Mid-July 2026 Newsletter

Hello, and a most juicy Mid-July to you!
Welcome, or welcome back, to my newsletter. Today's issue is about expecting to see. Enjoy!

The vast majority of human visual processing happens in the brain, not in the eyeballs. The retina in the back of each eye, that curved structure like an intelligent satellite dish, is responsible for sending the information carried on light rays in front of us to the brain's visual cortex, to be deciphered and understood. Since the retina grows out of brain tissue when we're developing as a fetus, the eye is actually an extension of the brain. Is it any wonder that what we think and feel about seeing has such a profound effect on the way we see?

When I started vision improvement almost 25 years ago, I quickly recognized how my negative expectations about my sight were holding me back. "Of course I can't see that far" I told myself about anything farther than 10 feet away, since I had strong eyeglasses for myopia then. Yes, I expected to see the book in front of me clearly, without even thinking about it. This was still true when I started to do without my glasses. Yet somehow I had adopted the belief that to see in the distance wasn't easy or natural, that it required a struggle, a need to push my vision to perform rather than allowing my eyes to softly and gently receive what came their way.

Like the little girl covering her eyes, there were sights I wanted to avoid as a child, which may have led to unconsciously telling my visual system, "don't see too much!". An angry face, someone I cared about getting hurt -- these kinds of situations can be very troubling to a child. If what you anticipate seeing is a scary or hurtful scene, why would you want to look? Unfortunately, we can often carry this resistant attitude forward and apply it to all of our seeing, even when what we're looking at is pleasant.

In the early days of my vision improvement, I kept catching myself in this destructive habit, then changed direction and told myself (and my eyes) to welcome the view. At a vision retreat in a rural setting, up early to get some tea from the kitchen before our morning meditation, the cook pointed out the window, where a baby fawn was nibbling on the shrubbery next to our building. However I was so convinced I wouldn't be able to see it, I didn't look right away. By the time I had adjusted my attitude to glance out the window, the fawn had wandered off. I often recall this incident to remind myself that if I don't look, I won't see much, and if I expect not to see, I probably won't!

The Henry Ford quote "Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right" applies here. Attitude is important in seeing, and in health in general. The tranquil view of greenery, low hills on the horizon, and fluffy clouds is one of my favorite places to practice looking in the distance, in an easy and receptive way, expecting to see as much detail as possible. It's at the far end of my development, where I get the chance to look every day when I go walking. I feel safe here, having lived in the same spot for many years, so am not straining to see, merely noticing and appreciating.

Please don't sell your eyes short. They can likely see more, and better, than you expect, as long as they're not pushed too hard. Practice looking at things which please you and your visual system. Your vision may be attracted to the colors or shapes or depth or shadings of the artistry in the view before you, whether that's a nature scene or a face or a man-made structure. Your visual system has many skills and abilities in addition to perceiving clarity, so feel free to explore all of them. Expect the best outcome, course-correct when you need to, stay curious, and watch the good happen.

An optimistic attitude is important in seeing, expecting that our vision will continue to improve. For more on vision and optimism, 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 remainder of this judgment-free month of July. I'll write again in a few weeks. Take care!