Yoga for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Making yoga more accessible for the visually impaired and the blind. By Claire Miller
Reading time: 3 minutes
Can you imagine doing your whole yoga class with your eyes shut, or covered up? This is the world of the blind yoga client! It’s a hard thing for most to contemplate, but yoga can be an amazing therapeutic tool for all, regardless of one’s ability to see.
I lost most of the vision in my right eye after a stressful period in my life, when most of the optic nerve died off. It is still an unexplained loss. It still catches me out, even now, when I forget and trip over something (or someone) in my blind side. Yet it has given me the most enormous respect for everyone with any form of vision and/or hearing loss. I also wake up every day immensely grateful for the vision that I still have.
I am yoga teacher and a fitness instructor and am fortunate to work for Blind Aid and previously for Metro Blind Sport. My own sight loss brought me the opportunity to teach the wonderful and inspiring clients of Blind Aid, London’s oldest sight-loss charity, and an organisation that works with some incredible people.
"Yes, maybe the teacher needs to make adjustments to the space, to take a little more time, be more clear with their instructions, but none of this should prevent people from attending a class.”
I would love somehow to change the common feedback that I hear from them that: “The gym/studio/teacher won’t accept me in the class because I am blind/ visually impaired.” Yes, maybe the teacher needs to make adjustments to the space, to take a little more time, be more clear with their instructions, but none of this should prevent people from attending a class.
I would love, in an ideal world, to see more studios, gyms and yoga teachers make their classes accessible to everyone, including the blind and visually impaired. Otherwise they are missing out on making a difference to so many wonderful people.
Claire Miller is a yoga teacher based in Eastcote, West London. Visit: clairemilleryoga.co.uk
Om Magazine
First published in November 2009, OM Yoga magazine has become the most popular yoga title in the UK. Available from all major supermarkets, independents and newsstands across the UK. Also available on all digital platforms.
