AMAN Spring Cultural Show
Tanvi Bhutani ’13: Māyā is often understood, or misunderstood, as an illusion based on the premise that we, as individuals do not experience reality because reality in itself does not exist. Instead, we project our own perceptions on to the world around us creating our own version of reality, building up the individual spirit that is often described as a “disturbed drop of water from an unbounded ocean”. Māyā can be understood, believed, experienced only through meditation and enlightenment, only once the barrier between consciousness and the physical world around us collapses.
To experience Māyā, one must struggle through reality in order to achieve an enlightened state of mind that will allow us to grasp her, understand her, and manifest her. But, in our reality (real or otherwise), we are all disturbed drops of water, individualistic and self-centered, pivoting around a personality of emotions that influences our perceptions of Māyā and so also our experience of it. Through the personal sagas of eight characters who perceive Māyā from different lenses – Lust, Aspire, Obsess, Fear, Control, Worship, Envy and Doubt, we will see how despite being thematically connected by the spiritual philosophies of Māyā (if you so choose to believe), the paths to enlightenment are blocked by our “realist” influenced perceptions that ultimately affect our connection to Māyā.
The AMAN Spring Cultural Show is one such representation of Māyā, as the members of AMAN take the stage through theater, dance and music to revel in the illusory mystery that is Māyā. It does not matter who you are or where you are from, we are all connected by this reality (illusory or otherwise) so help us share our understanding of Māyā with you on April 19th at the Sorenson Center. Doors will open at 7 pm.