What you will learn
Exercises for the eyes that improve the way you see
How the eyes are an extension of your brain
How to see the world differently and improve your creativity
How your nutrition affects your eyesight
When
Saturday and Sunday, March 13 –14 Where: 1951 Northside Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30318 Your
Teacher
Catherine Carrigan is a Brain Gym consultant, a certified Vision Circles teacher and a certified yoga teacher who has studied yogic eye exercises. She has helped many clients and students improve their eyesight without glasses. Her mentor, Sue Maes of the Achievement and Learning Center in London, Ontario, Canada, is an expert on the eyes and has produced a video on natural vision improvement.
Who will benefit
All those who want to let go of tension in their eyes
Athletes who want to improve their balance
All those who want to read better
Anyone who wants to improve their eyesight without glasses
Artists who want to improve their creativity
Cost: $375, or $350 with a $50 nonrefundable deposit by March 4. Time: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday.
A personal comment from Catherine:
Few people realize that your eyes are an extension of your brain. You can improve your eyesight by improving your brain function. You have six muscles around each eye. These muscles can be exercised—just like any other muscle group in the body! When we engage in excessive two-dimensional activity, such as spending hours and hours in front of computers and television and even reading books, which are also two-dimensional, these activities strain the eyes. We were meant to see in three dimensions—just as we do when we are outdoors. Lastly, few people realize they can improve their balance by improving their eyesight. Twenty percent of your vision is devoted to proprioception—keeping your place in space.
How Well Do You Really See?
Vision is a complex activity. Experts have counted over 30 different visual skills. These are some of the visual skills we will improve in our class:
Tracking: This is a basic skill required for reading. When your eyes don’t track well together, you also have trouble following a moving object smoothly and accurately with both eyes across the midline of the body—a skill required for example when watching vehicles change lanes in traffic.
Depth Perception: This is your ability to judge relative distances, such as required by a golfer on a golf course. Depth perception s also important for swinging at a ball, as in baseball, or parking your car.
Peripheral Vision: Under stress, many people go into tunnel vision and lose their peripheral vision. This is the ability to monitor and interpret what is happening at the sides of the body while simultaneously attending to a task in front of you. If you lose your peripheral vision while driving, for example, you may have trouble changing lanes safely.
Binocularity: This is the general ability to use both eyes together, smoothly, easily, equally, simultaneously and accurately without switching off both sides of the brain. Many people are actually monocular, meaning they use primarily one eye instead of both eyes.
Visualization: The ability to picture in your mind’s eye.
What Strains Your Eyes?
Many clients are unaware of the countless ways they strain their eyes. Do you engage in unvaried near-point activities? These include reading, writing, drawing, sewing, typing, watching TV or looking at a computer for hours without a break. Solution: Take 30-second vision breaks. Look into the distance. Blink and breathe. Do Vision Circles eye exercises. Are you exposed to artificial or flickering light? This happens when we sit in front of the TV or computer monitor, or when we have fluorescent lights in our schools or office. Sunglasses also change the quality of light.
Solution: Use natural light. Walk outside in the sunlight daily to help your brain and eyes and adrenal glands. Put up full-spectrum lights in your home and office. Avoid sunglasses or use full-spectrum sunglasses. Is your nutrition affecting your eyesight? Are you dehydrated? All your neurotransmitters work in water. Caffeine and artificial chemicals in your diet may be affecting your vision. Solution: Drink more filtered pure water. Eat organic food. Your brain and eyes use about 25 percent of the body’s nutrition. Protect Your Eyes in Front of the Computer
If your job requires you to work at a computer, there are many things you can do to preserve your eyesight. I am very fortunate in my office. My computer terminal is in front of a window. I can vary my near-point, two-dimensional visual work (writing on the computer) with looking out the window, where I can see in three-dimensions. I also receive natural sunlight through the window and never experience visual strain while working there.
Drink water. The electrical output of your computer may affect your EEG brain waves and your vision.
Place the keyboard close to your visual midline. Are you too far or too close?
Avoid eating in front of your computer. The moving horizontal lines interfere with the acupuncture meridian flow lines for digestion.
Practice eye exercises for 30 seconds every 15 minutes.
For more information about natural vision improvement, personal fitness training, yoga and Qi Gong classes and life coaching, please visit www.totalfitness.net.
Classes
Yoga Classes: Every Tuesday and Thursday, 7:30-9 p.m., Holy Spirit Catholic Church. $15 per class or $65 per calendar month.
Overcoming Eating Disorders: A free class for the general public, every Wednesday in February, 7 p.m., Holy Spirit Catholic Church.