THE DYSFUNCTION OF MIRRORS

This section of the book addresses an educational dictum shared by all Bikram yoga

instructors, as it is a technical requirement in the asana sequence - that we must stare into a

mirror ahead of us.

Bikram may have had a particular intent in mind: expedient success in the particular pose.

And by staring into the mirror, we tap into the trinity of balancing mechanisms in our body:

+ Proprioceptive: Proprioception involves the sense organs throughout our soft

tissue, which instantly inform us of changes in movement, force/tension, and

position. Proprioception is the fastest and the most efficient balancing mechanism

because it is most directly plugged into our nervous system. However, as we

know, it is our proprioception that suffers when we become injured, anxious, or

traumatized, leading to a host of compensations (inappropriate tension chains

and density) that in turn create the downward spiral of the degeneration of our

physical vibrancy.

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+ Visual: Our sight is the next fastest and the next most efficient mechanism in

our balance, though we tend to rely upon it most heavily. In particular, Bikram

in standing postures relies more heavily upon the visual than proprioception

through the m i r r o r ~ s t a r i n g requirement. This requirement relies upon a particular

physiological reflex called the O c u l a r ~ G y r o ~ C e p h a l i c (OGC) reflex, which creates

tension chains that reflexively cause the body to orient toward whatever the eyes

seek. Alexander Technique names this righting reflex "Primary Control:'

This dependence on vision for balance becomes an issue when we are injured and
age. If we do not rewire proprioception, and as we age our sight begins to falter, we

are in great danger. By relying upon the OGC reflex, Bikram does not rewire any

proprioceptive errors in the system.

This is why in the prasara forest flow we begin by looking four feet in front of us

on the ground, tethering ourselves to the ground. Then, as soon as we relax into

the movement, we practice with our eyes closed. In this way we tap into correcting

any aberrant issues in our proprioceptive clarity of balance.

+ Vestibular: There is fluid in the semicircular canals within each of the ears. As we

move, this fluid sloshes around. If we're not acclimated to a particular pattern of

movement, then we may feel dizzy. Our brain strives to make sense of this novel

information, and strikes to integrate it with the stimulus and processing from both

our visual and proprioceptor systems. Although some less informed individuals

will claim that this is not a factor in this type of balance because it is the slowest

mechanism, it is indeed a contributing factor in grace (moving balance).

Here again there is a problem with the nonmoving pose holding in Bikram yoga

compared with the F o u r ~ C o r n e r Balance Drill (FCBO). When a pose is held,

there is very little movement to stimulate and challenge the vestibular system;

whereas in FCBO, there is constant movement and repositioning of the head,

causing continual shifts in the i n n e r ~ e a r fluid. Without movement, balance is not

developed to its full extent to include vestibular development.

Bikram yogis standing postures requiring mirror staring for balance

overemphasize our already e y e ~ d o m i n a n t balance. People will have quick success in

achieving the poses. However, it is only an external achievement, and will remain

only external.

To develop the entire organism, to restore true grace that was stolen by trauma,
fear, anxiety, or even merely unanswered specialization, which comes from

not changing our normal routine throughout the day, we must challenge all

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three mechanisms: proprioceptive, visual, and vestibular. To do that, we must

remove the dominant, the visual, so that the others may catch up in their

lagging development. This is why the FeBD is designed in the manner it is:

constant movement, eyes close to the ground and eventually closed, head always