The Light Returns - 5 - Eyes, Tongue, Body as One
The Light Returns - 5 - Eyes, Tongue, Body as One
How tongue and eyes work together to direct movement
Based on “Liberating the Neck and Jaw – 6 – The Primacy of Your Tongue,” as taught by David Zemach-Berson, GCFT®
They eyes have weight, as we remembered last week. Eye shift are head weight shifts. The tongue also moves the head: it has its own weight and its connection to the spine via ligaments and attachments to bones attached to the spine give it pull.
Relatively new research, 2021, suggests that there is a deep, synchronized involuntary movement of the tongue to the same side as voluntary movements of the eyes, termed the oculoglossal phenomenon. Researchers are proposing a potential basic pathway that might explain this novel brainstem reflex. Better understanding of this phenomenon could assist in neurological examinations to evaluate the brainstem’s integrity. (See details below for an anatomic proposal outlining this newly-described pathway.)
I’m not suggesting that driving the body with the tongue and eyes is something to do regularly. But, as with most of the more subtle lessons, bringing a little awareness to a nearly subconscious connection can help improve movement or disrupt less useful habits.
We are going to sit and stand for this one, as the lesson is written. We want a direct association between the weight shifts and gravity. The outline is familiar: look up and down, shift side to side in sitting, then standing. Pay attention to how the eyes amplify the movement guided by the tongue and how the tongue supports the movement initiated by the eyes.
It’s a peripheral vision, weight shifting, tongue stretch. Enjoy.
Science Nerd Candy Bowl:
Lots of rich content embedded in previous tongue-related lessons
Set Up for Sitting and Standing Lesson:
Sitting on a flat-bottom chair with knees and hips level.
Position chair so it’s easy to stand from sitting, and so the chair can provide some support in standing
“Overview of the proposed oculoglossal reflex pathway: Cortical activation is in the frontal eye field, which projects directly and indirectly to the paramedian pontian reticular formation, which then sends fibers to the abducens nerve (CN VI) and the bilateral hypoglossal nuclei. From the CN VI, fibers will project to the oculomotor nucleus (CN III). This pathway leads to contraction of the contralateral lateral rectus muscle, ipsilateral medial rectus muscle, and ipsilateral extrinsic and intrinsic tongue muscles, which leads to synchronized movements of the eyes and tongue to the right side (contralateral).”
How you might feel after this lesson: Tranced-in; Face, neck, and shoulders deeply relaxed; Strong internal sense of how the eyes and tongue rest in the head in relation to gravity, Potentially conscious connection between the tongue, eyes and pelvis; Increased awareness of how the tongue affects weight shifts; Refreshed sense of how the head balances on the spine.
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