The darpana pose is seen everywhere in odissi. The woman looking at her reflection in the mirror. It represents many things. With a modern superficial lens, we might see vanity. But if we look a little deeper, it unfolds. To see the beauty in yourself, to recognise the divinity in your own eyes, and to take pleasure in that experience.

Somehow in this moment, in this picture, something clicked. But actually in my dance journey, this is a pose I have had trouble with. How to find that internal state to be able to hold this feeling for more than a fleeting moment. I had to really look at myself (metaphorically!) to deconstruct what was going on. And to put myself back together believing what I saw. .

It’s all such a process. There’s a movement around embodiment yoga growing, and to me this dance hits the absolute bullseye of what embodied yoga is. The mental, emotional and physical deconstruction you experience, and the sublime and solid framework you are put back together in. Oh and you get to dance while doing it!

Photo taken @ncpamumbai during a dance photography workshop 😊 #odissi #darpana #indianclassicaldance #maryamshakiba #embodiedyoga #yogaofdance #reflections #metaphorsforlife #indiandance #indianclassicaldance #incredibleindia