Seeing Clearly - Lesson 1 - Eyes, Head, Arms Together and Apart

Seeing Clearly - Lesson 1 - Eyes, Head, Arms Together and Apart

Another take on the Triangle Arms, Flexors and Extensors Lesson

Eyes don't "see." The eyes take in light and send nerve impulses to the brain. It's the brain, the visual cortex, that compiles that information into images. Dr. Feldenkrais knew that to affect vision, the brain needs to be affected as well.

Thoughts, posture and breathing affect eyes, and eyes affect the way you experience and move through the world. Feel what it’s like to have relaxed eyes, and a quieter, more receptive nervous system.

Seeing Clearly is an Awareness Through Movement® program developed by Buddhist, Bates Vision and Feldenkrais Method® Practitioner David Webber to deal with, and even overcome, severe ocular disease.  The neuromuscular changes that start in the eyes help release tension body-wide.  

The themes of Relax, Refocus, Realign, and Receive are core to this series. So take it easy.   What a challenge!

This first lesson may feel familiar to returning students.  I won't give it away. However, in the past, this lesson has been an exploration of the movement of the hips, maybe the breath and ribs, also the deep relaxation of the shoulders and arms.  This time the focus (sometimes a bad pun is acceptable?) is on the eyes and calming of the optic nerve.

The optic nerve is one of the 12 cranial nerves. The functions of the cranial nerves are sensory, motor, or both: Sensory cranial nerves help a person to see, smell, and hear. Motor cranial nerves help control muscle movements in the head and neck.

The optic nerve is also located quite close to the vagus nerve, which balances the 'fight/flight/freeze' and 'rest/digest' states.  When the optic nerve relaxes, it seems to have a calming effect all around.  Enjoy.

The Curriculum Includes:

  • Our Eyes and Ourselves

  • Relaxed Eyes

  • Breathing to See

  • Easy Seeing

  • Improving Your Aim

  • Seeing Deeply

  • Integrating your vision

  • Wrapping it Up

Wednesdays | 9:30-10:15 AM and 6:30-7:15

Jacki Katzman