Ординатура / Офтальмология / Английские материалы / Relearning To See_Quackenbush_2000

THE NOSE-CRAYON

Children enjoy "nose-doodling" with the nose-crayon. Teach your children to nosedoodle, breathe, and blink all day long!

Visualizing means you can actually "see" the object you are creating in your mind—as if it were actually in front of you. Visualizing is not necessary for improving vision.

The nose-laser beam is the "high-tech" vision improvement helper. Pretend the nose-laser beam illuminates the small point where you are centralizing. Everything around that point is less clear. This is a powerful image for many students.

I began using the nose-laser beam after observing a student tilting his head down much of the time in the first few classes. When I asked him if he was using his nose-feather, which he obviously wasn't, he answered, "No. It is too heavy!" He had excellent progress after switching to the nose-laser beam.

YES, Y O U C A N I M A G I N E ,

OR P R E T E N D !

Some students tell me they cannot "imagine." This is not true. Everyone can imagine. I have not had one student in thirteen years of teaching who told me they could not imagine painting a large pink elephant when their eyelids were closed!

Some students prefer the word "pretend" instead of imagine. Everyone can pretend. Children frequently pretend while playing games.

I do not teach "visualizing" to my students.

Some students say they do not like any of the nose-helpers. This is fine as long as the student relearns movement and centralization. Bates did not use any nose-helpers while teaching his students to improve their vision. The nose-helpers are simply a playful way to help re-integrate two of the three key prin- ciples—movement and centralization.

Bates taught his students to "shift." Shifting includes both movement and centralization. Specific activities Bates created—for example, the Long Swing and the Sway— were designed to teach students to move and centralize all day long. If the student relearns the principles and habits of natural vision without a nose-helper, there will be no disadvantage in the long run.

Remember, people with normal sight usually are not aware of the correct habits they are using all day long.

SKETCHING (SHIFTING) IS NOT AN EXERCISE; IT IS A HABIT!

Sketching, or shifting, is the correct way of seeing the world—all day long. It is not an eye exercise. It is the first of the three key vision habits.

The key to Bates' work was not "eye exer- cises"—as many people mistakenly believe, People who talk about "Bates eye exercises" often do not understand Bates' work. Many people fail with the eye-exercise approach because the habits of natural seeing are not

P A R T F O U R : T H E T H R E E H A B I T S O F

relearned. Exercises are practiced for a short time each day; vision habits are for twentyfour hours per day.

It is not due to not doing "eye exercises" the vision became blurred—it is due to the for- mation of strained vision habits. Therefore, eye exercises are not the solution to blur.

Bates discovered how we are meant to see all day long. He taught his students to relearn the correct habits of natural vision—perma- nently.

B U T I T D O E S N ' T F E E L N A T U R A L

( A T F I R S T )

For many students, sketching feels unnatural in the beginning. This reaction occurs for three main reasons:

1. Sketching is somewhat exaggerated in the beginning. Larger sketching is best in the beginning to be sure the head is released and mobile. Ultimately the head movement can be very small, barely perceptible by other people, but the head and neck are still relaxed and mobile;

2.Blurred vision is slow, or "frozen," vision; normal vision is "swift" vision. It takes time to relearn swift, constantly shifting sight;

3.Sketching and shifting consciously is unnatural.

The three habits of natural vision are meant to be subconscious. As long as the habits students are practicing are conscious, they are not normal or natural. Of course, they become subconscious, normal, and natural by practicing them more and better each day.

N A T U R A L V I S I O N

T H E M I N D I S P R I M A R Y

What we see is conscious; but how we see is meant to be subconscious. I believe this is one of the reasons people have so many problems with their vision. Too much conscious attention is directed to the eyes. People use eyeglasses, contact lenses, unnecessary eye drugs, and eye surgeries—it is all about the eyes, This was not nature's plan for the visual system.

It is interesting when potential students talk to me about their sight, how many people say to me, "I use my eyes a lot!"—as if they are consciously trying to see all day. Babies and animals do not know they have eyes. They have pictures which are created in their minds, and they move their body and interest through these pictures all day long. The eyes are not consciously involved. This is important. Students are interested in improving their sight Awareness of eyes is not necessary. The sooner a student forgets the eyes exist, the faster will be the improvement of sight.

As students practice sketching, many find they are doing well at moving the head, but they are not centralizing—their attention is not at the tip of the nose-pencil. Centralization is a more subtle concept than movement, and generally takes longer to relearn. After a while, the student realizes it does not make any sense to move the head unless he is shifting his attention from one point to another.

The mind is primary; the eyes are secondary.

M O R E W H A T W E A R E UNLEARNING T H A N L E A R N I N G

From Better Eyesight magazine, December

1925:

The [key to the] reversal of imperfect sight then, is to stop all effort. It is not accomplished by doing things. It can only come by the things that one stops doing.

The purpose of sketching is to eliminate the staring habit. It isn't so much what a student is doing that improves vision as much as what the student is not doing. Staring and straining to see lower vision; not staring and not straining improves vision—automatically.

It may be helpful to remember most people have clarity early in life. Correct vision habits are present whenever a person has normal, clear vision; and when vision is normal, it is completely natural, automatic, subconscious, and effortless.

Basically, a Natural Vision teacher reminds students of exactly the same vision habits they used to have when their vision was clear.

The second habit of natural vision is breathing. Natural, abdominal breathing is basic, fundamental, and essential for normal health and normal sight.

ANATOMY OF BREATHING

See Figure 13-1: The Respiratory System.

The respiratory system is composed primarily of the nasal passages, trachea (windpipe), two lungs, and the diaphragm.

The lungs are large, pink-gray, highly elastic, cone-shaped organs. The lung on the right side of the body has three lobes, while the lung on the left side has two lobes. The absence of a third left lobe allows room for the heart

The inside surface area of the lungs, where oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged, is about thirty times the surface area of the skin —nearly 600 square feet! The lungs themselves do not actually "breathe." Breathing is performed primarily by the diaphragm.

The diaphragm is a large, powerful, tough, dome-shaped muscle which lies below the two lungs and the heart. The diaphragm is not attached to the lungs. The digestive organs lie

below the diaphragm—the liver below the right side of the diaphragm, and the stomach, spleen, and left kidney below the left side.

NATURAL, ABDOMINAL BREATHING

ABDOMINAL BREATHING

See Plate 13: Abdominal Breathing.

The lungs do not expand and contract by themselves. The diaphragm and intercostal muscles expand and contract the ribcage, and their combined motions create an expansion and contraction of the lungs.

When we inhale, the diaphragm tenses (contracts) and moves downward into a flatter, shorter shape. The lungs then expand and fill with oxygen.

When we exhale, the diaphragm relaxes (expands) and moves upward into a more curved, longer shape. The lungs then contract and expel carbon dioxide and other gases. The majority of air inhaled and exhaled is effected by the action of the diaphragm. The movement of the diaphragm up and down is about two or three inches. The diaphragm is the largest internal moving part of the human body.

In addition to the diaphragm, the intercostal muscles expand and contract the ribcage (chest), aiding inhalation and exhalation. The diaphragm and ribcage movements aid the circulation of blood and other fluids in the body.

Natural breathing is primarily diaphrag-

matic, abdominal, or "tummy" breathing. Although breathing can be controlled consciously to some extent, breathing is usually an automatic, subconscious activity. The normal breathing rate is approximately sixteen breaths per minute.

During inhalation the downward move-

ment of the diaphragm pushes down on the digestive organs in the abdomen, which then expands outward. (Air does not fill the abdomen!) During the second half of inhalation the chest expands slightly outward and upward. There is also a small expansion on the right and left sides of the abdomen and ribcage and the back.

It is important not to pull the abdomen inward while inhaling; similarly, do not use the neck and shoulder muscles to lift the shoulders. Many people have formed these two incorrect patterns of breathing.

During exhalation the diaphragm returns upward, releasing pressure on the digestive organs, which then move back to their original positions. During the first half of exhalation the chest, abdominal sides, and back return to their original contracted positions.

BREATHING THROUGH THE N O S E

Breathe through the nose, not the mouth. Nasal passages, mucus, and cilia in the nose help filter out dust and bacteria from the air. Cilia are little hairs that beat in the opposite direction of the incoming air. The nasal passages also help warm the air to body temperature before the incoming air reaches the capillaries in the lungs.

SHALLOW/CHEST BREATHING

Many natural vision students have discovered that they do not breathe naturally. They have shallow, "chest" or thoracic breathing. Oftentimes the breathing pattern consists of short gasps of air. Shallow breathing is not only an incorrect vision habit, it is an incorrect living habit. Restrictive breathing is a result of stress. And it can become a vicious cycle—shallow breathing reduces the amount

Chapter Thirteen: The Second Habit—Breathing

of oxygen to the heart, which creates more tension in the muscles and nerves of the body, which constricts the breathing further. The abdominal muscles are contracted chronically tight when the tummy is pulled continually inward. This allows the lungs to expand only in the chest area, and therefore, breathing is very limited.

One of my students said, "I'm surprised I'm alive because I found out this week that I never breathe!"

Emotional, mental, or spiritual distress, repressed feelings, birth trauma, accidents, illness, incorrect diet, and polluted and/or stagnant air can lead to shallow chest breathing.

June Biermann and Barbara Toohey write in their book The Woman's Holistic Headache

Relief Book:

BODY SIGNALS

Besides monitoring your life changes for stress, you can also watch your body patterns. Our bodies give off signals when they're tense. Learn these signals and you'll know when you'd better start doing something about the tightness, tension, and anxiety you're exhibiting.

Breathing. The best indicator of what's going on inside you. Often the very first sign. Short and shallow means tension; holding your breath means extreme tension.1

Tip: If a truck or car passes by you with a lot of toxic fumes, take a deep breath of air before the fumes reach you, and then slowly exhale until the fumes are gone.

Some students feel discouraged when they discover they have incorrect breathing habits I was at first, but I was also happy to discover them because I could start relearning natural breathing again.

Tip: If you find a moment when you are

not breathing, exhale whatever air is in your lungs, then inhale. It is easier to exhale first than inhale from a non-breathing state.

Some singing teachers teach their students abdominal breathing by having them lie on the floor on their back and placing a book on their abdomen. The teacher says, "Now, let's move the book upward and downward by abdominal breathing." A person who attempts to sing using shallow chest breathing will soon become exhausted.

^ E X P E R I E N C E A B D O M I N A L

B R E A T H I N G

If you become light-headed or dizzy while experiencing abdominal breathing activitieSy stop and come back to the activities later. These symptoms may be a temporary

reaction to the incorrect habit of shallow breathing.

l. One of the best ways to study abdominal breathing is to lie comfortably on your back on a firm surface. Take off your shoes, watch, glasses/contact lenses. Wear loose clothing and place a small pillow or cushion under your knees. The mouth is closed and the jaw relaxed.

Close your eyelids. Place one hand on your abdomen and the other on your chest. The placement of your hands on the abdomen and chest helps you feel which area is rising and falling and when.

Exhale all of the air from your lungs. As you begin to slowly inhale, the abdomen and the hand on it should begin to rise. The chest

should rise slightly near the end of the inhale. If the chest rises first, you probably do not have normal, abdominal breathing. Some students discover that the abdomen does not

rise at all—only the chest.

As you begin to slowly exhale, the chest should lower slightly, followed by the lowering of the abdomen.

2. The above study of abdominal breathing can also be done sitting in a chair or even standing. One hand can be placed on the

Chapter Thirteen: The Second Habit—Breathing

abdomen. Optionally, the other hand can be placed on the chest.

Many students have found an eyedropper image helpful to breathing properly. The idea is to study your breathing patterns so you can become aware of them. You can then practice better breathing habits a little more each day. Like sketching, abdominal breathing is not an exercise. The idea is to relearn abdominal breathing as a normal, natural habit.

P A R T F O U R : T H E T H R E E H A B I T S O F T H E E M O T I O N A L C O N N E C T I O N

It is not a coincidence that the diaphragm lies just below the heart. Abdominal breathing is literally an "opening" of the heart. Alexan­ der Lowen discusses the relationship between the diaphragm and feelings connected with the heart in his book Bioenergetics.2

Breathing can dramatically affect our moods. If we have a lot of stress, breathing can help calm and center us. Slower breath­ ing can slow down the rate of heartbeats.

Wilhelm Reich's work with character analysis led him to the therapeutic discovery of "muscular armoring" and his famous "Reichian body work." Repressed emotions can be frozen, or locked, in chronic muscle spasms. According to Reich, each emotion has an impulse to action. If the individual under stress does not release the emotional tension physically, by crying for example, mus­ cles associated with the stress can become contracted. If this suppressive behavior becomes habitual, the person can acquire chronic spastic contractions. "Fight or flight," adrenaline-pumping stress can become the status quo. Normal breathing is interfered with, and the person forms a habit of shallow "chest" breathing.

Reich developed breathing techniques to reestablish a connection to the original cri­ sis, and provided an opportunity for healing. The question is;—if breathing shuts down due to a crisis, will the crisis be resolved when the breathing returns to normal? Many healers have concluded the answer is "Yes" in many cases.

TOM'S PERSONAL LOG: During a stress-reduc­ tion workshop I took in 1980, many of the facilitators kept telling me that I was not breathing, and suggested I breathe more.

N A T U R A L V I S I O N

I knew I was good at not breathing for long periods. I was even proud of how long I could go without breathing.

The Monday morning following this work­ shop, my shoulders, chest, and abdomen dropped down into their normal positions. But it had been so long since they were in the normal positions, it hurt! I had to tighten my abdominal muscles to stop the pain. I began to realize how much tension I had been hold­ ing for many years.

After nine years of healing, my breathing had finally started to become normal.

I reached a breakthrough in 1990. During a particularly high period of stress, I checked my breathing pattern when preparing to go to sleep. I was sure my breathing would not be normal—but it was! I have come a long way in relearning normal, natural breathing.

One of my students said that she realized she had stopped her normal breathing long ago when, as a child, a big gust of wind blowing through a tunnel frightened her.

Many people hold their breath when they are "concentrating hard." The real problem starts when non-breathing and shallow breathing become habits. Then a person may not breathe correctly during activities in which he is not "concentrating hard."

Someone who sighs a lot is likely not breathing normally. The body is gasping for oxygen.

B R E A T H I N G A N D S T A R I N G

Staring almost always accompanies shallow breathing or holding the breath. Many parts of the body can become tense and locked, especially the neck and shoulders. If incor­ rect breathing habits make a person stare, vision will lower.

BREATHING A N D P O S T U R E

Correct posture is important to allow space for abdominal breathing. Incorrect posture, discussed in Chapter 9, "The First Principle— Movement," often accompanies staring.

TOM'S PERSONAL LOG: A short time after I began chiropractic healing, I discovered I slept in the fetal position: on my side, with my head, shoulders, and chest curled forward toward my bent knees. This incorrect posture constricts the lungs and prevents normal abdominal breathing. It took me more than a year to unlearn this fetal sleeping position.

SMOKING IS OUT

Toxins inhaled while smoking congest the capillaries in the lungs. These toxins reduce as much as 60% of oxygen that can be assimilated into the bloodstream, and reduce the elirnination of carbon dioxide and other gases from the body.

Additionally, many people who smoke have poor night vision. Healthy rods in the retina can pick up extremely low levels of light at night The ability is interfered with by toxins inhaled while smoking.

It is interesting to note that certain groups of human beings are the only creatures on this planet that do not run from smoke. Animals know better. Fortunately, it seems that many people are quitting this harmful habit.

EXERCISE, YOGA, AND BREATHING

Exercise is important for mamtaining normal, abdominal breathing—especially in this modem age of sedentary occupations and lifestyles. Striding (brisk, energetic walking) and swimming are excellent for breathing and overall health. Walkmg,mnning (on appropriate surfaces), and bicycling are also very good.

Chapter Thirteen: The Second Habit—Breathing

Yoga is another excellent method of improving breathing and posture. Many yoga teachers emphasize maintaining regular, continuous breathing while performing various postures.

I do not teach students "deep" breathing, or controlled breathing. For vision, it is important to study the correct, natural pattern of abdominal breathing, and to integrate this habit back into our lives.

T H E M O V E M E N T C O N N E C T I O N

Breathing is a natural form of movement— an "internal massage"—essential for stimulation of and circulation in all of the organs and tissues of the body. Normal, diaphragmatic breathing directly and rhythmically stimulates the liver, stomach, colon, kidneys, pancreas, spleen, and other abdominal organs.

Important nerves and muscles pass through the diaphragm. A chronically tight diaphragm can interfere with digestion, elimination, the lower limbs, and sexual functions.

Acupuncture is concerned with the balanced movement of energy through the body. Shallow, constricted breathing blocks and imbalances the flow of energy. Proper breathing is a natural "energy pump," stimulating and balancing energy flow throughout the body.

TOM'S PERSONAL LOG: After years of massage therapy, chiropractic, and osteopathic work, I realized that in order for me to be healthy, my breathing needs to return to normal. I can have all the external bodywork done I want, but if I hold my diaphragm tight, I will never be completely relaxed and healthy.