stay in the moment | Upsana Tendulkar | TEDxDaly College Youth

Quick Overview

Upsana Tendulkar shares her personal journey of discovering the profound connection between scientific concepts and traditional Indian dance forms like Natya and Nrtya, emphasizing that true participation means fully inhabiting the present moment rather than being preoccupied with past achievements or future goals.

Key Points: The speaker introduced the central theme by asking how one can apply the concept of 'staying in the moment' to classical dance forms like Natya and Nrtya. Tendulkar highlighted the ancient text Natyashastra, which outlines eight characteristics of Natya, emphasizing that everything is a 'Natya' (drama/art) and every moment is 'Nrtya' (dance). She recounted her personal experience of dedicating 10 years to Bharatanatyam, culminating in her Arangetram performance in June 2010, which required intense practice. A key realization occurred during a trip to Rishikesh where she experienced a state of deep engagement where the 'dancer' and the 'dance' merged, leading her to forget her knee injury. She contrasted the rigorous practice required for formal dance with the state of 'being in the now,' which she experienced in nature, suggesting that true performance requires full presence. The speaker stated that the power of Sadhana (discipline) is the internal force guiding one toward the Guru, contrasting the external knowledge gained from science (like quantum physics) with the internal realization of being present. The talk concluded by encouraging the audience to realize that everything is a dance, and true participation means shedding the self and fully inhabiting the present moment.

Context: The talk is a personal reflection delivered at TEDxDaly College Youth by Upsana Tendulkar. The speaker uses her background in classical Indian dance, specifically Bharatanatyam and its debut performance (Arangetram), to illustrate the philosophical concept of 'staying in the moment.' She contrasts the rigorous discipline required for performance with the spontaneous, unthinking joy experienced in nature and through dance, advocating for present-moment awareness as the highest form of participation.