The Light Returns - 3 - Mid-Range and Peripheral Vision - The Pirate Eye Patch Lesson

Light Returns - 3 - Mid-Range and Peripheral Vision - The Pirate Eye Patch Lesson

Reality check on midrange and peripheral vision

Based on “Standing and Shifting, Part 1,” by Jack Heggie and “The Use of the Eyes” as taught by Katrin Smithback, GCFT®

Grab an eye patch, a scarf will do, and explore how each of your eyes processes mid-distance and peripheral spacial perception. The initial results may throw you for a loop, as where you imagine an object might be might not be anywhere near that spot in reality. But the great news is that you can equilibrate your imagination and reality.

As most people have a dominant hand or foot, many of us also has a dominant eye: the eye the brain prioritizes for movement and depth perception,

Eye dominance isn’t a constant. You might prefer to use your non-dominant eye for certain tasks. And there’s evidence that your brain can automatically switch which eye is dominant to match the situation. Most people don’t notice the switch because the handoff is usually smooth and subtle.

This lesson uses an eye patch (or scarf) to help you balance your dominant and non-dominant eyes and improve depth perception and peripheral vision.

The first order of business is to identify your dominant eye. Sometimes that is unclear so just choose one.

Covering one eye at a time, gazing at a spot while shifting weight, clarifies your focus. Then close both eyes, and see if, after more swinging and shifting, you can open your eyes in line with “your spot.” At first, chances your ability to find “your spot” will be way off. You’ll be pointing in the wrong direction, too high or too low. But with repetition, your focus gets sharper and - bonus points - your peripheral vision expands. Colors might even seem brighter.

This is a standing lesson, with supine rests. However, if you want to sit, no problem!

Set Up for Standing, Sitting, Focusing and Resting on the Floor Lesson:

  • Find something to cover one eye at a time. Eye patches are nice but not necessary. A scarf that blocks the light is fine.

  • Find a place to stand about 10 feet from a wall. Have room at your sides to shift weight and swing your arms

  • Have something to mark your position - a coin, a spot on the carpet - so you can be consistent

  • Or sit on a chair with knees and hips level

  • Have a mat to rest on

How you might feel after this lesson: Tranced-in; Face, neck, and shoulders deeply relaxed; Mid-range and peripheral vision more accurate; Colors may be brighter; Better sense of dominant eye and how the brain processes information from the dominant and non-dominant eyes; Deeper connection between breath and eyes.

Wednesday 9:30 am or 6:30 pm class registration, keep using it. $40/month; $15/single lesson. PayPal or Venmo to jackisue@aol.com. Or check to Jacki Katzman, PO Box 116, Bethlehem, NH 03574

To registration, Click Here

LessonsJacki Katzmaneyes, eyes and spine, movement of the eyes, moshe feldenkrais, trance, Jack Heggie, Total Body Vision, mid-range vision, peripheral visio, pirate lesson