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Eye Exercises to Improve Vision

October 20, 2018 by Julie Lusk

Computer and device screens seem to torture your eyes causing them to become tired and dry in no time at all. Poor lighting, glare, dry air, and constantly staring at the monitor all contribute to eye strain.

Chances are good that it’s hard to recognize how exhausted your eyes are until they feel tired and dry or your head aches. Here are a few preliminary steps you can take to avoid such strains:

If possible, adjust the screen colors so they aren’t too hard on your eyes; try soft colors for a nice change.
Avoid glare by choosing a place for your computer that doesn’t reflect windows or lights. Remember to wipe your screen off regularly.
Remember to look away from your screen every fifteen minutes or so. It’s too hard on your eyes to do such close work without a break. Do it now!

Eye Movements

After a while, eye muscles tire out and it becomes harder to focus. To prevent this from happening, you can practice these eye movements. They will strengthen your eye muscles and eyesight and stimulate the brain. Visual, auditory, and sensory perception can increase. Do them sitting up, standing, or lying down.

Here’s How

Start doing the eye movements slowly and pick up the pace after you can do it smoothly without jerks.
Switch off by first paying more attention to the eye movements than to the visual effects. Next, take a moment to focus on both ends of they eye stretch.
Remember to keep your head still as you do the eye movements. Let your facial muscles relax as well.

First Variation: Up and Down

With your head and neck evenly aligned and movement-free, look up as far as you can and try to see up and over your head. Then look down as if you would like to see under your chin. Keep doing this for about 15-20 times in a row.
Follow this by bringing your eyes back to center and blink them a couple of times.
Afterward, rest with your eyes closed and take several deep breaths.
Smile

Second Variation: Side to Side

This time look quickly to the right and try to see behind your ear, then rapidly look to the left and try to see behind your left ear. Keep looking back and forth for 15-20 times.
When finished, bring your eyes back to center.
Blink a few times and rest them with your eyes closed.
Smile

Third Variation: Eye Circles

Keep your head still and look up. Circle your eyes in a clockwise direction three times.
When finished, bring your eyes back to center and rest with closed eyes for a few breaths.
Circle your eyes in a counterclockwise direction three times.
Blink a few times and rest them with your eyes closed.
Smile

Palming will rest and relax your eyes, calm your nerves, and quiet your mind. Your respiration will increase as long as you remember to breathe deeply and fully.

Rub your hands rapidly together with your palms and fingers touching. Keep rubbing until you feel the generation of some heat and energy.
Next, rest your elbows on your desk.
Cup your hands and gently place them over your closed eyes (no glasses). Let the warmth and darkness soothe your eyes.
Take several long and easy breaths as you imagine the tiredness being released with your out-breath, and energy and vitality returning with your in-breath.
Smile

Chidakasha: Quieting the Mind by Stilling the Eyes Using the sense of sight is a very effective centering technique. Doing so can have a beneficial effect on the brain as well. Have you ever noticed that you can still see even with your eyes closed? All that is needed is to try. You might see it as darkness, designs, colors, spots, or a combination. It does not matter. What matters is passively focusing your attention on what is being seen and watching it as it changes. Have fun watching whatever appears as it comes and goes on the inside screen of your closed eyelids. This brings you into the moment and quickly settles down mental restlessness. Yogis refer to watching this inner space of consciousness as Chidakasha. ( Yoga Nidra for Complete Relaxation & Stress Relief, page 115)

Note: If somebody catches you doing this, be prepared to say something clever like, “Can’t a person even pray around here?” Your other option is to tell them what you’re doing and have them join in.

Notice the benefits and smile.

This one of the many exercises you can do while at your keyboard, in your car, or whenever you want to feel better.

Julie Lusk, MEd, E-RYT 500, has more than 35 years of expertise in stress relief, yoga, relaxation training, guided imagery, and meditation as an international author, recording artist, and workshop leader. Julie is the author of Yoga Nidra for Complete Relaxation and Stress Relief, Yoga Meditations, two volumes of 30 Scripts for Relaxation, Imagery and Inner Healing, and Desktop Yoga®. Her audio downloads and CDs include Wholesome Relaxation, Power of Presence, Yoga Nidra Essentials, Blue Moon Rising, and many others. Learn more at WholesomeResources.com

Holiday Energizers

December 19, 2011 by Julie Lusk

Whether you’re celebrating Christmas, St. Nicholas, Kwanza, Winter or Summer Solstice, Navidades, Hanukkah, St. Lucia Day, Boxing Day or New Year’s, the holidays can be stressful.

Decide now whether this year will be full of the season’s stressful traps or fulfilling with plenty of treasures to be thankful for. Take some time to set priorities and make the necessary changes so the holidays are inspiring and energizing instead of a drain. Pay attention to what your needs and wishes are for your body, mind, and heart while finding the balance with sharing with others. I hope these Holiday Energizers from Whole Person Associates help you as much as they help me.

Cheers!

Know what goodies will fill you. What kind of contact will be fulfilling for you? What kind of gift exchange will be meaningful to you? What do you need to help your heart and soul feel refreshed? If you know clearly what you want, it’s easier to choose activities that are likely to satisfy your desires.

Ask for what you want. Don’t hint. Don’t wait for someone to read your mind. Don’t expect others to guess what will satisfy you. Speak up. If you’re lonely, ask someone to share your celebration – or ask to share in someone else’s. If you love surprises, let people know. If you need time alone in the midst of togetherness, say so. If you can’t get what you want, want what you get, it’s much more satisfying than wishing for the impossible.

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Give Yourself Some Space

October 17, 2016 by Julie Lusk

Out for a walk the other night, I was stunned to see how groups of people were all looking at their phones instead of talking with each other, let alone noticing the brilliant sunset. Even the bikers were glued to their devices while riding their bikes. I was surprised that people weren’t crashing into one another. More folks were glued to their screens at the restaurant too. We all know that too many people text while driving – another recipe for disaster.

Living in a fast-paced 24/7 world, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. We’re pushed to work harder, take care of our family, and keep up with current events along with a constant social media stream. Expectations are high all the way around.

Pico Iyer, a lifelong travel writer says ““In an age of acceleration, nothing can be more exhilarating than going slow. And in an age of distraction, nothing is so luxurious as paying attention. And in an age of constant movement, nothing is so urgent as sitting still.”

His Ted Talk video is well worth watching. It will inspire you with ways to take back your time in ways that will replenish your body, mind and soul.

https://www.ted.com/talks/pico_iyer_the_art_of_stillness?utm_source=tedcomshare&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=tedspread

Why not take a few moments out right now? Here’s how …

Turn your phone, TV, radio and other electronic devices off for a while.
Focus your attention on the moment by breathing fully and mindfully. It is calming and refreshing for your nerves and it will light up your energy. Try out yoga’s ocean-sounding breath (ujjaya breath).
Blink your eyes a bunch of times till they water. The moisture will help your vision.
Yawn. It cools the brain, gives you a burst of oxygen, and refreshes your eyesight and hearing. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch some flies.
Take a “2-hour nap in less than 1o minutes.“
Give “The Inner Eye of Awareness Meditation” a shot.
Add your own ___________________________.
Bone up on mindfulness. It’s easy with this “Stop ~~ Look ~~ Listen” meditation.
You guessed it, practice yoga nidra – yogic sleep. It’s totally replenishing. Experience yoga nidra at a virtual class with Julie Lusk, author of Yoga Nidra Meditations and 5 more books and dozens of recordings.

The Inner Eye of Awareness Meditation ©

March 28, 2014 by Julie Lusk

Time: 15-20 minutes

Summary: This meditation opens the door to your inner awareness and to a place of deep inner stillness by focusing your awareness upon the inner pulsation that is seen behind the closed eyes. Yogis have used this practice for thousands of years.

Guided Meditation:

Begin with settling your body/mind in a meditation posture that is comfortable for you. This may be sitting upright on a firm chair, or on the floor with or without a meditation cushion. Choose a position that allows your spine to be upright and erect, respecting your knees, hips, shoulders, and back.

Refine your seat by settling more firmly onto your sitz bones…level your pelvis…circle your shoulders up, back and down…lift your sternum…place your chin so it’s parallel to the floor…and lift the crown of your head gently upwards.

Place your hands either on your lap with one had cradled into the other with your thumbs touching or place one on each knee and touch the pads of your thumbs to the tip of your index fingers. The hands can face up or down.

Speaking from your heart, quietly set an intention by saying something like “I’m going to be still for 15 minutes focusing my breathing. As soon as I notice I’m thinking or distracted, I will let it go of the distraction and return to my breath.”

Take a few moments to get in touch with the sensations present in your body … ask for and receive permission from your body to meditate.

Get in touch with your thinking mind …and your emotions … ask for and receive permission from your mind… and emotions to meditate.

Ask for help and grace from your inner teacher and your connection to the divine (Jesus, Buddha, the Divine Mother, etc.)

Follow your breath for a few minutes, or use whatever method works best for becoming centered.

Take a moment to offer your meditation to be of benefit to all sentient beings.

With your outer eyes closed, become aware of your inner eyes by looking at what you see behind your eyelids …turning your attention inward to your consciousness… simply observe your own inner world with your inner eye so you can become more aware of what you actually see behind your closed eyes…

Perhaps you see a field of gray…or a mosaic of color…something like the night sky… a ruby red…or a bluish-gray light … The shapes and color you see doesn’t matter at all, what’s important is to impartially watch whatever you see as you see it.

You are looking at mind stuff; the inner consciousness…this is the place from which all thoughts, feelings, perceptions and sensations arise and subside. It’s the energetic ground.

If you would like to spark your inner experience, blink your eyes tighter, even though they are already closed and pay attention to what you see…Another way is to rub your eyes through your closed eyelids very softly and tenderly.

Now notice the dynamic quality of this inner consciousness…Notice if what you see constantly shifts and changes, forming new patterns of subtle movement …a kind of dance of images…color…or shapes…vibrating and pulsing… expanding and contracting… …this is your inner consciousness and it’s made of energy… merely watch the pulsation and it’s ongoing nature.

Take as much time as you wish to follow the patterns of the coming and going of the designs that are a part of your inner world of awareness.

When you notice your mind has drifted into thinking, bring your awareness back to looking behind your eyelids.

If you would like to deepen your experience, find a point of inner awareness that captures your attention right now and in this moment…perhaps it’s a darker, or maybe a brighter spot, and focus there…watching and witnessing …and allowing it to take you inward still…and deeper.

It’s time to make the transition back…Bring your attention back to your breath and without changing it, follow along with your mind’s eye…following the inhalation and exhalation and the coming and going of your breath.

Focus your attention on the rest of your body … shift your weight … and stretch a little bit…and return to being still.

Open your eyes just a sliver and then close them, returning inside for a little longer…slowly blink your eyes open, being aware of blending the inner sight with the outer world…Sit a bit longer and gradually open your eyes and stretch more fully. Notice any changes that have happened since your inward journey into the eye of consciousness.

Author’s Note: This practice is one I discovered on my own as a little girl. More recently, I have returned to this form of meditation and it is particularly effective for capturing my attention and holding me in the moment. This rendition was inspired by Sally Kempton and is included in her book named “The Heart of Meditation: Pathways to a Deeper Experience” published by the SYDA Foundation in 2002. Sally shares a wealth of her vast knowledge and experience in her book and it is one of my favorites.

Reprinted with permission from Yoga Meditations: Timeless Mind-Body Practices for Awakening by Julie Lusk.

Take a 2-hour nap in 10 minutes

June 9, 2014 by John

Take a 2-hour nap in 10 minutes. It feels great!

https://wholesomeresources.com/3169/3169/