11. Week 4: Mental Focus Lesson

 

Tasks and Goals learn to clear the mind to reduce stress and tension learn to be aware of the thoughts that cause eye muscles to tense learn to be aware of the tension in various parts of the eyes learn to pay attention to your breathing and what the eyes see

 

In this lesson, we add the mental focusing skill to relax your mind and improve the eyes’ ability to focus. Mental focus will help you become aware of your thoughts and the strain you hold onto as a result of it. When you are totally conscious and aware of every thing that you do, you are being “present” in your life. Being present will help to interrupt the habits that make you unconsciously strain.

Our mind wanders from one thought to another. We may revisit memories, dream about the future, or try to understand a new idea. This wandering pulls our attention into the mind’s eye and world. Many of us get caught up with our thoughts and all the emotions, desires and logic associated with it. When we look inwards, we do not see the present. The more time we spend in our thoughts, the less aware we are of everything happening around us and the less attune we are of our body. This allow our habits take over many actions without our awareness. We need to overcome the hold thoughts have over us. In order to break free of it, we must learn to pay attention. We will use two things to acquire this skill, breathing and concentrating on what we are looking at.

Points to Note:
• You should not wear your glasses when doing the exercise
• You should practice the exercise in bright sunlight

Instructions

Step 1. Sit comfortably by the window or outside in the shade, take slow deep breaths using the diaphragm. Tell yourself that you will pay attention for the duration of this exercise.

Step 2. Start converging with the fusion chart for five minutes or longer. As you do, feel the rhythm of your breathing.

Step 3. Look at the farthest object in the horizon (cloud, house, tree, grass, etc.) and focus on a few points (pick points formed from a corner or an edge) in the object. Then, look at a closer object and focus on a few points in that object. Work your way back to objects close to you. You may look at five or more objects on the way back. Once you reach an object in front of you, converge using the fusion chart for five seconds before working your way out to farther objects. Continue to work your way out and back for the duration of this step. Work your eyes quickly but give it enough time to spot and focus on a point before moving on to the next point. Try to look at different objects in all areas within your visual field.

Do this:
• Left eye only – two minutes or longer (skip fusion chart since you need both eyes to fuse)
• Right eye only – two minutes or longer (skip fusion chart since you need both eyes to fuse)
• Both eyes – ten minutes or longer

Step 4. Allow the sunlight to shine on your face and onto the eyes as you look from point to point. Keep your focus on a cloud or on a tree, but allow the sunlight to caress the eyes. Do this for three minutes or longer. Do not look directly at the sun.

Step 5. To finish the exercise, rub your palms together until they are hot. Place your palms over your closed eyes without putting pressure on the eyes. Feel the soothing warmth and relaxation of the darkness as you take deep breathes. Do this for one to five minutes.