happenings along the road

[queen8]

Just want to share some happenings with you. I've been home and around the house for some days because the kids and I have had gastric flu (+/-?). In such a situation it's easier to walk around without glasses (I started out with about -6 on both eyes, plus some astigmatism, it improved about a degree last year, and now I really want to quit wearing glasses). But when you don't wear your glasses constantly, there's, of course, the question "where are they?" The last two days I haven't been able to find my glasses, and I feel a bit stuck (e.g. It would be possible to drive the car in daylight, but not at all in the dark)! I trust this is part of the prosess, though!

Last night my husband, when looking into the dishwasher, asked me what I had done. I thought I had tidied up (finally I had the energy to do something), but I hadn't seen that the dishes in the dishwasher were clean, and had put loads of dirty dishes on top ;D

[Martin Brofman]

I would say it's not because you COULDN'T see, but that you DIDN'T see. You were just not paying attention.

Your Spirit was on the job, keeping you from getting to your glasses when you did not need them to function.

[Maria]

Great story Queen!

I'm glad I'm not the only one who does stuff like that

Maria

[queen8]

I read your conclusions after 8 weeks of vision journey, Maria, and I wanted to share a bit more of my own journey.

I worked hard following Martin's book, about 18 months ago, trying to get rid of my glasses. I had already reduced from 6.5(left) and 5.5(right) to 5.5 and 4.5 and my astigmatism was almost gone at the left eye, but not at all on the right. Then I've been trying on and off for more than a year. I noticed in the fall that my glasses were too strong, but when I checked, there was just a tiny difference, so I decided to wait. Now I can't wait any longer, as they're getting stronger and stronger (!HA!) (Of course, this means that I'm seeing better and better). I'm looking forward to the day when I'm able to measure results the other way around (that it's easier and easier to see without glasses instead of just realizing that it's uncomfortable to wear them).

I have an eye examination in ten days. I've heard of someone who visualized the result in numbers, that is, in my example that the eye doctor said "3 point something" on both eyes and my astigmatism gone. I've tried this when it comes to results of my thyroid blood tests, and it hasn't worked at all. Any suggestions as to how I can do this, or maybe it's just not a very good idea? I don't want to fix a goal that is too easy and not too hard either. It would be good to have a specific measurement, though, telling me that I've reached my goal so far.

[Martin Brofman]

Rather than saying that it hasn't worked, it might be better to say that you have not yet seen results.

It might help to decide the time span in which it could happen.

...or just to see a doctor impressed and surprised with the results, and you very pleased about that.

[queen8]

I have not seen all the results yet, yes, that's true. I feel like I've invested in something, but not taken out the ownings/benefit yet.

I've noticed a lot of times, but forgot to ask before: when I take off my glasses, I also hear poorly. Sometimes that's more annoying than not seeing clearly, as that's reasonable when I take off my glasses. Even if I don't see the person who is talking, I hear less clearly. I'm looking forward to seeing the connection! I think there's something I didn't want to hear when this started (my grandfather calling me a "sleeper").

[Martin Brofman]

It may be just your mind giving you an excuse to put on your glasses. There is no connection between seeing and hearing.

[suzanne]

Dear Queen,

Sorry, I know it's an important subject and you want answers, and I'm not meaning to trivialise what you say, but you keep making me laugh! (That's quite an achievement, actually!)

First your story about loading the dishwasher with dirty dishes along with the clean ones; I do silly things like that too, such as walking into the house next door by mistake - luckily the neighbours know what I'm like!

Now you're saying you put on your glasses in order to HEAR better. Guess what? So do I!!!!! There may be no connection between the two senses, but it's a phenomenon I've experiences over the last forty years. When I worked in an office I had to wear my glasses all the time in order to know if someone was speaking to me. Other people I've met have said it happens to them too, but I find that generally people are loathe to admit to it unless I mention it first. So you are not alone!

Maybe we'll never know the true explanation for it, but it's a useful topic with which to liven up a dull party!!!

However, I'd just like to tell you that I used to need a prescription of -6.5 with correction for astigmatism and I'm now down to -4.0. It would be even better if I could just make the time and the effort to do the exercises every day. (I admit I am afraid to get my eyes checked again in case there is some diabetes damage detected which I think would need more that eye exercises to heal, but just telling you this has helped me face up to it. Mood enhancement is very healing.)

Love and laughter,

Suzanne

[queen8]

I didn't want what had happened to be part of reality. If I open my ears and hear,it will be real. If I open my eyes and see, it will be real. So I closed both at the same time, I think. So the connection just shows, I think, the absolute and extreme want to close myself off from the reality I didn't want to accept. Closing one's eyes is one thing, also closing one's ears, has the double effect, it didn't feel safe to only do one of the things.

I'm glad when we can laugh together. Does this serious thinking make sense to you (Suzanne and others)?

[suzanne]

Yes, Queen, of course, you are right!

I haven't had much time to think about it yet, but my immediate reaction is that you are on to something important here. It is a shutting off, a means of retreating into our own private, safe, little bubble. This IS the connection, isn't it? A numbing of the senses in order to escape 'reality'!

I suspect that other senses are involved too, to differing degrees; for instance when people are depressed they can't feel joy or awe, or see beauty. Some people say they can't taste or smell things as they used to be able to. Some can't give or receive love.

It's no coincidence that gaudy colours are described as 'loud'. I am sure there are many such examples of these connections.

It now makes sense to me why every time I was given stronger lenses, my reaction was always the same: the image was too sharp to cope with and I DIDN'T WANT to see things that glaringly clearly. Since there was no one to 'soften' the image by adjusting a switch as you can on a TV (the opticians always refused to change the lenses, claiming that I would 'get used' to them) I made the adjustments myself - by becoming more short-sighted. And a little bit more deaf by turning down the volume! I wonder what else I adjusted to reduce the intensity of the pain, to 'soften', 'soothe' and 'quieten' my world. The answers are all there in the words we use, aren't they?

If we can turn these things down or even off, then we can surely adjust the controls the other way too! I know this has all been said before but I am just discovering (seeing, hearing, feeling, realising etc.) it for myself!

Thanks Queen, for being brave enough to explore and pursue this issue, and for making these connections, for seeing beyond the superficial - the joke. I do hope that you get responses from others on this.

Love and joy to you,
your travelling companion (one of many)
Suzanne

[Maria]

I've been thinking a bit about the relationship between seeing and hearing. Though there may be not physical or chakra connection between the two senses, there does seem to be a psychological connection. I haven't had the experience of hearing better when I put on my glasses, but I do know that if I want to concentrate on hearing something (such as a conversation in a crowded room or a radio that's turned way down) I tend to close my eyes. It's like by shutting off one sense I feel like I sharpen the other.

Anyone else have this experience?

Maria

[gilly]

interesting comment, Maria.

When I got my first pair of glasses, my optician mentioned something about people tending to put on their glasses to answer the phone. I also remember thinking it ridiculous. Then I forgot about it until I started the programme and started finding it extremely diifficult to concentrate without my glasses...
Examples?
1) Tidying my desk at work (always a mess - too many things going on at once). Did it ok today (end of semester - getting rid of students for a while... ;D) but when I did it back in May, I though I was going out of my mind. I couldn't sort, couldn't get anything into any kind of order. I couldn't even remember which pile of photocopies was the one I was going to chuck out .
2) Teaching without glasses (yikes!!). I teach English as a foreign language, and do all my explanation for lower levels in their language (Italian). When I first dared to teach without my glasses, I just couldn't explain anything at all. My explanations were about as clear as mud. Not because of the language (isn't an issue), but because I just couldn't think clearly. Again, things are much better now, perhaps because I'm also making a conscious effort to think more PC than Macintosh, if you get my drift.
Maybe some people switch off one sense to tune in better on an other. I seem to need to be fully switched on everywhere to function properly.

love to all ,
Gilly

[queen8]

It's nice to see how a thread develops...
Thank you for nice comments. When you write about Italian and English as a foreign language, Gilly, I feel "home", as that was a vital part of my life when I was 20!

It was time for my reality check today. There was improvement, but not as much as I'd hoped for! (The new glasses will be -4 (right) and -5, plus the astigmatism especially on my right) The optician doesn't believe there's anything I can do consciously to improve my vision, he just views my improvement as a "tendency" over the last years (we're always changing). I'd love to see a BIG improvement, enough to go back to him and say "I intended this change and I'm happy to see my vision improving!". I'm so tired now, though, and my eyes have been sore all day. I really had to concentrate when I did the test, and I'm not sure if the glasses I get in a week or two will satisfy me... New glasses and the test cost a lot of money, too, I can't go back and have a new test too often (I should have asked him for a "deal", if my eyes changed within 3 months, I could change my glasses for free, or something, but at least I understood that I could come back and ask for a change if I didn't feel well with the new glasses. And I don't want to feel well with glasses at all... Maybe I have to change my attitude to my glasses?!)

I'm a bit undecisive right now, whether to take a week off all this eye-improving stuff, or intensify? Maybe just do some other exercises for some time, involving my whole body instead of focusing mostly on eyes. But when my eyes get so tired, I think the hatha yoga exercises are good for me. Usually when I do them, I feel like I'm on my way to crying, but then it passes.

Gilly, I recognize the difficulty in tidying and concentrating without glasses. I feel I'm not able to do any "proper work" without my glasses.

MAria, I'm trying to connect what you say to my own experience and can't find the answer right now. I believe there is some link, something about withdrawing into myself to get a clear picture of something I couldn't understand, something I could barely hear. Is it possible to close one's eyes (=not see clearly)with the purpose of hearing something, do you think? Like you concentrate soooo hard to hear, that the whole upper part of your face is almost in a cramp?

And, Suzanne, have you had an eye test yet?

Love and thanks!

[Maria]

Great News Queen!

Any improvement is cause for celebration. I haven't had my eye exam yet, partly because I want to wait for a bit more improvment but mainly for financial reasons. I only wear my glasses for driving at night now though, so its not too bad.

Still the confirmation from an eye doctor that things have changed even a little would be encouraging.

The disucssion about not being able to do "proper work" without glasses is also very fascinating to me. I notice that when reading or doing computer work, it feels like my glasses get in the way and I can't concentrate until I take them off. But for distance stuff the opposite was true. I was feeling like I needed them for any kind of distance stuff (driving, seeing the black board at school, etc.) Since beginning this program my perception has changed so that it always bothers me to wear them, but things in the distance are still very blurry and indecipherable. Even so, it feels better to me to ask my daughter to read the road signs than to put those darn glasses on.

Peace,

Maria

[gilly]

Congrats to Queen from me too! I call that a big improvement (think of all the -1.somethings out there who'd have been completely cured by the same progress!)
I'm another one who should be going for another test, but I don't want to spend the money either and, more importantly I don't actually want to get a new pair of glasses... I'm now down to the oldest pair I still have, and I can't see with them either! They are also far too embarrassing to be seen outside in. I mean, they're from 1991. Those frames are bigger then my entire face!! What did possess me to even contemplatte getting them
But now I just can't do it No no no no no I will not wear glasses now. I still remember that dull morning last February when I first went out of the house with my glasses in my pocket instead of on my nose, and I was terrified. Now I'm terrified with them on, because I feel like I'm trapped inside a TV , or a goldfish bowl. I prefer real life, thanks, even if it is still a bit blurry )

Must go now, but - hurrah - it's snowing teeny weeny flakes out the window and I can see them without my glasses on!!! ;D

love,
Gilly