Modernization has a great impact in the evolution of the unique yoga style forms. One such innovation is the formation of a unique yoga style named “Blindfold Yoga”. It is a special yoga where “blindfold” is used to remove visual distractions during yoga practice.
From traditional yoga to modern yoga, yoga has emerged into different ways to deepen the connection between mind, body and soul. Blindfolded eyes during yoga help to enhance the inner awareness and strengthen the power of senses. It is quite different from the traditional practice of ancient yoga and has multiple advantages.
To understand what it feels like to be blindfolded, this yoga practice offers a practical response. Explore the concept of blind flow, the benefits of blindfold yoga and how this innovation transforms your life for the better.
Understanding the Blind Folded Meaning in Yoga
Before stepping into the yoga style and its benefits, it is necessary to understand the blind folded meaning in yoga. Blindfold refers to a piece of cloth or an eye-mask used to cover the eyes so that it can block the person’s vision completely.
The concept of “blindfold” is used in yoga and hence named it as “Blindfold yoga”. It helps to promote inner focus by eliminating unwanted external distractions and shifting the awareness inward. The concept used in this yoga style aligns with the yogic goals of “Pratyahara”. “Blindfold” plays an essential role in this type of yoga similar to Iyengar Yoga where props are used to practice yoga.
Blindfolded eyes during yoga practice strengthen the sensory awareness, enhance the meditation practice and connect with your inner self.
Understanding Blindfold Yoga
It is a creatively upgraded version of traditional yoga. The main difference that makes this yoga distinct from regular yoga is the usage of blindfold. Yoga practitioners perform yoga asanas, meditation and breathing exercises wearing a blindfold that helps to deepen the inner connection.
While regular yoga focuses majorly on the physical postures or asanas, while the blindfold centric yoga contributes to achieve Pratyahara. Pratyahara is a Sanskrit term used in yogafor withdrawing the senses to connect with the inner self. In Pratyahara, the main aim is to withdraw the senses to direct the attention and focus to the inner self.
Blindfold yoga helps to achieve the following:-
- It enhances body awareness by inwarding all the attention from the external world.
- It helps to focus on senses and controls breath.
- It encourages to elevate the balance and stability.
- It focuses on building inner perception and self-connection.
Read Also:- 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training In Rishikesh
How Would You Feel if You are Blindfolded During Yoga?
Before having any practical experiences in blind flow yoga style, it is common to feel curious. Blindfolded eyes during yoga practice may make you feel a little awkward in your initial days. But with consistency and discipline, it helps you shape a transformed version of yours.
During your initial days of practice, you might feel the following:-
- The sense of slight discomfort or fear with the thought of self-judgement.
- There will be a loss of balance during the blind flow yoga practice.
- There might be uncertainty in movement and in holding poses.
After continuous practices, these changes can be observed:-
- You feel more focused and a deep calmness arises in you.
- Your inner awareness gets enhanced.
- You develop a stronger connection with your body, mind, energy and soul.
- You feel more confident than before.
The shift appears due to the absence of visual role which results in heightening other body senses. You started holding the power to control your thoughts, body and senses power that creates a meditative experience for the practitioners.
What is Blind Flow in Yoga?
The term flow in the word “blind flow” refers to the sequence of yoga poses continuously done one after another similar to the Vinyasa yoga sequence. Blind as a prefix in “flow” means doing the flow sequence of yoga poses with the blindfolded eyes.
- During this session, the movements are quite slower but more mindful.
- Each and every transition is well-aligned by breath, that is, it is breath-synchronised.
Blindfold Yoga vs Traditional Yoga
Both these yoga differ not only in terms of the input of visual senses involved during yoga. But it differs in terms of their main focus, vision, awareness and experiences it brings in a yogi’s life. Understanding the differences between blindfold yoga and traditional yoga is important to measure their resulting benefits.
Differences are as follows:-
- The blindfold centric yoga mainly focuses on achieving the internal awareness while traditional yoga focuses on external alignment.
- In terms of vision, the blindfold centric yoga covers the eyes to block the vision but in traditional yoga, there is an involvement of vision sight.
- In terms of Awareness, it promotes achieving sensory and intuitive connection while the other one promotes physical awareness.
- In terms of experience, the blind flow yoga brings an introspective way of mindful living. While on the other hand, traditional yoga brings structured experience in life similar to Ashtanga Yoga.
Blindfold Yoga Benefits
There are numerous physical, spiritual as well as mental benefits of blindfold yoga which are as follows:-
1. Physical Benefits
- It helps to assemble focus that results in improving the body posture and alignment.
- It strengthens the muscles and other body parts.
- It enhances the attention and other senses that result in building coordination.
- It increases body awareness by cutting external vision distractions.
2. Mental Benefits
- It helps in mindful living by reducing overthinking and anxiety.
- It enhances mindfulness by promoting mindful living.
- It improves the focus and the concentration power.
- It promotes emotional balance through emotional release.
3. Spiritual Benefits
- It supports spiritual awakening and encourages self-reflection.
- It deepens meditation with constant focus and calmness.
- It builds self-confidence and inner connection with the soul.
How to Practice Blindfold Yoga Safely?
It is advised by yoga teachers to practice it safely and in the right manner to get the fruitful result.
Follow these safety steps to practice yoga with blindfolded eyes:-
- First, find a safe and clutter-free space where there is no chance of injury.
- Then start with beginner-friendly simple poses until you become familiar with blindfold and balancing.
- With discipline and continuous practice, move gently, slowly and mindfully.
- While doing transitions or movements, try to focus on your breathing.
- It is important to practice this yoga under guidance if possible.
Is Blindfold Yoga Suitable for Everyone?
This yoga is worldwide popular and is widely practiced by the people due to its several benefits. But it is especially recommended to the following practitioners:-
- Those yoga beginners who are seeking to build focus.
- It is an ideal choice for advanced practitioners who want to enhance deeper awareness.
- It is highly valuable for the people who are dealing mentally with stress and anxiety.
- Those who are meditation practitioners or want to practice meditation, it is a great choice to begin.
- It should be practiced under guidance and with caution especially if the person has balancing issues.
Conclusion
Blindfold yoga adds the uniqueness, creativity and innovation in the field of yoga with additional benefits. It is not just a simple yoga practice with blindfolded eyes rather it adds the depth of gaining awareness and inner-focus. Excluding external visual distractions helps you reconnect with your body, and breath.
When we remove visual sense’s involvement in yoga, the brain and body works in coordination by heightening the power of other senses. This resulted in a strong mind-body connection with good balance and stability. It does not only contribute to physical health benefits but has a vast role in mental and spiritual well-being.
To preserve the true essence of yoga with modern practices, Karmatic Yoga in Rishikesh helps the students to learn yoga in the most authentic form. Karmatic Yoga does not only train yoga students, instead they make you live and feel yoga. To start your yoga healing journey and to transform your life through yoga, choose Karmatic Yoga, the one and only best yoga teacher training school in Rishikesh.
Quick Answers
Q. Is blindfold yoga safe to practice?
A. Yes. But make sure to practice in a safe place and under guidance.
Q. Name some yoga poses that can be tried with blindfolds?
A. Sukhasana, Balasana, and Tadasana
Q. For how long should one do blindfold yoga on a weekly basis?
A. 2-3 times per week.
Q. Is there any role of blindfold yoga to improve concentration?
A. Definitely yes. It helps to increase the focus and results in improving concentration.
Q. What is the one main benefit of blindfolded eyes in meditation?
A. It helps eliminate distractions from the outside world which helps in deepening inner awareness.
More to Explore:-