If you've ever been to a class at The Yoga Room, you most likely noticed that we don't have mirrors on the walls. Some studios do, some studios don't. It a philosophical choice. We made a conscious decision not to have mirrors. One time we received a sort of negative review on Yelp from a woman who had a "real issue with there being no mirrors whatsoever in the studio." Her complaint was that she was accustomed to looking at herself in the mirrors at the gym so that she could check if her form was correct while lifting weights or taking a group fitness class.

I can understand that. Weight lifting is an individual endeavor. Unless you have a personal trainer, there's no one to tell you if your form is correct or not. And in a group fitness class, there's typically one instructor for 20-30 or more participants. It's not likely the instructor will be able to help each participant with their form and alignment.

That's why we intentionally keep our classes small. Usually we have not more than 12 students in a class. There are rare exceptions, but for the most part the classes are small enough that the teacher can keep an eye on everyone and help each person individually as necessary.

Our other concern about mirrors is that watching oneself in a mirror during yoga practice creates a visual distraction and an opportunity for competitiveness and self-criticism. And yoga is not about competitive and self-criticism. Yoga is about building a connection between your mind, body, and spirit. It's about having love for yourself and others. It's about finding your peace.

Mirrors can introduce doubts in your mind about whether you're doing the practice "correctly" or if the person on the next mat is "correct." And mirrors can introduce self-judgment about your abilities compared to the other people in the class.

Yoga is a practice that you should feel rather than think your way through. When there's a mirror in front of you, there exists the risk of having to see and think. When there's not a mirror in front of you, your only option is to feel.

At first it may seem awkward not being able to see if your alignment is correct, but your teacher is available as a "mirror" to guide you, and with practice your body awareness will improve and even with your eyes closed you'll know when you're in your own best version of a posture.

Plus, the big benefits in yoga come when you can get out of our mind and into your body. If you'd like to read more about that, please check out my last blog post, Are You In Your Head or In Your Body?

And you know what? Yoga's not about being perfect. There's a cliche that says "Yoga is a Practice, not a Perfect." As much as I dislike cliches, this one is right on. Maintaining your peace is more important than striving for a "perfect" pose that may not suit your body, or a "perfect" anything for that matter.

This is my take on mirrors in yoga studios, but I'm always open to others' ideas and perspectives. I'd love to know what has been your experience. Have you ever practiced yoga in a studio or fitness center that has mirrors? Did you prefer being able to see and adjust your alignment, or did it make you uncomfortable having to watch yourself practice? What did you learn from practicing with mirrors? What have you learned from practicing without? Please help get the conversation started by posting your thoughts in the Comments section below.

Lots of love, my sweet friend.

XO, Zelinda

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Have you ever thought about where you awareness resides during your yoga practice? This week I had an interesting discussion about being "in your head" vs. "in your body" during yoga practice with some of our students who are taking Ellen's BYOT training. I'd like to share my thoughts with you because this is an useful yoga topic that we don't typically get to address much during classes.

Being "In Your Head" Being "in your head" means that you're thinking your way through your yoga practice. Your brain is busy processing... the teacher's instructions, your thoughts about the practice, and your thoughts about whatever else is going on in your life. You might even be distracted by the outfit of the person on the mat in front of you.

It's normal for people who are new to yoga to be in their heads because they are learning how to practice yoga. They hear the teacher's instructions, process them with their brains, and move their bodies into the positions. Beginners are usually more concerned about whether the pose looks right than whether it feels right, and this is also normal and common because in our daily lives we are much more practiced at thinking than observing how our bodies feel.

When you are stressed or you've got a lot of stuff going on in your mind, it's also likely that you'll be "in your head" during your practice. It can be hard to stop or even slow down the momentum of the thoughts in your mind at a moment's notice when you step on your mat.

Another reason you might find yourself "in your head" is the style of the particular class you're taking. If you're in a workshop or class where the teacher is breaking down the alignment or technical aspects of a pose or sequence, then your brain naturally switches on so that you can absorb the new information she is offering.

Being "In Your Body" Being "in your body" means hearing the teacher's words and letting them speak directly to your body. This is the more desirable state for yoga practice. By turning off your brain and even your reactions to outside stimuli, you are able to draw your awareness into your body and feel your way through the practice.

Of course, getting "into your body" takes some practice and experience. When you're familiar and comfortable with several yoga poses, you'll begin to be able to quiet your brain and turn your awareness inward. You'll be able to observe your breathing, the sensations in your body, the thoughts that may pop into your mind, and the effects of your breathing on your body and mind.

After several consistent months or years of yoga practice, one day you'll suddenly realize that you automatically turn off your brain when you step onto your mat. You'll begin to see the wisdom that can only be experienced by turning inward and your practice will be much more deep and meaningful.

In My Experience In recent years I have found that my awareness easily transitions into my body in my yoga practice, and I love it. This skill helps me figure out what is tight or uncomfortable in by body and it helps me monitor the progression of relaxation as I breathe. It helps me customize my yoga practice so that I get the most benefit in the shortest amount of time.

But to be honest, if I'm very busy or stressed, my meditation practice suffers. My mind is not able to focus and, despite my effort, my mind fixates on the thoughts that pop into and out of my brain.

And while I much prefer practice asana with my awareness in my body or meditation with a focused mind, if a practice with thoughts jumping around in my head is the only thing available to me on a given day, I'll take it. Any practice is better than no practice. No matter what, I'll leave the mat feeling better than I did when I stepped onto it. And I always have the opportunity to try again tomorrow.

What about you? In your practice, have you observed the transition between being "in your head" and "in your body"? What does each do for you? Do you have any questions about this you'd like me to answer? I'd love to hear your thoughts and musings in the Comments section below. I look forward to hearing from you!

Lots of love, sweet friend.

XO, Zelinda

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