Shri Upasana – Shakti: The Many Ways of Being Powerful
About the Event
Shakti – The Many Ways of Being Powerful

What does it really mean to be powerful?

Is power always about being fierce, strong, decisive, and in control? Or can softness, self-compassion, acceptance, receptivity, surrender, and the ability to let go also be forms of strength?

Shri Upasana – Shakti: The Many Ways of Being Powerful is a 90-minute experiential movement workshop that invites participants to explore these questions through Bharatanatyam, movement, rhythm, gesture, breath, and guided reflection.

Drawing inspiration from the diverse qualities associated with Indian goddesses such as Durga, Kali, Lakshmi, Saraswati, and Parvati, the workshop explores the many ways Shakti can be experienced and embodied.

Rather than defining power as one fixed quality, the session invites participants to consider which form of Shakti may support them at a particular moment in life.

Courage may be powerful.

Setting a boundary may be powerful.

Being receptive may be powerful.

Showing compassion towards yourself may be powerful.

Accepting vulnerability may be powerful.

And sometimes, letting go can also require strength.

The workshop brings together classical dance, mental wellbeing, feminine energy, body awareness, and experiential reflection to create a space for participants to explore their own relationship with power.

What does power look like for me?

Which form of Shakti do I need to embody today?

What Is Shakti?

In the context of this workshop, Shakti is explored as a broad idea of power, energy, agency, and embodied strength.

The workshop draws on the different qualities traditionally associated with several goddesses to demonstrate that power does not have to look the same in every situation.

Through movement and reflection, participants are invited to explore a spectrum of qualities, from fierceness and courage to softness, compassion, acceptance, receptivity, and surrender.

The purpose is not to assign participants to a single archetype but to create an opportunity to notice which qualities resonate with them and how different forms of power might be useful in different circumstances.

The Many Forms of Power

Power can take many forms.

Sometimes it means standing your ground.

Sometimes it means speaking up.

At other times, it can mean asking for help, receiving support, allowing yourself to be vulnerable, or accepting that something needs to change.

This workshop explores these different dimensions through the symbolic qualities of Shakti.

The session encourages participants to consider power as something that can be dynamic, responsive, and personal, rather than something that always requires control or force.

Durga – Fierceness and Courage

Durga provides a symbolic representation of courage, determination, and the ability to stand firmly in the face of challenge.

Through Bharatanatyam-inspired movement, participants can explore what firmness and courage might feel like in the body.

The Warrior-like quality of Durga can provide a framework for reflecting on boundaries, agency, and the willingness to act with intention.

Participants may consider:

When do I need to be firm?
Where do I need stronger boundaries?
What does courage feel like physically?
How do I embody a sense of personal agency?
Kali – Transformation and Release

Kali represents another dimension of Shakti, one associated with intensity, transformation, and the destruction of what no longer serves.

Within the workshop, Kali provides an opportunity to explore powerful emotional and physical qualities without reducing strength to conventional ideas of control.

The movement-based exploration can create space to reflect on what it means to release, transform, and move through intensity.

This can connect to the broader workshop theme of letting go as a form of strength.

Lakshmi – Softness, Abundance and Receptivity

Lakshmi introduces a different dimension of power.

Power does not always need to be forceful.

The qualities associated with Lakshmi can open a conversation around receptivity, softness, self-worth, care, and the ability to receive.

Through movement and reflection, participants can consider whether receiving support, allowing ease, or embracing gentleness can also be meaningful forms of strength.

The workshop invites participants to notice the value of qualities that may not always be recognised as conventional “power.”

Saraswati – Knowledge and Inner Clarity

Saraswati brings another dimension into the exploration through associations with knowledge, learning, expression, and clarity.

Within the workshop, this provides an opportunity to reflect on the relationship between awareness, understanding, expression, and personal agency.

Power can also emerge through knowing oneself, identifying what matters, and communicating with clarity.

The movement and reflective elements allow these ideas to be explored experientially rather than only discussed in theory.

Parvati – Compassion, Acceptance and Nurturing

Parvati represents another expression of Shakti, one that allows participants to explore compassion, acceptance, nurturing, and emotional softness.

This expands the idea of power beyond external strength.

The ability to treat yourself with compassion, acknowledge vulnerability, and accept your own experience can also form part of a broader understanding of personal strength.

The workshop uses these qualities as themes for embodied reflection.

Bharatanatyam as an Embodied Tool

At the centre of the workshop is Bharatanatyam.

Rather than approaching classical dance solely as performance or technical training, the workshop uses movement, rhythm, and gesture as tools for embodied exploration.

Participants do not need to learn a formal choreography.

Instead, Bharatanatyam becomes a language through which qualities such as courage, softness, boundaries, receptivity, and surrender can be explored physically.

Movement, Rhythm and Gesture

Movement provides a direct way to explore different qualities in the body.

The workshop integrates:

Movement: Explore how different emotional qualities may be expressed physically.

Rhythm: Experience the relationship between timing, pulse, and embodied presence.

Gesture: Use expressive movement to connect symbolic qualities with physical action.

Breath: Bring awareness to the body's response during movement and reflection.

These elements come together to create a practical, experiential approach to the theme of Shakti.

Guided Reflection

The workshop is not limited to movement.

Participants will also take part in guided reflection, giving them opportunities to connect the physical experience with their own thoughts and experiences.

Reflection can help participants consider questions such as:

What does strength mean to me?
Which form of power do I naturally rely on?
Which qualities do I find difficult to access?
Where might softness serve me?
When do I need firmer boundaries?
What would it mean to let go?

The emphasis is on personal exploration rather than arriving at a single correct answer.

Exploring Mental Wellbeing Through Movement

The workshop integrates classical dance and mental wellbeing by using movement as a pathway for awareness and reflection.

Participants are invited to notice how different qualities feel in the body and how movement can provide another way of engaging with emotions and personal experiences.

The session is experiential and educational rather than a clinical treatment programme.

Movement and Emotional Awareness

One of the workshop's key themes is developing greater body awareness and noticing how emotions can be experienced and expressed through movement.

Participants can explore the physical qualities associated with different forms of Shakti and observe their own responses.

This may encourage greater curiosity about the relationship between:

Body → Emotion → Movement → Awareness

Movement and Emotional Regulation

The workshop also presents movement as a means of supporting emotional regulation.

By paying attention to movement, breath, rhythm, and bodily sensations, participants can explore how physical activity may influence their experience of different emotional states.

The workshop does not promise a specific therapeutic outcome. Instead, it provides a guided environment in which participants can explore these ideas for themselves.

Self-Compassion and Self-Acceptance

Shakti is not presented only through fierce or forceful qualities.

The workshop specifically includes self-compassion and self-acceptance as dimensions of personal power.

Participants are invited to consider whether strength can also involve recognising their own needs, acknowledging vulnerability, and allowing themselves to be imperfect or uncertain.

This creates a broader definition of power that includes gentleness and care.

Boundaries as a Form of Strength

The workshop also explores the role of boundaries.

Setting a boundary can require clarity, courage, and confidence.

Through movement and reflection, participants can consider what it feels like to occupy space, communicate a limit, or stand firmly in relation to their own needs.

The Durga archetype provides one symbolic framework for exploring this quality.

Vulnerability as Power

The workshop invites participants to reconsider the relationship between vulnerability and strength.

Being vulnerable is not necessarily the opposite of being powerful.

Acknowledging emotions, accepting uncertainty, expressing needs, and allowing yourself to be seen can require a different kind of courage.

This perspective is included as part of the workshop's broader exploration of the many ways Shakti can be embodied.

Receptivity as Strength

Power is often associated with action.

The workshop challenges that assumption by giving equal attention to receptivity.

Receiving support, listening, allowing yourself to pause, and being open to what is emerging can also form part of a balanced relationship with personal power.

Lakshmi provides a symbolic entry point into this exploration.

Surrender and Letting Go

Another important theme is the idea that surrender and letting go can also be forms of strength.

There are situations where holding on tightly may not be the most useful response.

Allowing something to change, releasing an expectation, or accepting what cannot be controlled can require considerable inner effort.

The workshop invites participants to explore this idea through movement and reflection.

Finding Your Own Shakti

Rather than prescribing a single definition of power, the workshop asks each participant to consider:

What does power look like for me?

The answer may not always be fierceness or confidence.

For one person, power may mean setting a boundary.

For another, it may mean resting without guilt.

Someone else may need to embrace vulnerability, receive support, speak up, or let go.

The workshop creates space to explore these possibilities through the symbolic language of Shakti.

A 90-Minute Experiential Workshop

The session is structured as a 90-minute experiential movement workshop.

Within this time, participants will explore movement, rhythm, gesture, breath, guided exercises, and reflective prompts connected to the qualities of the featured goddesses.

The format is designed to encourage active participation while allowing space for personal observation and reflection.

No Prior Dance Experience Required

You do not need previous dance experience to participate.

The workshop is open to people who may have little or no familiarity with Bharatanatyam.

The emphasis is not on technical dance training but on experiencing movement as an embodied form of exploration.

This makes the session accessible to people approaching classical dance from a wellbeing, curiosity, or self-awareness perspective.

Open to Everyone Aged 18+

The workshop is open to everyone aged 18 and above.

Participants do not need to identify as dancers or have a background in classical Indian dance.

The session is designed as an inclusive exploration of movement, power, self-awareness, and the symbolic qualities of Shakti.

An Intimate Circle

The workshop is capped at 20 participants.

The intimate group format creates a smaller setting for movement and reflection.

With a limited number of participants, the session is designed around a more contained workshop environment rather than a large-scale public event.

Facilitated by Shraavya Satyanarayan

The workshop is facilitated by Shraavya Satyanarayan, described as a Bharatanatyam Dancer and Certified DMT Practitioner.

Her background brings together classical Indian dance and Dance Movement Therapy, aligning with the workshop's focus on using movement as a pathway for experiential exploration.

Classical Dance Meets Mental Wellbeing

The workshop sits at the intersection of:

Bharatanatyam
Movement
Mental wellbeing
Self-awareness
Emotional exploration
Feminine energy
Indian cultural narratives

This combination creates a workshop experience that is rooted in classical Indian storytelling while exploring contemporary questions around power, emotional awareness, and personal wellbeing.

Exploring Feminine Energy

The event description frames the session around feminine energy through the diverse symbolic qualities of Shakti.

Rather than presenting femininity as one fixed characteristic, the workshop explores different forms of expression — including fierceness, softness, compassion, courage, receptivity, and release.

Participants can consider how these qualities may exist together and how different forms of energy may feel useful in different situations.

Beyond Conventional Ideas of Strength

A central theme of the workshop is challenging the idea that strength always means:

Being forceful
Staying in control
Never showing vulnerability
Always pushing forward
Never needing support

Instead, the session introduces a broader understanding in which acceptance, compassion, receptivity, and letting go may also be forms of power.

What Participants Will Explore
Body Awareness

Develop greater awareness of how emotions can be experienced and expressed through the body.

Different Forms of Power

Explore dimensions of feminine power beyond conventional ideas of strength and control.

Emotional Awareness

Use movement and reflection to notice connections between physical experience and emotions.

Emotional Regulation

Experience movement as a potential tool for exploring and supporting emotional regulation.

Self-Compassion

Reflect on the role of gentleness and compassion towards oneself.

Boundaries

Explore firmness and the ability to communicate personal limits.

Vulnerability

Consider vulnerability as another possible expression of strength.

Receptivity

Explore the ability to receive rather than always needing to act.

Surrender and Letting Go

Reflect on how releasing control may also require strength.

Cultural Exploration

Experience Indian cultural narratives and Bharatanatyam as pathways for reflection and wellbeing.

What to Expect
Bharatanatyam-Inspired Movement

Explore movement rooted in the vocabulary and expressive possibilities of Bharatanatyam.

Rhythm and Gesture

Use rhythmic and gestural elements to explore different qualities of Shakti.

Guided Experiential Exercises

Participate in structured movement-based activities.

Reflection

Consider how different forms of power resonate with your personal experience.

Body-Based Exploration

Notice how emotions and qualities may be experienced physically.

An Intimate Group Setting

Participate in a workshop capped at 20 people.

No Dance Experience Required

The session is open to participants without prior classical dance experience.

Why Join Shakti?
Discover a Broader Definition of Power

Explore why strength does not always have to mean force or control.

Experience Bharatanatyam Differently

Approach classical dance as an embodied tool for exploration rather than only a performance form.

Explore Your Relationship With Strength

Reflect on when you need courage, boundaries, softness, acceptance, or release.

Develop Body Awareness

Become more attentive to physical sensations and movement in relation to emotional experience.

Explore Self-Compassion

Consider how gentleness and self-acceptance can contribute to a broader sense of personal strength.

Experience an Intimate Workshop

Join a small group of up to 20 participants in a focused environment.

A Journey Through the Goddesses

The workshop's symbolic journey moves through the qualities associated with five goddesses:

Durga: Courage, firmness, and boundaries.

Kali: Intensity, transformation, and release.

Lakshmi: Softness, receptivity, and self-worth.

Saraswati: Awareness, knowledge, clarity, and expression.

Parvati: Compassion, acceptance, nurturing, and emotional softness.

Together, these archetypal qualities provide a broad vocabulary for exploring what power can look and feel like.

Power Can Be Fierce

There are moments when power requires action.

It can mean standing up for yourself, saying no, making a difficult decision, or moving forward despite uncertainty.

The qualities associated with Durga and Kali offer symbolic ways of exploring this more assertive dimension of Shakti.

Power Can Be Soft

Strength does not always have to be loud.

Softness can involve allowing yourself to rest, caring for yourself, accepting emotions, or approaching difficult experiences with compassion.

The qualities associated with Lakshmi and Parvati provide a framework for exploring this gentler dimension.

Power Can Be Receptive

Sometimes strength lies in being open enough to receive.

Support, care, knowledge, connection, and new possibilities can all require a willingness to allow rather than control.

The workshop includes receptivity as an important aspect of the Shakti spectrum.

Power Can Mean Letting Go

There are also moments when the strongest response may be to stop holding on.

Letting go can involve accepting change, releasing expectations, or acknowledging that some things cannot be controlled.

The workshop invites participants to explore this idea through movement and reflection.

A Body-First Exploration

The session encourages participants to experience the ideas physically rather than approaching them solely through intellectual discussion.

Movement can provide a different way of asking:

What does courage feel like?

What does softness feel like?

What does surrender feel like?

How does the body respond when I set a boundary?

These questions form part of the experiential nature of the workshop.

A Space for Reflection

Participants are encouraged to approach the session with curiosity.

There is no single correct way to experience a particular form of Shakti.

Each person can explore the movements, qualities, and reflections through their own experience and comfort level.

The workshop is intended to create an environment where participants can engage openly with the themes.

Workshop Snapshot

Event: Shri Upasana – Shakti: The Many Ways of Being Powerful

Duration: 90 minutes

Date: Friday, 2 October

Time: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Venue: Upasana – Culture. Community. Wellness Space

Location: Rajarajeshwari Nagara, Bengaluru

Capacity: Maximum 20 participants

Age: 18+

Dance Experience: No prior experience required

Facilitator: Shraavya Satyanarayan

Background: Bharatanatyam Dancer, Certified DMT Practitioner

Event Highlights
Shri Upasana – Shakti
The Many Ways of Being Powerful
90-minute experiential movement workshop
Bharatanatyam-based exploration
Durga, Kali, Lakshmi, Saraswati and Parvati
Exploration of feminine energy
Movement and mental wellbeing
Body awareness
Emotional awareness
Self-compassion
Self-acceptance
Boundaries
Vulnerability
Receptivity
Surrender
Letting go
Guided experiential exercises
Rhythm and gesture
Open to everyone aged 18+
No prior dance experience required
Intimate group capped at 20 participants
Facilitated by Shraavya Satyanarayan
Event Details

Date: Friday, 2 October
Time: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Duration: 90 minutes
Venue: Upasana – Culture. Community. Wellness Space
Location: Rajarajeshwari Nagara, Bengaluru
Capacity: 20 participants
Age: 18+

A Workshop for Curious Explorers

You do not have to be a dancer, wellness practitioner, or student of Indian classical arts to participate.

The workshop is designed for anyone curious about exploring power, movement, body awareness, self-compassion, and Indian cultural narratives in an experiential setting.

The absence of a prior dance requirement makes it possible for people from different backgrounds to engage with the material.

A Workshop for Self-Awareness

The session can also appeal to participants interested in developing greater awareness of their own responses to different forms of power.

You may discover that you naturally lean towards action and control, while another form of Shakti feels less familiar.

The workshop creates an opportunity to notice these patterns through movement and reflection.

A Workshop for Classical Dance Lovers

For people already interested in Indian classical dance, the workshop offers an opportunity to approach Bharatanatyam from an experiential perspective.

Instead of concentrating primarily on technique, the emphasis shifts towards embodied qualities, emotional awareness, rhythm, gesture, and symbolic storytelling.

A Workshop for People Exploring Boundaries

If boundaries are an area you have been thinking about, the Warrior-like qualities represented by Durga can provide a symbolic starting point for exploration.

Movement can be used to consider what firmness, groundedness, and presence feel like physically.

The workshop does not prescribe a particular response but creates space for personal reflection.

A Workshop for People Exploring Softness

Strength can also mean giving yourself permission to slow down.

The qualities associated with Lakshmi and Parvati provide a framework for exploring softness, compassion, receptivity, and acceptance.

The workshop makes room for these qualities alongside the more traditionally recognised forms of strength.

A Gentle Note

This session is designed as an experiential and educational introduction to movement-based exploration, Shakti, emotional awareness, and self-reflection.

It is not intended as a substitute for long-term clinical psychotherapy.

While the workshop may incorporate principles associated with movement-based therapeutic approaches, it should be understood as a workshop rather than ongoing clinical treatment.

Participants seeking deeper, personalised somatic or psychological work may continue exploring appropriate therapeutic journeys with qualified practitioners following the workshop.

Experience Shri Upasana – Shakti

Shri Upasana – Shakti: The Many Ways of Being Powerful offers a 90-minute opportunity to explore the idea of power through Bharatanatyam, movement, rhythm, gesture, breath, and guided reflection.

Drawing from the diverse qualities associated with Durga, Kali, Lakshmi, Saraswati, and Parvati, the workshop challenges the idea that power must always look fierce, forceful, or controlled.

Instead, participants are invited to explore a wider spectrum that includes courage, boundaries, softness, self-compassion, vulnerability, acceptance, receptivity, surrender, and letting go.

The session uses Bharatanatyam as an embodied tool for exploring body awareness and emotional experience, while guided reflection provides opportunities to connect the movement with personal questions around strength and wellbeing.

Open to everyone aged 18+, the workshop requires no prior dance experience and is limited to an intimate circle of 20 participants.

Facilitated by Shraavya Satyanarayan, Bharatanatyam Dancer and Certified DMT Practitioner, the session offers a space to explore one simple but expansive question:

What does power look like for me — and which form of Shakti do I need today?

Move with courage. Receive with openness. Soften with compassion. Let go with intention. Discover your own Shakti.