Want to be ‘in the moment’? Vatsala Kamat shows you how

Human beings have the capacity to respect the truth of our existence. It is said that when we are entirely present ‘in the moment’ in any activity, we can assemble our life in its purest form. Our mind is constantly focused on the past or future, and many miss out on the awareness of being in the present moment.

Artist and meditator, Vatsala Kamat, is at Carpe Diem Galley, every Wednesday, felicitating spontaneous expressions of being “in the moment” through art and meditation, accompanied by instrumental music of drums and tabla. The one-and-half hour sessions are designed for those who want to hone their ability to connect with their true self in the silence of being.

THE ARTIST, THE ART

A graduate from the Goa College of Art, Altinho, Panjim, she works in semi-abstraction, on canvas, paper, wood, in water colour, acrylic, pen and ink, graphite and charcoal.

“Advaita” the science of philosophy of non-duality, which says that we’re connected to one truth, one source which manifests as different life forms, that everything that we perceive as objects are appearing in a single ‘space like’ reality or ‘consciousness’, which is our true, nature fascinated her. And in order to get to know herself more intensely, she began following spiritual guides Hariwansh Lal Poonja Mooji (Papaji), Rupert Spira and Gangaji – the Advaita lineage of Sri Ramana Maharshi, and Sadhguru Founder of Isha Yoga.

Vatsala opines, “As an artist, I recognised the power of being in the moment which is the womb of creativity. Most importantly, it's also the space of being open and non-judgmental. I love spontaneous expressions. Hence, my art is intuitive, consciously, in the process of creating from a space of silence and peace within me. I meditate before I start, without pre-planning the subject.”

“Through my programs ‘Silence Speaks’, I want to invite people from different works of life to come and explore this space within them. I believe through these sessions, I'll help people discover something beautiful within and make them conscious of it."

Individual experiences vary from person to person, she explains. Some may feel the awareness of ‘now’ in one session, while for others, it may take more time. “However, self-discovery is a constant unending process and I am the facilitator to point to the awareness that’s within me and within each of us at all times.” Participants have the choice of sharing or not sharing their experiences of attaining this awareness with others.

Vatsala has unofficially chosen to be known as Krishna because, “During my journey of self-discovery in 2020, while meditating, I had an experience where I felt that I am not my body nor my mind, and had a spontaneous calling to give myself a spiritual name and the name Krishna occurred to me.”

WHERE: Carpe Diem Art Gallery, Majorda

WHEN: Every Wednesday

TIMINGS: 10.30 am to 12 noon

FEES: Rs 600