Robert Taylor and Shakuntala Text

Last Sunday we started to work with the Shakuntala script in the Robert Taylor Text Circle. It was exciting to hear the characters speak out loud to each other. We heard from and saw a great mix of people: Shakuntala, Dushyanta, Priyamvada, Anusuya, the Charioteer, the Clown, Durvasas, Hermits, and Guatami to name a few. I was struck at how modern the dialogue sounds, and I felt inspired to dive further into the text and to explore the colorful array of characters.

I felt an impulse to use the Saju walk for a few exits in the text circle. I'd like to explore entering and exiting the text circle with the Saju walk, and maybe even some jumps. George suggested that we stay open to the impulse to use mudras while we are working on the text. I thought it would be cool to substitute mudras for the 6 different Robert Taylor gestures. For example, how about a "direct" using kangulasca or bhramarascaiva, "sympathy" using alapadmakaha, or using pataka for "retreating," "antipathy," and "feeling forward", or whatever mudra presents itself in the moment.

We might also want to begin to learn some text using mudras, or learning text from different energy centers depending on the character we are studying.

Wendy