Stop Yourself (3-4-2013)

[David]

Stop Yourself (3-4-2013)
http//blog.iblindness.org/2013-03/stop-yourself/

When you catch yourself doing something wrong, doing something with your eyes that you know you shouldn't, stop and pause for a moment. Close your eyes and ask yourself why you did it. Sometimes you'll be able to answer yourself. Other times you might be uncertain why you did it or what you should have done instead. In that case, be honest with yourself by acknowledging your uncertainty. Either way, you have to give an answer. You can't pretend like you know the answer and keep beating your head against a wall trying to see in a way that someone else says is the way to good vision.

[Nancy]

I do this when I catch myself feeling strain, stopping and asking "What am I doing?". Sometimes I know and can stop doing it, sometimes I don't (yet).

[Oleg K.]

Right, it seems that Bates practice is all about consciously catching yourself doing the wrong thing, and replacing it with doing the right thing instead.

The only problem I find is that sometimes I am unable to readily remember what *is* the right thing, which I experienced before. Or if I can remember the right thing, I may not be able to do it at the moment.

For example, after a prolonged period of strain, and when I'm generally tired or sick, it seems impossible to remember the right way. It may take a night of sleep, or an hour of relaxed gazing, palming, bright light exposure etc. before I'm able to restore my ability to even attempt to look the right way.

So I'm curious, David, as you are an advanced practitioner, do you find yourself always ready to remember and start doing the right thing? How long does it take for you to switch from wrong to right? Do you have any advice on how to make this switch faster and easier?

Thanks.

[David]

It depends on the situation. If I'm tired or busy or I eat the wrong things, it gets harder to do anything as well as I otherwise could, including seeing. Otherwise it can be a matter of seconds, or else minutes if I let it go on badly too long.

I wouldn't consider anyone to be "advanced". It would be like saying someone is an advanced walker because he doesn't stumble over his feet much anymore.