As written before, I postposed my attempt at natural vision as a result of feeling I needed more guidance on being able to pursue the techniques properly. I wanted to attend the Eyebody retreat in Wales in August but can’t this year and I think this is for the best. Why?

Well lately I have been looking into areas of simple living and self-improvement – through healing myself physically as well as mentally. So I decided to finally get something sorted about my shoulders. I have had an issue with them since I was 13. They have always been overly tense and I have been told they are this way as a result of emotional stress. Some days I would be so tense I couldn’t sit still as it was more painful to be still. Anyway, recently I have started some intense training for the Amsterdam marathon in October and my shoulder started to play up while running. So I thought it was about time to rectify the issue that has been burdening me for over ten years.

I have only had a couple of sessions, and it has eased up only slightly. I can’t expect miracles overnight when I have suffered this issue for so long. But I realised that when attempting my natural vision. although one of the resources I used had exercises to relax shoulders and neck, that thbis probably was not really relaxing my shoulders and therefore I think my shoulders would have hindered me making any progress in naturally improving my eyes. I think, one I have relieved my shoulders and neck properly from the burden of tension (which i apparently extreme) I should be able to start my journey again in natural vision properly and without this hindrance.

If you cannot relax properly, especially in the shoulders and neck, this will hinder your vision. So if you are trying to improve your vision, it is much more than just about doing techniques. You have to be relaxed – and this is something I can’t do completely right as now. So once I can I shall be on my way. This is definitely the start of my journey.

I haven’t been posting regularly about my vision improvement because I have come to a halt already. The problem is, I feel I need more guidance than books in order to get somewhere, and from other resources this has only been confirmed. Therefore I have been on the hunt for a course or teacher. Unfortunately these options are in the distant future or a teacher is no where near I live.

I haven’t put my glasses back on since I last posted, but I haven’t been keeping up the exercises either – apart from the blinking, not staring and making sure I sun. It has been really sunny so that has beeen helpful.

I don’t feel I have made any progress – but I definitely do not need to put my glasses back on and have had no desire to.

I have also had other issues to deal with in my life, but seeing as I am having difficulty in finding a teacher nearby I will definitely be delving back into self teaching vert soon unless that changes. I have also decided to have a few lessons in the Alexander Technique.

I received my copy of Peter Grunwald’s Eyebody yesterday and have finished reading it. It was a very interesting read and I am quite interested in the technique. However in order to test this out you have to go to a retreat (the one in the UK is in August) or private lessons (and Mr Grunwald lives in New Zealand..oh how I wish I lived there (and not so I can have eye lessons!). It is fairly expensive too and as much as I am interested in this technique, it is too far in the future currently and well I would rather attempt another way before putting my hand in my pocket for that amount of money! It has, however, made me decide that I shall be booking myself in for a lesson with a natural vision teacher and will be doing that this week. It has also made me interested in the Alexander technique too (which is what the vision teacher I have contacted integrates too).

Anyway, so what is Eyebody? The eyebody method states ‘that every single area of your visual system corresponds with an associated area in the body. Specific malfunctions of vision are linked to specific tensions and contractions in the body. By learning how to ‘direct’ our visual system, the body simultaneously follows, releasing patterns of tension”.

By directing the visual system, he gives his example of how he ‘discovered’ this technique – he noticed that by focusing on his cornea he could affect his chest. If he tried to tighten his cornea his chest would also tighten and when he relaxed it his chest would open up.

This is the basic principle behind the approach (it also stems from the Bates and Alexander techniques). The book is an introduction to this method, and gives you pointers of how to start on your vision journey, however to learn the technique you must attend a retreat or find an instructor/get private lessons, which is somewhat tricky, in my opinion.

This book includes:

• An introduction and Peter’s personal story to letting go of glasses (which you can read for free here)

• How vision works – the physiology of the visual system and explanations of common visual problems. An outline of the eyebody patterns and how a part of the visual system is reflected in part of the body.

• The two types of upper visual cortex tendency – overextended or contracted. The majority of individuals are contracted. We are all one of the other or maybe both – this does not necessarily manifest to a point of making a vision problem.

• The eyebody principles and case studies for each type of visual impairment.

• The eyebody’s application to life and first steps in incorporating the eyebody method into your life. This is very general, although the first step guidance is a bit more specific – giving help for sunning and palming in relation to whether you are a contracted or overextended type. In order to actually utilise the method you do need to find a teacher or workshop as this book will not help you do that – it is only really an introduction.

Despite being interested in this technique and wanting to learn more, I feel it is too much of a stretch right now to get involved in it, so will try my vision teacher and also look into maybe the Alexander technique separate too. It is definitely a very interesting perspective and makes a lot of sense. I shall be attending a workshop for it in May in London, so hopefully I will learn more then.

This week I have been reading Relearning to See like a nutter. It is quite fascinating really, learning about sight. It probably isn’t to someone who has beautiful natural vision, but someone like me who is in a blurry mess most of the time, learning natural vision is quite interesting. It is a shame it has come to this, but nevermind, I am attempting to change it and with each day I am more and more confident it will be soon that I shall reach my goal.

Quackenbush teaches the 3 principles of natural vision – movement, centralization and relaxation. Knowing how we see and knowing these three principles is crucial in improving your vision. I have spent the week consciously incorporating them into my life. When speaking of movement, Quackenbush refers to how we see – not just staring at a particular object and trying to see it, but moving our eyes around the object, ‘sketching’ it. Our eyes are constantly shifting from one point to another – our eyes are never still. Movement also refers to blinking. In those individuals who have blurred vision, these qualities are often reduced substantially (we don’t blink as often) or are simply missing (our eyes don’t move they just stare). In order to see clearly again, one must learn to sketch/shift and to blink often and lightly. Quackenbush references the way children behave – they constantly are moving, exploring. Unfortunately we as adults are continuously telling them to be still, and trying to instil in them unnatural restraints that essentially have caused our problematic eye issues. Instead we should be like children and we shouldn’t restrict ourselves. Movement is essential to good vision. It is natural.

Centralisation goes hand in hand with movement and is the notion that the human eye can only see one point clearly at any moment. It is having one’s primary visual interest at one small central point at any moment and this is the only point that is clear and most colourful. Anything else is less clear. Anything in the peripheral is not clear. This does not work unless you keep shifting your attention to different points, to ultimately see the entire picture. When you stare you diffuse instead of centralise and this causes strain.

Now for relaxation, you cannot relax properly unless you breathe properly. Abdominal breathing is natural, normal breathing. Breathing through your nose is natural normal breathing. A quick 6 steps to abdominal breathing is:

1. Sit or lie comfortably.

2. Put one hand on your chest and one on your stomach.

3. Slowly inhale through your nose.

4. As you inhale, feel your stomach expand with your hand. If your chest expands, focus on breathing with your diaphragm.

5. Slowly exhale.

6. Rest and repeat.

You shouldn’t pull the abdominal in while inhaling and shouldn’t lift your shoulders up. This is extremely important and once done enough this type of breathing can become automatic again.

These are the three principles that I have been trying to incorporate into my everyday life regularly – all day and all night (with the breathing).

Everyday I have made sure I kept my eyes moving, my head moving and neck at least partially moving. I have sketched objects, blinked a lot and also tried to establish centralisation as well. I don’t think I am quite there with the centralisation (although I imagine I am – imagination being important too), but with the exercises I have I am hoping this will be in my grasp in the very near future. Whenever I sit down and have a moment I have sketched and attempted centralisation more consciously.

I have also noticed I tend to tense my jaw up a lot – I guess this is with the lack of movement in my neck and head. From the start of the week I had already made abdominal breathing an automatic function. I also tested this when I was quite stressed. As soon I felt overwhelmed I checked my breathing and found I was still abdominally breathing – this is usually when you might slip back into old habits! I also noticed with this that my shoulders and neck didn’t tense up and cause me excruciating pain as they normally would when I am under pressure. I have also found that I tend to not get as stressed as I used to.

By the end of the day my eyes are not sore and tired – they still are very fresh! When I walk about I notice how much I can see clearly and can read signs that I would have never been able to weeks ago. Also when I look at things I don’t *try* to see – trying hinders vision. When I do this I have had flashes of clear vision and although it is very quick it is fantastic! Overall I have had a very good week. I am enjoying the less tense, less sore lifestyle already. Of course I still have far to go, but once I have cracked centralisation I should be there fairly quickly. I look forward to relieving the all of the tension in my neck and shoulders completely. But this coming week I shall be incorporating some of the exercises every day in order to gain back centralisation. Wish me success!