Lately I seem to be running into a lot of folks who say they’ve tried vision exercises in the past, or their young child has tried “vision therapy”, and this didn’t seem to help. It led to frustration and discouragement, instead of the hoped-for improvement in eyesight.
One reason for this may be the attitude of struggle, the idea that improving vision needs to be difficult, like sweating and straining at the gym. Most of us already think we have too much to do — who wants one more chore? What would it be like to approach your vision practice with an attitude of play, seeing it as fun? If we enjoy something, we’re not fighting it, so are more likely to reap benefits from it.
A related trap is wanting to “be good at” vision exercises, and criticizing ourselves for what we see as a failure, like letting our mind wander, or realizing we’re getting a headache. What if excelling at the exercise is missing the point? In my energy healing training, my teacher Deborah King often tells us not to take notes, that the work is experiential. Vision practice is like that too. You have to feel it, and feel what your eyes and mind are doing while you swing or palm, to get the full benefit. Whether you’re doing it “right” or “wrong”, you’re still learning something about yourself.
Something else we do to ourselves that does not help is comparison with others. “She took off her glasses for good, and could see well enough to drive in 6 months — why is it taking me so long?”, we might wonder, full of self-pity. Every one of us is unique, and here to experience Life in our own individual way. You may have strengths and talents Ms. Fast Improver never will! Appreciate yourself, and the one-of-a-kind vision you have now, while looking forward to even better eyesight in the future.
This is not rocket science. Notice, relax, let go of any strain you’re aware of, notice some more. Be grateful for all the dimensions of your vision, the colors and curves and angles and shadows and depth and movement. Don’t over-focus only on the clarity — the world is not an eye chart! Be grateful for the magical powers of your eyesight, and most of all, enjoy it.
|
FREE EYE CHARTS DOWNLOAD
|
I wore strong glasses, then contact lenses, from age 5 into my 40s. While making many mistakes, eventually l learned how to improve the way I use my eyes and to see in a more relaxed, healthy manner. It is my pleasure to coach others to do the same. Visit me at https://NancyLNeff.com.
Great article, Nancy! I really appreciate your insights and attitude:)
Hi Leah! Thanks for reading, and yes, vision improvement is not difficult. Trust your eyes and brain. You can do this too! 🙂
Thank you for this post, Nancy ! I love it! While I was reading it, I realized that out of 4 sisters (I am the second), my youngest sibling is the only one with good vision. My parents expected perfection from the 3 older children and they hoped each time for the ‘it’s a boy!’ moment. While my mother was pregnant with the fourth child, they were planning to move to another town. And in the rush of this change (new house, place of work, neighbors) they ‘forgot’ to hope for a son and project a future for the not-yet-born baby… My youngest sister is also the only one who constantly kept the playfulness alive in her life.
Eva, what a great realization! Yes, play is seriously underrated. 🙂 I’ve even written about this with respect to vision: https://www.iblindness.org/2886/healthy-vision-is-like-play/. And it’s never too late to play. Life is not meant to be a struggle! Thanks so much for commenting, and good for you for your insight. <3
Thank you again, Brenda, especially since I sometimes feel I’m saying the same thing over and over! Keep up the good work.
As Greg Marsh says, there are alot of subtleties with this work, so the more illumination the better. People need to hear the same thing said many different ways. I found what you wrote to be the perfect thing for me personally to hear at this moment. It’s easy to get discouraged when breakthroughs do not happen consistently. There is no rush!
Thanks, Brenda! I’m meeting more and more people who are focused on the mechanics and ignoring how the experience feels. Thank you for reading.
This is fabulous Nancy – thank you!
Nancy,
You recommended this article to me seven months ago (!) and today I finally rejoined The Human Race, or so it seems. =] Please see my explanation at your “Peripheral Awareness” article (updated 5/5/18), wherein you advised me to read this article and others. As usual, your insights and suggestions are spot on!
Thanks,
Tom
Tom, thanks for reading, and integrating my words. The teacher in me is happy. 🙂
“The teacher in you” is also much appreciated. Rock on! =]