in yoga class. My balances turned extra managed, my legs felt like that they had gained an inch with all of the stretching and I might contort myself into shapes that appeared a far attain simply months earlier. I skipped pranayama class, yoga nidra lessons, and any class that didn’t push me sufficient bodily. I needed solely to be challenged bodily.
Calming the thoughts is the important thing. Rukmini reveals how.
| Picture Credit score:
Vivian Ambrose
I didn’t realise that years of dancing would carry me again to the identical stillness of yoga, even when it was by motion. In a fast-paced tillana, I would like the inside leisure and area that yoga was begging to supply me earlier, with the intention to really ‘dance’.
Dance and yoga have been intertwined in Indian tradition — bodily, and philosophically. Yoga and dance have the identical deity — Shiva. He’s usually depicted seated in quiet meditation, or dancing with power, his matted locks creating gusts of wind, jumps inflicting mountains to erupt and twirls egging the waters of the ocean to rise. These two motion practices look like contradictions, however in actuality, they’ve the identical impact on the thoughts that’s in search of.
Yoga itself opposite to well-liked tradition is not only a bodily follow. The Hatha yoga that has turn into the most well-liked illustration of yoga is misunderstood by many people. Asana follow, is simply asana follow. It has great bodily advantages, however I’m hesitant to name it yoga in its true sense.
Dance and yoga have been intertwined in Indian tradition – bodily and philosophically
| Picture Credit score:
Vivian Ambrose
‘Yogaha Chitra vritti nirodaha’ (yoga is the restrictions of the fluctuations of the thoughts).
Individuals have come to consider within the numerous paths of yoga which can be a method to the identical finish. However all these paths are intertwined, inseparable like creepers that cling to at least one one other for sustenance.
One can not have bhakti, with out information. Bhakti is just not an emotion, it’s a revelation that all the universe is manufactured from the identical cloth of creation. In that revelation, there may be a lot pleasure and celebration and love, that it turns into bhakti, a reverence for all times itself. Whereas we act on the planet, consistently attempting to make the suitable selection, for the straightforward purpose that it’s proper, with out expectations and with out being tied emotionally to the fruit of our actions, we turn into Karma yogis. One, nevertheless, can’t be a Karma yogi with out having love and celebration for the world round him/her. Bhakti turns into part of this Karma.
Yoga itself is a system that enumerates how one can start to understand the oneness of this universe and in consequence turn into a extra amicable, loving presence in society. Yoga strives to create ‘samatvam’, equanimity in us. It makes an attempt to assist us stay our lives with consciousness, fullness, love, gratitude and a capability to expertise joys and sorrows, successes and failures with ‘samatvam’.
The essence of each artwork and yoga is give up.
| Picture Credit score:
Anup J Kat & Vivian Ambrose
Within the preliminary years, my follow of Bharatanatyam, was all about method and bodily readability, even the emotive components have been rigorously practised and rehearsed endlessly. Now the technicality, rhythm, and aesthetics of classical dance really feel like part of me, and so they not require fixed reminding. Throughout a efficiency, as I give up to a personality, I’m compelled to let go of ‘Rukmini’ as I do know her. The titles, relationships, and accolades that appear to outline me outdoors of the imaginary world, not maintain a spot as I enable the dance to take over. Whereas executing the function of a personality, I should have management, consciousness, specificity, and give up . The feelings of the character overwhelm me, however I’ve samatvam whereas I’m overwhelmed. There may be precision of execution alongside absolute give up.
I realise now, that this is identical consciousness, distance, and full give up that our lives outdoors of efficiency and dance require. Samatvam equanimity, even when feelings overwhelm us, permits us to make choices within the leisurely quiet of our minds. That is what yoga strives to show us, and that is what has been revelatory for me in efficiency. Whereas I try to imbue this samatvam into my life, I deeply relish it’s presence revealed in give up to bop.
Poetry in movement.
| Picture Credit score:
Vivian Ambrose
My fingers winding, circling my physique
Eyes comply with misplaced in a hypnotic trance
The information of which contact and open
As water droplets trickle down my elbow.
In a second they disappear into the expanse
Of the blue sky, the billowing clouds,
And once more, I’m in an internet of circling droplets.
Each exhalation brings nearer to me
My inside being swaddled in love,
Distant, engrossed, indifferent, passionate
Like sliding home windows that exist .
In dance I’m the grasp, the facility inside,
I exude precision, tranquil rage, composed laughter.
The motion stops to create a sycophant
Rendered powerless by the perceptible, the palpable.
In creativeness I’m queen, harnessing
A chilly detachment, measured emotion.
The music ends to command me as soon as once more,
A puppet, no strings hooked up.
Excerpt from the ebook Discovering Shiva by Rukmini Vijayakumar
