Blindfold Assistance

Meditationtime Forum Post

Date:  Posted 3 years before May 27, 2016

MiBeloved 3 years ago

Using a blindfold during asana postures, pranayama breath infusion and meditation could accelerate progress. This is because of the default disposition of the psyche which is to pursue sensual objects when the eyes are open. One might conserve one’s sensual interest to a greater degree during practice, if one were blindfolded.

I can say conclusively that for me blindfold during breath infusion with asana postures and during meditation, increased the efficiency of practice. In the developed countries one can hardly find any darkness because of the predominance of electricity. If one lives in a large city, there might be no place which does not have electric lights shining through during the night. One might be forced circumstantially to practice postures, breath infusion and meditation when exposed to some form of light.

Using a blind fold would help considerably.

There is no point in pretending that one can transcend this sensual interference or believe what New Age gurus say about being able to be in the world and not be of it. The fact remains that the psyche has extrovert needs and aggressively seeks to fulfill these. Admitting that, one should take steps to curtail that during the time set aside for meditation.

Ideally when doing yoga practice, one should be introvert. But it is not merely a matter of telling oneself that one will be, one has to compel the mind to be introvert because its tendency in part is to seek objects in the external environment.

Here is a simple illustration. Someone is meditating, then that person hears the sound of a dog barking. The mind immediately makes an effort to move the body to investigate if there is an intruder.

Here is another example:

Someone is meditating, a sound of bee buzzing is heard but just for a split second. The mind immediately gives an idea to investigate the insect. It might be an insect. It might be an imagined sound which occurred so quickly that the person could not determine that it was.

These are just two examples. Many such incidences occur during meditation and disrupt deep practice in terms of dhyana effortless contact with higher realities.

Wearing a blindfold during the practice of asana, pranayama and meditation is my advice to every person.

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Of course it depends on why you are meditating. If your yoga practice is for bodily beauty, then it is in order for you to watch your body externally as you do the practice.

If you are teaching yoga and need to show postures to students, then of course you would have no use for a blindfold.

It depends. My remark here is directed to those who are doing Ashtanga Yoga by the Patanjali system of practice.

devaPriya Yogini 3 years ago

Ashtanga meaning the 8 fold path of raja yoga, referring to sense withdrawal pratyahara...i had a 'yoga' teacher once who encouraged the same technique except she also gave the students ear plugs in addition to blindfolds.  This disturbed a couple of the students. They didn't like not being able to both see and hear.  It was interesting.  I  love asana/pranayama with eyes closed, but I don't need earplugs as i cannot become attached to outer occurrences as long as I am determined not too...like you said, one has to compel the mind.