I had a chance to try blindfolded yoga with Indra, whom most of us know that she's an amazing teacher with patience, love & extensive knowledge of yoga. It was an unique experience and the best thing was the group was multi-racial. Indra started off with a brief explanation that being blindfolded or being a blind person, the senses becomes more acute and we will be more aware of our surroundings, taste, smell, sounds and touch.
We had to quiet down our mind and ignore everything else around us, except to listen to Indra's instructions. She gave us precise instructions, guiding us step by step to the asanas, rather than telling us to get into cat stretch, plank, warriors, etc names of which we are all so familiar with. I think her intention was just to make us listen attentively to her instructions to get into the asanas rather than expect and know what is coming next. With these, I am able to listen to myself and my body's movement and be so aware of my every step, trying not to get out of the mat.
Four types of tea were served to us, we were asked to smell and drink to identify the teas. To taste and identify the flavours, type of teas, I was sipping it so slowly, as if I was wine tasting. However I only managed to get 2 correct, Ti Kuan Yin & Jasmine. I couldn't identify Pu-er, which I drink on a daily basis, it tasted like warm water to me and Earl Grey tasted like mild lemon juice.
We also had food tasting, which was placed in an order of the clock with 5 main varieties. They gave us a spoon each, but how to eat blindfolded without touching the food?therefore, I opted to use my fingers. I diligently finished each portion before going for the next, not realizing that that others just took a little bite of everything and took off their blindfold to finish the rest of the portions and had to wait for me to take off my blindfold. It was interesting to find out, that everyone eats so differently, some started clockwise, some at random and some anti-clockwise. Does this tells a person's character?
We were also asked to identify the direction of the chime that ding dong.
Tasting the spices with smell, taste & touch.
Some identified Ginger as being hairy and wet. Cardamon as something used in curry. Unless you cook, its not easy to just list the spices. I had to bite into a spice to identify as i couldn't detect the smell- black peppercorn, it was stinging the tongue.
It was an endeavour trying to write in a straight line, not overlapping (as you notice below, No.2 & No. 3 was overlapping)
It was truly a fun experience, that everyone should at least try blindfold yoga sometime in their practice.
No comments:
Post a Comment