Dr. Bates, the pioneer of natural vision improvement, was asked over 100 years ago how much time was needed each day to practice healthy vision habits. (Think of the folks who want to know how long they have to work out to get “in shape”.) This wise man replied that you have just as much time to see with straining destructive habits as with relaxed healthy ones.
Many people who start vision improvement have this same end-gaining mindset. “Tell me how often, and for how long, I should do palming“, they’ll say. They’re missing the point. The purpose of palming is not to get better at palming. It’s to give your eyes a period of deep relaxation. Other vision exercises like the Long Swing encourage fluid movement of the eyes — people can often stare without realizing it, especially at the computer. Still other exercises like eye chart practice let you hone the ability to focus on small details. The goal of vision exercises is to help your mind and eyes be more relaxed and easily focused, whenever you’re looking.
If you think of the purpose of a particular exercise, rather than getting caught up in the mechanics of it, you might find another way to do it which feels like more fun. If you usually sit in front of the eye chart, letting the letters come into view while still remaining aware of the periphery in the room, go outside instead. Find a sign, a billboard far away or a “no parking” sign down the block, then use that as a natural eye chart. You’ll be surprised how much you can make out, without straining. If it’s too easy, move back or find something farther away.
Finally, “vision practice” can be just looking, and deciphering what you see. Babies learning to see their environment don’t do eye exercises, they simply look around themselves, near and far and up and down, at toys and faces, delighted by it all. You can do the same, going for a walk, examining the depth in the roofs of the houses and the clouds overhead and the branches on the trees, the colors and angles and curves in your surroundings. The more you can see with the eyes of a child, the healthier and happier your vision will become.
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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.
Nancy ==
This is the second article you suggested I read per our discussion of your Peripheral Awareness article (updated 5/5/18). I appreciate and agree with your advice to practice seeing all day long, in all that you do – and without strain or pressure to achieve.
I think the same applies to spiritual matters. There’s a concept “continual prayer” that I think means to remain Aware/Conscious of Spiritual Reality as much as possible as we navigate the material world each day. I think you might agree that Awareness (and dare I say Focus) is an important determining factor in what we experience in these lives of ours.
Thanks for this further insight,
Tom
Tom, I agree. Dr. Bates said you have as much time to see with good habits as you do with bad habits, basically all the time your eyes are open! The same goes for good posture, or good spiritual focus. Be an honest kind centered aware person all day long!
In a word, “Amen!” =D