Vedic Threads | Self paced
Exploring Vāyu, Bhāva and Rasa Through Performance
This session explores the interplay of vāyu (life-force movement), bhāva (emotion), and rasa (aesthetic essence) through the ancient performance tradition of Kūṭiyāṭṭam. Kapila Venu presents performance not merely as art but as a profound knowledge system where breath, movement, sound, and inner awareness shape human experience. Through the framework of the nine rasas and four modes of expression, she illustrates how artists channel prāṇa to evoke deep emotional states. The session also highlights the role of sādhana and detachment in maintaining an artist’s mental balance, emphasizing performance as a path to self-awareness, emotional refinement, and spiritual insight.
Guest Instructor
Kapila Venu
Kapila Venu is an internationally acclaimed practitioner of Kūṭiyāṭṭam, one of the world’s oldest living theatre traditions, and a distinguished exponent of Mohiniyāṭṭam. Trained under legendary gurus including Ammannur Madhava Chakyar, G. Venu, Usha Nangiar, and her mother Nirmala Paniker, she has dedicated over two decades to preserving and evolving these art forms. Her work bridges tradition and contemporary performance through global collaborations and teaching engagements. A recipient of prestigious honors such as the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar, she continues to share the depth of Indian performance traditions through performances, workshops, and academic contributions worldwide.
Exploring Vāyu, Bhāva and Rasa Through Performance
with Kapila Venu
Topics Covered:
- Introduction to Kutiyattam, one of the oldest living theatre traditions and a profound knowledge system
- Exploration of vāyu as the movement of life force, expressed through breath, body, and mind
- Understanding the relationship between bhāva (inner emotion) and rasa (experienced essence or flavor)
- Distinction between prāṇa and vāyu, and their roles in performance and inner experience
- The four aspects of abhinaya (expression): angikam (body), vachikam (voice), āhāryam (costume), sāttvic (inner state)
- Role of breath (swara vāyu) in shaping expression and emotional transmission
- Introduction to the nava rasas (nine emotional flavors) in performance tradition
- Emphasis on sādhana, discipline, and detachment, and their impact on an artist’s mental and spiritual well-being
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the distinction between bhāva (emotion) and rasa (experienced essence) in Indian performance traditions
- Identify and describe the nine rasas (emotional expressions) in classical Indian arts
- Gain an introductory understanding of Kutiyattam as a holistic art form integrating body, breath, mind, and spirit
Session 2
Reflections & Integration with the Instructors
Topics Covered:
- Exploration of flow in spiritual practice, as a journey rather than a fixed destination
- Reflections on how different cultures experience and express prāṇa/śakti
- Insights from Kalaripayattu, temple traditions, and pilgrimage (e.g., Sabarimala)
- Discussion on Western vs. traditional approaches to spirituality and expectation
- Introduction to pañca vāyus and upa-pañca vāyus (subtle movements of life force)
- Inquiry into self-treatment in Ayurveda and the role of practitioner maturity
- Understanding pratyakṣa (direct perception) as a valid source of knowledge
- Reflections on intuition (yukti) and how experience deepens discernment
- Discussion on qualities of an effective physician and the evolution of practice
- Exploration of brāhmaṇa varṇa, and its relationship with sattva, rajas, and tamas
- Moments of shared rasa and collective experience in learning spaces
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the relationship between brāhmaṇa varṇa and the guṇas (sattva, rajas, tamas)
- Explore the role of intuition (yukti), perception (pratyakṣa), and experience in Ayurvedic and spiritual practice
- Reflect on the concept of flow as an essential aspect of spiritual and experiential learning
About Vedic Threads
Every Indian wisdom tradition carries within it a vast web of ideas, stories, and living knowledge. Vedic Threads is an invitation to explore that web — one theme at a time, in the company of lifelong practitioners and sincere seekers from around the world. Join hosts Drs. Ramkumar and Claudia Welch and Navneet Raman, and our distinguished guest instructors, for conversations that deepen your understanding of Ayurveda, yoga, and the traditions they emerge from.
