Exercises for a Better Vision
Palming
"Palming" was originally a yoga technique. After Bates noticed its beneficial effects on the visual system, he "borrowed" it and incorporated into his system of vision improvement.
Palming works by calming the visual system. Our eyes see by receiving light signals. If there were no light entering the eyes, one should expect to see nothing. Instead, in eyes with defective eyesight, there appears swirling patches of colours, creating pictures where there should be none. This is a symptom of the eyestrain causing defective vision.
The act of palming makes people aware of the strain. The warmth from the hands helps relaxes the tense eyeballs. Some people claim to be able to the "inner energy" or "chi" emanating from the palms. I think we can safely dismiss those claims.
How to do
Place your palms over your closed eyes, letting the fingers cross over at the forehead. Slightly cup your palms such that you are not pressing on the eyeballs. Feel the warmth of the hands radiate and diffuse gently into your eyeballs. Think of the most peaceful scene that you can imagine.
A few things to note
· Do not press against the eyeballs with your palms. This will put pressure on the blood vessels in the eyeballs and reduce circulation of blood and nutrients. Make sure that as much light as possible is blocked out by the palms. The exact position of the palms is up to the individual. Crossing fingers at the forehead usually helps.
· Put yourself in a comfortable and proper posture e.g. don't slouch
· Remember to keep your eyes closed, behind the palms.
· Keep your hands clean, otherwise there will be the attack of the pimples!
The most important thing is to relax. Of course, one can't try to relax. The harder you try the more tense you become. The trick is to imagine pleasant scenery such as floating clouds in a blue sky, a peaceful sunrise at the top of the mountains.
Advantages of palming
· Physical and mental relaxation
· Relief of eye strain
· Can be used in conjunction with imagery
· Physical and mental relaxation
· At the beginning, you may see swirling colours or grey patches. As you relax, you will notice the visual field becoming blacker and blacker. This is a sign that both your mind and body have relaxed, and your visual system is working harmoniously. Once you are able to achieve perfect blackness, clarity returns.
Relieves eye strain
Do it as often as you can, whenever you feel that your eyes are tired. Palming helps a lot in refreshing bleary eyes.
Promote visual imagery –
While you are palming, you can visualize anything, as long as it doesn't cause stress. For example, you can visualize your plans for the today when you are lying in bed. Make the images as vivid and real as possible. Feel yourself getting drawn into the images that you conjure up in your mind.
This use of visual imagery activates your right-hemisphere and may increase creativity and promote imagination. (By the way, a left-right dichotomy of the brain is too simplistic as there are many overlapping areas of functions i.e. the left can take over for the right and vice-versa.)
Improving the Vision Health-
You have probably heard of laser techniques for correcting eye problems. A little scary to imagine a laser beam lathing your eyes. A question often asked by my patients is: "Does one actually become dependent upon eyeglasses?" or "Does the natural functioning of the eyes deteriorate when you wear eyeglasses or contact lenses?" Opinions differ. It seems that more and more people are wearing compensating lenses.
The good news is there is a totally natural approach to improve vision health. How does this work you might ask? There are two ways you can increase fitness of your eyes. Firstly, the eye function can be trained by more effectively using your brain and eye connection. This is correct. The brain controls how the eye functions. It has been postulated that as little as ten percent of vision happens in the eye. The other 90 percent occurs in the brain and mind.
Training the function of vision results in better focusing from near to far, more efficient reading and less eyestrain on the computer. Later, this enhanced state of vision integration can alter the structure of the eye itself. You may find your current lens prescription too strong and you can then request a weaker set of lenses. First, locate a friendly Optometrist who will help you on this journey to improving vision health.
Better vision occurs by relaxing and stimulating your eyes. Rest permits a sharpening of eyesight. Strain or effort makes vision worse. Here are a few ways for you and your children to rest the eyes.
- Close your eyes. Imagine something agreeable.
- Cover your eyes with the palms of your hands, your fingers crossed on your forehead. Palm your eyes so as to exclude all light, the eyes and mind will be able to achieve a greater degree of relaxation. Use this approach when watching needing a break from television viewing or computer activities.
- Observe the swing of things. As you move your gaze from one point to another, things seen should move in the opposite direction. You can gently swing your whole body to the left and to the right, and watch a distant tree swing to the right and to the left, you can move just your head, or just your eyes. The better your sight, the shorter the swing can be made to be.
- Use your imagination. See things with your mind's eye, and remember them in precise detail. You are increasing your ability to see actual objects better. The perfect memory of any sensation can be produced only when one is free of strain.
- Enjoy the sun. Get out into the open and enjoy every sunny day early in the morning or late afternoon for 5 minute periods with your eyes closed. It is especially relaxing and stimulating to the eyes if you close your eyes and let the sun shine onto your lids as you sway back and forth. Do not look at the sun. An incandescent light bulb can be used in the absence of sunlight.
