I've been doing natural vision improvement for a while now. I also recently read some spiritual material, particularly Eckhart Tolle's books A New Earth and The Power of Now, and I couldn't help but notice some tremendous parallels between spiritual philosophy and vision.

Eckhart Tolle talks about the truth that the true consciousness/energy of life lies in the present moment, and that the root of all suffering in the world stems from people attaching to their beliefs and thoughts; their "ego" identifying with the illusion of form.

It gave the me idea that imperfect vision is caused by identifying with and attaching to what we're seeing, and not wanting to accept reality as it is. It creates the unconscious tendency for imperfect-sighted people to want to control what they're seeing (both physically and metaphorically), and to control reality. Of course, as Bates discussed, the mind can create so many illusions of form, and as Eckhart Tolle discusses, form is transient, ever-changing. I believe that the problem comes when we believe and attach our egos to the form (or believe the illusions of visual form our mind creates), as if the form were supposed to stay permanent. The problem for us is when we believe that the illusions are real, instead of being illusions.

Psychologically, we will suffer when we attach to a "form" that "reality is supposed to be such and such way", and then the form changes. There is a disparity between what we want/believe reality to be and what reality really is, which causes us to suffer. Suffering is simply being out of touch with what is.

With vision, we "suffer" when we "attach" to the form that we see. This is why people with imperfect sight, as Bates pointed out, will try to see an entire area in their visual field equally clearly, holding multiple points (forms) in their minds, and not letting new data refresh from those small points. Once we begin to realize that all form/thoughts are transient, we psychologically let go of it and relax. The same thing can happen with vision. When we realize that what we see changes constantly, we let go of it and become passive, allowing the normal relaxation that lets us experience things as they are in this moment, and not try to hold things for multiple moments which would cause imperfect sight.

Eckhart Tolle discusses how not being "present" means that you're getting caught up in the ego, and attached to an illusion of form, that when people are present they are at peace and filled with light and energy. When people are present, they are as they truly are, formless. I see this as relevant to central fixation. Bates noted how a person's vision quality depends on how much that person is "fixated" to an infinitely small point - not a shape or area, but an infinitely small point - a formless space. I believe that central fixation is essentially the same as being completely present and living in the now perceptually, accepting what is, where your thoughts don't control you and try to impose a false reality on you. Central fixation is being "plugged-into" the energy of the universe, because you are surrendering to its changes and accepting things the way they are, and not needing them to conform to what you believe they "should be".

I've had that very same insight! More than that, felt it.
Thanks for writing so eloquently on this idea. [/quote]

Steve, I totally agree. It's about being willing to take merely a point at a time, and let the rest be given to you without effort. Some people get put off by these kinds of ideas and pass them over as too philosophical, but they have it backwards - this can be the most practical, doable thing. Looking at infinitely small points is a state of mind, and such a relief when you allow yourself that limitation. It's as if you allow yourself, if it were necessary, to be blind, and only receive eyesight as it is given instead of reaching out and making an effort to take it. I find it's helpful to identify myself as the simplest thing imaginable that I can assert conscious control over - my breath. The more I do it, the less important the products of the ego become and the less can pull me away from clear sight. I think this is necessary now, as it is, as a first step, only because of the nasty mess we as humans have gotten ourselves into.

I could go on and on, but it's going to turn into a ramble.

Dave, I agree. Dr Bates teaches us that these ideas are not philosophical at all, but rather a functional description of how we use our eyes and by extension our minds. A rod is a rod and a cone is a cone. Nothin' philosophical about that.

Absolutely.




I like this way of putting it. Only when you truly relinquish everything will you be free, and that's exactly that. If you "surrender" to anything, even if you fear you'll end up blind, sight will be given to you.

Not true, in the sense that this is not a provable statement.

"Only" when you relinquish "everything" to "anything"? When we start talking in absolutes, it's time for a reality check.

Sure it's not a concretely provable statement - it's just something I've found to be true from my experiences.

By relinquishing everything, you're essentially letting go of everything, not needing to attach and seek yourself in it - accepting the unpredictability of life. I'm making the connection between that concept and letting go of holding onto points in your field of vision as an imperfect eye does.