Mid-April 2026 Newsletter

Hello, and a more abundant Mid-April to you!
Welcome, or welcome back, to my newsletter. Today's issue is about how a gentle approach may accomplish more than a forceful one. Enjoy!

Many of us, myself included, were taught from a young age that hard work and pushing ourselves to the limit will produce the results we want. Rest or taking a break was looked at with disapproval, as "goofing off". I carried this attitude forward into adulthood, and applied it to chores, academics, career, and exercise. Yes, I met or surpassed most of my goals, but didn't have a lot of fun, and even injured myself unnecessarily.

When I started driving a car many years ago, the bumper sticker "Easy does it!" which kept popping up annoyed me. I wasn't speeding, which I think was the intention, to slow down dangerous driving. However I read it as trying to keep me from single-mindedly going for some goal, like telling the smart kids not to show off, or make the slower students feel bad, when they're just sharing what they know. Don't ask me to take my time, I thought. I have things to do!

Can we go for a goal with intention and purpose, yet not strive and struggle? The eyeball doing a weight workout is a humorous example of the "eye exercises" which folks think are needed to sharpen their eyesight. This isn't true at all. Rather than sweating and straining, vision practices are intended to lead you to seeing in a more relaxed, aware, even restful manner. The idea is gentle persuasion and guidance, not force.

Even a strenuous physical task, like pushing a boulder up the side of a mountain, can be done in a peaceful way. Think of the Olympic athletes who perform feats of strength or agility far beyond the reach of most of us. Often they look like they're "in the zone", seeming not to be straining much at all. Vision practices can be approached like this, our attention on the activity, say the Long Swing, intending to be fully immersed in the easy movement, allowing rather than trying.

Consider a child at play, building a sand castle or snow fort or tower of blocks. He or she is not rushing or anxious, just fully immersed in the activity, absorbed in creating. You could view your vision practices like this, since you're creating additional ease in your visual system. Join the cooperative dance between you and the environment, as the images in front of you become more defined, you gently and curiously notice new detail, then what you're viewing responds by becoming even clearer.

It was a big mental shift to approach my tasks and goals mindfully, when I often used to charge impulsively into what I viewed as a battle. Now I pause, form a loose plan, then take it step by step, not rushing to get finished or being distracted during most of the steps. This does feel more satisfying and not as strenuous, if I can keep my impatience in check. Satisfaction comes from little victories, like driving peacefully in the fog in thick traffic. Don't wait to see that tiny line on the eye chart perfectly to feel good about your vision. Feel good right now, then appreciate your improvements going forward. Easy does it!

For more on the long-term effects of struggle, click here.

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Please send me your questions and comments
Let me know what you've wondered about concerning energy medicine or vision or dreams. I'll be glad to write a short article addressing that topic. Thank you to those who have sent me questions, or see a question you asked me in a private session written about here. You're helping many other people! Enjoy the second half of this all-is-well month of April. I'll write again in a few weeks. Take care!