ariseinlove

first time trying blindfold yoga today. the deprivation of visual information definitely enhances and demands a lot of internal body awareness (i.e. proprioception). although i normally practice most of my sequences with eyes closed, the option of opening is always there, providing a sense of security. blindfold yoga requires a leap of faith into literally the darkness, and challenges practitioners in poses that they’re already familiar with. in a visceral way, it challenges the ego and one’s patience with oneself. can i stay patient and present with my extraordinarily wobbly foot that won’t stay balanced in a simple tree pose? it also intimately connects you with the people around you: everyone around you is opening themselves up for the same novel and vulnerable experience as you. contrary to the light and visual information that is normally transmitted between you, it is now the sound of their breath, their movement, that reaches you. and if you’re as lucky as me, the person closest to you blindfolded himself before he chose a mat right beside you, leaving the ample space in the studio elsewhere available. so you occasionally exchange tactile information as well, such as the accidental near-high fives you do when both of you come up from a forward fold with your arms outstretched. at last, it brings about an appreciation for an intact visual system that is largely taken for granted. when the blindfold comes off and the lights come on, the world presents itself much more brightly and vividly than ever remembered. how the body habituates wonderfully quickly.