The Eyes Have It

Whew…life hasn’t been easy around here in the longest time- especially sleep wise! My senses are sensitive-always have been-so this means no ambient light from laptops, charging stations, etc. Darkness is as necessary to our health as light. So even though I am a sunshine girl by nature, I was very grateful for the last few rainy grey mornings that allowed for some desperately needed sleep ins.

I’d forgotten what enough sleep even felt like. Delicious, decadent, necessary. Getting enough sleep affects the way we see ourselves and engage with the world around us. Seeing the Beauty that is all around us and within us is much easier when we have had enough of it.According to Proust, the real voyage of discovery consists of not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.

I love that quote! it is a big part of the inspiration for Engaging The Senses- the chapter on Sight begins with it- as well as the exercise below which can be done lying down or sitting up at your desk. Done regularly it is easy way to help maintain good eye health. Best of all it is a simple, relaxing way to nourish your senses inside and out. Try it now, at the end of the day or anytime your eyes feel tired or strained.

Let’s get started…..

To begin rub your hands together for a count of ten making sure both your palms and finger are touching while imagining the warmth you’re creating and feeling between your hands is healing and restorative.

Close your eyes and breath in deeply through your nose open your hands and immediately place your palms one over each eye socket forming a seal of warmth. Your pinkies should overlap. Keep your arm, neck and shoulder muscles relaxed. Now tell your eye muscles that it ok to relax completely. Feel this happening- sides of eye, under the eye, over the eyebrow relaxing deeply…Letting your eyes roll slightly upward as if you were gently gazing through the point between your eyebrow will help the muscles relax even more.

Focus your attention of the feeling of warmth and imagine again that the healing restorative energy you just generated is bathing your eyes in cool softness as you relax your throat and focus on your breathing which should be calm and relaxed as the balm of healing, restorative energy works its magic on your hard working eyes.

Repeat the process again and this time after you have formed the seal of warmth and healing take a moment to give thanks to your eyes for all the hard and important work they do and for all the beauty they allow you to see. eg. clouds, stars, the faces of your beloveds, flowers, sunsets, etc.

Repeat the process one more time and then slowly open your eyes keeping your gaze soft. Relax the muscles of your belly,take a deep breath in through your nose and out through your mouth before going on to your next activity.