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Negative thoughts - Ori - 04-21-2013
Hi all
Lately I've been having an extreme annoyance feeling when acknowledging my blur vision to the point of hard squinting my eyes for 20 secs to a minute.
I know david blog posted about positive thinking as a way towards vision improvement but are negative thoughts generally ok as they come up?
To add, the squinting isn't stressful at all but the blur I find is really annoying.
Re: Negative thoughts - joanawilliam - 05-06-2013
Try reducing the amount of negative thoughts that you have, they will eventually reduce and then disappear completely.
NEVER SQUINT. FIRST RULE OF VISION IMPROVEMENT.
That seriously hurts your eye.
Wear spectacles of a lesser prescription .
Re: Negative thoughts - DaniFixe - 05-06-2013
For example,say to yourself many times during the day this quote: "I am much more than my vision".
Or you can say:"Relax...relax...3..2..1..." Very slow.
Re: Negative thoughts - eaglevision - 05-13-2013
Regarding negative thoughts, if feeling upset etc.. try just allowing yourself to be upset, when we step in and interfere with our emotions, feelings or thoughts etc.. by rejecting them or even trying to correct them with its opposite to feel better again, we suffer. Bates method is about interfering less and less in every way possible. Emotions, feelings, thoughts etc.. change all the time, when we align ourselves with them by allowing and accepting them, we experience things the way they where meant to be experienced, similar to a child, their emotions, feelings are everywhere and yet they always simply allow and accept them fully, and do not intefere. They laugh, cry when the time is right.
Perhaps many of us had a hard time when we were children, and so developed a mental shield to protect us against most if not all types of inconveniences. And so we later learned how to block, reject and control what we don't want and allow what we do want, and so we suffered. Our experiences, emotions, feelings overall can become dull over time. Even though it is energy draining and unnatural and an effort, I repeated this mistake for years.
While we may not all have the same mistakes, if you start imagining or shifting etc.. and then something happens and you lose your improved sight. Try figuring out what went wrong. The result was a stare, but what was the true cause. What way did you interfere, interfering may have different forms. You may be rejecting a thought, emotion, feeling etc.. like I am, I dont know. Try removing this interference whatever it may be. Mild myopes may slot into the correct way of thinking by simply practising bates method techniques, however some people who are walking in circles practising for a long time, may need to understand our mistakes, and practise bates method while avoiding our mistakes.
Many times when my sight is good and I think of something that I dislike, for example paying the bills, I do a minor form of this rejecting, it can happen in a fraction of a second and can be hard to spot at first, and so instead I open the doors and welcome and allow this thought inside, again this is not achieved by feeling good about everything, which is another mistake I did for months, there is a difference, the improved vision then returns. By taking a step back and allowing and excepting everything (emotions, thoughts, feelings) even the ones that may seem negative, I have improved greatly.
I really like this topic/question because sometimes we (or maybe just me) get lost in ways of improving our sight, while repeating our mistakes again and again, and not understanding, or learning from them.
Re: Negative thoughts - Nini - 05-13-2013
Yes, I think this is the right way to deal with negative thoughts and emotions: Not to trying to exclude them from our mind, just let them be there - but not allowing them to dominate our mind.
Not trying to "concentrate" the mind against thoughts and emotions, but by "passing through" them freely, not allowing them to "stick" to the mind, make it heavy and immobilized.
The concentration necessary for central fixation can't be achieved by a "forced reduction against a resistance", but only by a gradual release of the elements of strain which hinder the mind's concentration, the "mental control". And only a mind, which is concentrated by relaxation can be directed to a point as small as a period.
Quote:One part of an object is seen best only when the mind is content to see the greater part of it indistinctly and as the degree of relaxation increases the area of the part seen worse increases, until that seen best becomes merely a point.(chapter 11)
Re: Negative thoughts - eaglevision - 05-14-2013
Thanks Nini, after much success over the past 1-2 months I am also settled with this understanding. I think it would be great to gather principles like the one you mentioned of how the mind works, and keep these as rules and guidlines. I do read the bates books but I can't remember all the key points like you do. It could save people years of figuring things out.
Re: Negative thoughts - Nini - 05-15-2013
eaglevision Wrote:I do read the bates books but I can't remember all the key points like you do.
What I did, was to reread the most important Chapters in the book and copy the sentences wihich seemed to be the most impotant to me, for example:
Quote:Primarily the strain to see is a strain of the mind, and, as in all cases in which there is a strain of the mind, there is a loss of mental control. Anatomically the results of straining to see at a distance may be the same as those of regarding an object at the near point without strain; but in one case the eye does what the mind desires, and in the other it does not.
...
The remedy is not to avoid either near work or distant vision, but to get rid of the mental strain which underlies the imperfect functioning of the eye at both points
...
The idea that it rests the eyes not to use them is also erroneous. The eyes were made to see with, and if when they are open they do not see, it is because they are under such a strain and have such a great error of refraction that they cannot see.
...The fact is that when the mind is at rest nothing can tire the eyes, and when the mind is under a strain nothing can rest them. Anything that rests the mind will benefit the eyes.
...
Temporary conditions may contribute to the strain to see which results in the production of errors of refraction; but its foundation lies in wrong habits of thought. In attempting to relieve it the physician has continually to struggle against the idea that to do anything well requires effort. This idea is drilled into us from our cradles. The whole educational system is based upon it;
...
It is as natural for the eye to see as it is for the mind to acquire knowledge, and any effort in either case is not only useless, but defeats the end in view.
...
In the same way you may temporarily improve the sight by effort, but you cannot improve it to normal, and if the effort is allowed to become continuous, the sight will steadily deteriorate and may eventually be destroyed.
...
The eye with normal sight never tries to see. If for any reason, such as the dimness of the light, or the distance of the object, it cannot see a particular point, it shifts to another. It never tries to bring out the point by staring at it, as the eye with imperfect sight is constantly doing.
Whenever the eye tries to see, it at once ceases to have normal vision.
...
It obviously requires a strain to fail to see at the distance, because the eye at rest is adjusted for distant vision. If one does anything when one wants to see at the distance, one must do the wrong thing. The shape of the eyeball cannot be altered during distant vision without strain. It is equally a strain to fail to see at the near-point, because when the muscles respond to the mind's desire they do it without strain. Only by an effort can one prevent the eye from elongating at the near-point.
The eye possesses perfect vision only when it is absolutely at rest.
...The act of seeing is passive. Things are seen, just as they are felt, or heard, or tasted, without effort or volition on the part of the subject. When sight is perfect the letters on the test card are waiting, perfectly black and perfectly distinct, to be recognized. They do not have to be sought; they are there. In imperfect sight they are sought and chased. The eye goes after them. An effort is made to see them.
(from chapters 9 &10)
Then, in a second step, I marked the most important words in fat print:
Quote:Primarily the strain to see is a strain of the mind, and, as in all cases in which there is a strain of the mind, there is a loss of mental control. Anatomically the results of straining to see at a distance may be the same as those of regarding an object at the near point without strain; but in one case the eye does what the mind desires, and in the other it does not.
...
The remedy is not to avoid either near work or distant vision, but to get rid of the mental strain which underlies the imperfect functioning of the eye at both points
...
The idea that it rests the eyes not to use them is also erroneous. The eyes were made to see with, and if when they are open they do not see, it is because they are under such a strain and have such a great error of refraction that they cannot see.
...The fact is that when the mind is at rest nothing can tire the eyes, and when the mind is under a strain nothing can rest them. Anything that rests the mind will benefit the eyes.
...
Temporary conditions may contribute to the strain to see which results in the production of errors of refraction; but its foundation lies in wrong habits of thought. In attempting to relieve it the physician has continually to struggle against the idea that to do anything well requires effort. This idea is drilled into us from our cradles. The whole educational system is based upon it;
...
It is as natural for the eye to see as it is for the mind to acquire knowledge, and any effort in either case is not only useless, but defeats the end in view.
...
In the same way you may temporarily improve the sight by effort, but you cannot improve it to normal, and if the effort is allowed to become continuous, the sight will steadily deteriorate and may eventually be destroyed.
...
The eye with normal sight never tries to see. If for any reason, such as the dimness of the light, or the distance of the object, it cannot see a particular point, it shifts to another. It never tries to bring out the point by staring at it, as the eye with imperfect sight is constantly doing.
Whenever the eye tries to see, it at once ceases to have normal vision.
...
It obviously requires a strain to fail to see at the distance, because the eye at rest is adjusted for distant vision. If one does anything when one wants to see at the distance, one must do the wrong thing. The shape of the eyeball cannot be altered during distant vision without strain. It is equally a strain to fail to see at the near-point, because when the muscles respond to the mind's desire they do it without strain. Only by an effort can one prevent the eye from elongating at the near-point.
The eye possesses perfect vision only when it is absolutely at rest.
...
The act of seeing is passive. Things are seen, just as they are felt, or heard, or tasted, without effort or volition on the part of the subject. When sight is perfect the letters on the test card are waiting, perfectly black and perfectly distinct, to be recognized. They do not have to be sought; they are there. In imperfect sight they are sought and chased. The eye goes after them. An effort is made to see them.
Then you get a simple, clear line of thought, which can be easily understood and remembered.
I would share my copies with you, but I did not use the English text. And maybe it's even more effective if everybody reads the text and takes notes according to his own understanding and needs.
Re: Negative thoughts - eaglevision - 05-15-2013
This is extremely helpful, thanks for all the help.
Re: Negative thoughts - Nini - 05-15-2013
To really understand what is happening by the "loss of mental control" as Bates describes it, I think it is very helpful to look at the contrary - the gain of mental control by concentration for example as in yoga, which is defined as:
Quote:Yoga Sutras of Patañjali #1.2:( <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.yoga-mind-control.com/yoga-definition.html">http://www.yoga-mind-control.com/yoga-definition.html</a><!-- m --> )
Yogash chitta vritti nirodhah: Yoga is the restraint (control, mastery) of the modifications (changes, movement, thought-forms) of the mind field.
If you are able to master the control of your mind to the same extent as some Yogis, you can do extraordinary things with your body, you can control some functions - like heart beating - which are normally not accessible to the influence of your will.
The loss of mental control due to the effects of "stress" in our modern life on the contrary, leads to a loss of mental control even in natural body functions, and we have to get rid of it's firm grip on our mind, if we want to restore the natural way of seeing.
Re: Negative thoughts - Deliverance - 05-15-2013
Well put guys.
As soon as I interfere with my vision, it blurs.
For the last 2 months I have been forced to move away from 'vision improvement' and 'Bates world', after 3 years of going through the motions, since it give me no benefit, but more strain to my mind, which is not something I want to feed, but to let go. I found the word 'improvement' harmful, since we already know how to see correctly, it's innate, but in some way, we are doing the 'wrong' thing like Bates noted. One of the falacies of vision improvement is that, we're always trying to 'do' something in order to 'fix' or 'improve it', which is the contrary to the real nature of it. As soon we think we need to do something to improve it, even if we're considering do something about it, we're wrong about the whole thing. It's a let go process, and to do something is control and resistance, 'manipulate', and, any attempt to interfere with our vision is strain, and that is why most of us walk in circles for years. I'm not saying to passively retire yourself in the sofa and wait for a miracle cure, but if you really want it to be perfect, then allow it, because it's already perfect, and it means to let go your vision, let go of any judgement of your vision and the world. Think for a moment, it's already the way it is because in some way, it supports you, the blurry vision is in most cases a protective 'blanket' to our emotional world, if you want to see clear, you gonna and must realize who you really are, hence learn to love yourself. Once you do that, everything just is.
It may sound like a nice story for most vision improvers, since most people are attached to the idea of ââ'doing'. I've tried a thousand things, even 'trying' to see in the right way, but no, apparently it works, but after some time it stops working, telling me I must go deep and let go of the very concept of 'doing' and see what's happening more internally. For example when a clear flash occurs, if it goes away it's because I'm not letting go, otherwise I would be seeing normal. So it's a good chance to consider what I'm resisting, an emotion, a thought... or I'm analyzing my vision?. Is not our mind already under a high degree of strain, as if to analyze the eyes?, remember analyzing is equal to rejection. ¡heck!
Best regards,
Re: Negative thoughts - Nini - 05-16-2013
Deliverance Wrote:As soon as I interfere with my vision, it blurs.
You can try one thing, which helped me a lot:
Try to anylize your "interence", especially the "motivation" in your doing whatever you do.
This way I found out, that I let myself be motivated by the negative feeling the blur evokes in me and the negative thoughts about it - that is, my mind concentrated on the thing, I wanted to overcome. And if you concentrate on one thing, you just can't let it go.
Whereas the "way out" concentrates mentally on the goal, the goal becomes so important, that "all the rest" just doesnt matter any more. Then the mind becomes "free" to concentrate without having to struggle against a resistence, as Bates put it:
Quote:One part of an object is seen best only when the mind is content to see the greater part of it indistinctly and as the degree of relaxation increases the area of the part seen worse increases, until that seen best becomes merely a point.
Try to "formulate" your goal in a different way, for example: "I seek relaxation for my strained eyes in the way I look at things. This is achieved by concentrating mentally on a period as small as possible, I just don't care about all the "rest" . When I look at objects with a mind concentrated in this way, my concentration can be directed to very small points and my eyes will relax more and more, so that they (in the end) become free to "follow the mind's desire" without being hindered by strain."
This is a bit long, maybe you can put it in a shorter form for your practice.
Re: Negative thoughts - Deliverance - 05-16-2013
Nini Wrote:You can try one thing, which helped me a lot:
Try to anylize your "interence", especially the "motivation" in your doing whatever you do.
This way I found out, that I let myself be motivated by the negative feeling the blur evokes in me and the negative thoughts about it - that is, my mind concentrated on the thing, I wanted to overcome. And if you concentrate on one thing, you just can't let it go.
Whereas the "way out" concentrates mentally on the goal, the goal becomes so important, that "all the rest" just doesnt matter any more. Then the mind becomes "free" to concentrate without having to struggle against a resistence, as Bates put it:
Hi Nini,
What you says makes a lot of sense. But I've literally gave up trying to improve my vision or whatever I can do about it, even the 'Bates Method'. I've saw my vision clearing without doing anything respect to 'vision improvement', my best moment of clearer vision comes as a result of more focused attention in whatever I'm doing at the moment, when I'm not thinking about my eyes or vision, and like you said, when thinking in 'one thing best', so any review or judgement is 'out of focus of attention' then I allow focused vision to happen. If I 'cling' or chase clear vision, with any 'doing' or a 'technique', it fades away, because you have decided that an effort (strain) is necessary to see.
Re: Negative thoughts - Omni - 05-16-2013
Quote:As soon as I interfere with my vision, it blurs
If the blur brings some form of relief, it could be the "good blur" as straining improves on the acuity. In my case anyway - my vision usual lowered and senses improves when I'm in the "right" frame of thinking.
Quote:You can try one thing, which helped me a lot:
Try to anylize your "interence", especially the "motivation" in your doing whatever you do.
This way I found out, that I let myself be motivated by the negative feeling the blur evokes in me and the negative thoughts about it - that is, my mind concentrated on the thing, I wanted to overcome. And if you concentrate on one thing, you just can't let it go.
I agree with Nini. I liken it in terms of direction - to strain or direct oneself to better use of the eyes.
Quote:The eye with normal sight never tries to see. If for any reason, such as the dimness of the light,
or the distance of the object, it cannot see a particular point, it shifts to another. It never tries to bring out the point by staring at it, as the eye with imperfect sight is constantly doing.
Here I think bates provides a clear line of thinking to ones with normal eyes.
Re: Negative thoughts - Nini - 05-16-2013
A very interesting way to overcome negative thinking you can find in this book:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.prweb.com/releases/Norbekov/Self-Recovery/prweb2459984.htm">http://www.prweb.com/releases/Norbekov/ ... 459984.htm</a><!-- m -->
I wrote about it recently:
Quote:The author seems to be very successful in his seminars; he claims to have a "healing rate" of almost 100%. His book is less successful, because in 'home training' you can't eliminate all negative influences and "keep the wheel turning" in the same way.
In his seminars, people need about 40 days to change their wrong way of thinking plus 3 to 6 days per diopter to get completely cured.
In the book he demonstrates how wrong thoughts and wrong ideas turn into bad habits and manifest disease and how you can bring about a change. With lots of examples of his own life, full of humor and self-irony, sometimes in drastic language, and a small part of exercises, but he always stresses, that 90% is 'mental', the correct 'mind setting' and only 10% the exercise itself.
Maybe there will be a reprint.
Unfortunately, the book is momentarily unavailable in English and French, you can get it in German and most probably in Russian
Re: Negative thoughts - Deliverance - 05-16-2013
Deliverance Wrote:As soon as I interfere with my vision, it blurs.
Omni Wrote:If the blur brings some form of relief, it could be the "good blur" as straining improves on the acuity. In my case anyway - my vision usual lowered and senses improves when I'm in the "right" frame of thinking.
Hi,
It's not the interefence I'm talking about, I'm not saying that I stop 'staring' or that I start 'using my eyes better' and then it get worse as a result of giving up straining to see (which is true), but, no.
What I'm saying is that as long I analyze or 'test' my vision or do anything with my eyes or manipulate my attention, I inmediately can notice the strain this assumes. Letting go means letting go, this means to detach from the outcome, and there's no judgement for what's experienced (in all levels), true acceptance or love brings clearer vision, perhaps you gotta love the blur and you'll start to see more clearly. Believe it or not.
In my opinion, if you do 'vision improvement', you are in the wrong road, since for most of us it means we are waiting for an outcome which is something we'll be creating with a 'thought', and not allowing it. And also I'm sure either that there is no 'positive thinking' nor 'negative', love and fear are complementary, and everything should come back to their origin __, then your essence will do what's best at the given moment.
Best regards.