Yoga for Your Eyes
Heal your Vision from the inside out
I have perfect vision.
I don’t want to wear glasses when I get older.
Actually, I don’t want to wear glasses ever.
I’m also not interested in lasers pointing in my eyes for corrective surgery.
No. Thank. You. I’d rather do the daily maintenance and self-care it takes to keep my body… including my sense organs (karmendriyas) inn good working order for this lifetime. Ree teaches me how in this podcast.
Both my parents had great vision that slowly deteriorated. It’s assumed in my family… and in western culture in general… that you lose your senses as you get older. Slowly. Surely. We become less sense-able. Is there hope?
There is not only hope – there is evidence that vision improvement works. Any good yogi or yogini worth their salt knows they can shift how the body ages. We can accelerate or slow the process of decay. If you’re afraid of losing your acuity or if you already have… listen to this podcast. Watch the videos. And most importantly… do the exercises.
In this podcast I interview Ree Coleman eyesonyoga.com, a Certified Natural Vision Improvement Educator. Ree successfully utilized vision improvement techniques for 12 years when dealing with an autoimmune disorder affecting her eyes and maintained good vision despite more than four eye surgeries. In 2011, vision loss in one eye post-operatively she left the corporate world and became an Educator for Natural Vision Improvement. She brings her love of yoga and wellness to help others improve their own vision.
Physical Therapy Your Vision
We physical therapy our bodies, isn’t it smart to physical therapy our eyes and vision?
Holistic vision therapists use exercises, relaxation, science and physiology to create the pathway to sharper, clearer, more balanced vision with a view to having less reliance on external correction. You can:
• discover the skills to stop wearing glasses or needing a stronger prescription
• learn to direct your brain to improve your sight
• increase your brain power with proven eye exercises
• explore ‘how you see’ affects ‘how you think’
• see how each eye has its own personality and mode of thinking
Being someone who uses a computer most days of the week I’m also a bit concerned with this stat: 75% of people who use a computer will suffer an eye or vision problem. The most common symptoms are eyestrain, headaches, blurred vision. I’m not interested in joining that club. Listen to the podcast as Ree guides me through some of my own outdated beliefs around aging and eyesight, as well as some super simple exercises I’ve now incorporated into my daily routines.
I asked Ree for her favorite Youtube videos that she uses with her clients to improve their eye care. Drumroll please. Here they are:
Ree’s top Picks: 5 Videos to Improve Your Vision
Dr. Mercola’s information about vision and how you can change your vision:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itfuva1xgEg
Palming Your Eyes: Palming creates relaxation, hydration, mobility, flexibility of your eyes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-OgRoCKGPA
Eye exercises for Astigmatism. Eye rolls and stretches allow all muscles of the eyes to be used to create greater balance and flexibility.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlYqVkta_18
Eye exercises for Computer Eye Strain (Mark Grossman)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W10j2fL0hy0
Yoga for your Eyes (Meir Schneider):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96hNrcUfwAk
Simple steps for your eyes from Ree:
Here are some practical, everyday hints to preserve, enhance and improve your visual system:
Blink consciously, especially once per line when reading.
Breathe consciously, especially when reading, to keep energy flow to head.
Blink 20 feet every 20 minutes for 20 seconds to change shape of eye
Palming your eyes helps to relax, rejuvenate and refresh so you can keep on, keeping on.
Palming your eyes helps to relax your central nervous system, palming before bed aids in sounder, restful sleep.
Massaging around your eyes, cheekbones, and scalp help relieve pressure and tension in the eyes.
Shifting your eyes near and far and then back again will enliven your eyes.
Peripheral vision wants to be open and free — so notice what is beside you at all times.
GO SOX – Track the baseball when Papi slams one at Pesky’s Pole! Our eyes love motion.
GO PATS – Track the football when it leaves Brady’s hand! Tracking is critical for eye health.
Eye stretches towards the ceiling will help offset tight muscles from reading.
Clocks – rotate eyes in a clock pattern, resting for a minute at every angle from 1 to 12. This stretches, loosens up and relaxes tight, tired eyes.
Visit www.eyesonyoga.com for locations for seeing clients, upcoming workshops, etc.!