Mid-May 2023 Newsletter

Hello, and a magnificent Mid-May to you!
Welcome, or welcome back, to my newsletter. Today's issue is on balance, and how lack of it can hurt you. Enjoy!

When I was young there were no computers or cell phones, and I spent as much free time outdoors as I could. Looking back, this was a good balance to my hours of reading indoors. Now I see children, and also adults, who spend very little time outside. I regularly encounter people in the neighborhood walking their dog and holding a cell phone, peering down at it instead of gazing around in wonder at the Spring blossoms.

Ideally, we want balanced posture, balanced movement, and balanced attention. A key concept for beginning vision improvement students to understand is balancing their use of central vision with awareness of their periphery, which is what gives the central view context. Also note that when you're walking down the sidewalk, easily scanning around the environment, your neck will be looser and freer than if your attention is intently glued to your phone screen.

This chaotic image brings to mind too many demands and constant interruptions, and I can feel myself getting anxious just looking at it, unless I can stay in that calmer "isn't that interesting?" Observer mode. An excess of distractions leads to emotional imbalance, as we struggle to regain our composure, trying hard to focus on one thing at a time. A related key concept in healthy vision is central fixation, when our visual attention is on one item, not attempting to see a large area equally clearly at once. (For more specifics on central fixation, see this.)

Central fixation requires easy small near-constant eye movements, to see clearly whatever attracts our curiosity. We shift our gaze from one point of interest to the next. Similarly, physical balance requires that we make frequent minor postural adjustments. If our body is too stiff and rigid, we're not "in the flow". We're also likely to topple at any sudden impact, not simply bend and flex to restore our balance.

In a recent newsletter I wrote about recovering from a knee injury. During this period I had plenty of time to focus on my physical balance, particularly on not favoring the "good" leg over the injured one. Exerting myself while I was unbalanced is what caused this problem, and I wanted to let it fully heal, not prolong it. So I danced (metaphorically) between pushing a little, then resting, although being inactive felt like babying myself. All the while I held the intention to stay evenly balanced.

This is a great formula for all activities, vision and physical movement and other things too. A balance between exertion and rest, between work and play, between being with others and being solitary. Are you getting enough of what you need, or maybe too much of what you don't need which drains you? Increasing what nourishes you, then letting what depletes your energy fall away, can lead to a more balanced, more fulfilling life.

To learn how I increased the balance in my eyes and my entire being over the years, click here.

Have you wondered if my work could help you?
I'm now offering complimentary Discovery Session consultations of 20 minutes or so, for us to discuss what you're looking for in a coach, and to see whether you and I feel like a fit to work together formally. To schedule your Discovery Session, click here.

Do you want your own copy of future newsletters?
If a friend forwarded this to you, or you're reading it from Facebook or LinkedIn, this is a hit-or-miss method of receiving it, and you might not see it next time. If you'd like to be on my distribution list, you can join here. You can un-subscribe at any time. Thank you!

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 magical meandering month of May. I'll write again in a few weeks. Take care!