A change of perspective: Yoga is not what it looks like, but what it feels like.

Looking back at 2019 I am grateful for the students I got to teach as well as the places I was able to experience to fuel my passion for travel and Yoga. Both the students as well as the places I visit allow me to discover more about myself- which I am grateful for. One lesson was so powerful that it deserves reflection and sharing with the community. It’s about experiencing the power of a change of perspective and to learn that Yoga is not what it looks like but Yoga is what it feels like.

It all happened in the most inspiring class taught in 2019 for low vision and blind people in Seattle. Special thanks to Alice and Blind and Low Vision Yoga Seattle for creating this experience together. Low vision and blind people are equally deserving to experience the benefits of Yoga. Yoga studios often have mirrors to help students with alignment, a tool that may be inaccessible to students with low vision.

We set the intention for an inclusive space where everyone was welcome to attend. We brought bandanas to block out vision completely and we focused on a slower pace of instruction to allow everyone to safely find their way of getting into the poses. At the end of class we showed a tactile Yoga mat that allows students to stay oriented during the practice. After class several students stayed to share their experience. Several agreed that this class was much more challenging than they expected. Not being able to rely on your eye sight meant other parts had to compensate. Different muscles were used. One student shared an emotional experience: “Often in Yoga I get into my head…”How do I look like? Am I as flexible as this person in the front?” I can get stuck in competitive thoughts. Today, when I did not see anything I was able to feel Yoga for the first time. I didn’t worry about my appearance and if other people would judge me. I didn’t judge myself. I was focused on not losing my balance and feeling the pose. It felt great.” The student was glowing as she shared her experience and I could see the impact this class had on her. Blocking out sight allowed her a change of perspective to discover benefits of Yoga that were previously not accessible to her. I was touched that this offering led to such a break through experience in a student with sight through a simple change of perspective of something she does regularly.

For me personally, one way to create a change of perspective is through travel. I had my first major travel experience at age 17 when I left Germany to study in Wisconsin for a year and attend high-school. I said yes to living in a small town without knowing anyone, I said yes to learning and I said yes to not judging or comparing- something my mentor had told me was the most important thing to make this one year experience a success. Food, friends and weather were not supposed to be better or worse. They were simply different than what I knew and had experienced thus far.
Since then I have been able to travel to over 30 countries. For me the fun when I travel is to learn something new about myself and to become more of the person I want to be. By traveling to a new place I am still the same person, but I am in a new context and see things differently.

I feel that teaching the low vision class created a similar travel like experience/change of perspective. 1. You don’t see, (similar to travel, where maybe you can’t speak a new language or read signs). This tones your other senses and builds confidence in yourself. You can still manage to get a coffee and laugh- or do yoga when you can’t see or understand your instructor. 2. The experience of not seeing and not feeling judged is also something I experience when I travel: Similar to when you travel- people see you, but they don’t know you and you don’t know them yet. This allows more for a sense of freedom to explore and be and try new things.

I realize not everyone can travel (money, time,family and job responsibilities, physical conditions,visa and immigration stories) but after teaching the low vision Yoga class I believe there is an alternative to experience the benefits of a change of perspective: One can change one simple thing in the routine and create similar benefits to a travel experience. This can be Yoga without sight, it can be whatever you like to do. What is one thing you can do to create a change of perspective?

Categorised in: Relax and Recharge, Tips, Uncategorized, Yoga for Individuals, Yoga Retreats

This post was written by Lissy