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Post by Maria on Jan 27, 2006 15:48:35 GMT 1
HaHaHa... I have a pair of those 90's glasses too! They were cool back then Maria
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Post by suzanne on Jan 29, 2006 3:10:09 GMT 1
Hello again!
I am really enjoying the developments on this thread! We're getting some intriguing input, although no definitive answers. I am doing my own research into it though, and have found a mention of the hearing-seeing connection on the Bates method forum, too. They couldn't explain it either!
However, I am convinced there is a connection. My son (now 15) started getting congestive ear problems from the age of 6, and by 10 he was also quite short-sighted. I now believe he didn't want to witness the disintegration of his parents' marriage (we got divorced last year). As a born scientist, his explanation for hearing better with glasses on is that "the arms of the glasses resonate with sound and transmit the waves to the bones behind the ears, thus augmenting the sound entering the ear canal". He can't personally relate to such a link, but he now wears contact lenses so I suppose this supports his scientific theory about how glasses transmit sound.
My ex-husband doesn't find his hearing changes when he puts on his glasses, but then he wears them all the time he's awake! However, he once told me his dreams were more vivid and memorable when he accidentally fell asleep in his glasses. He doesn't think he suffers from diminished hearing (although I don't agree!) but he does admit to a very poor sense of smell (which glasses don't help, unfortunately). He's open to believing that other people experience connections, and his explanation is that the putting on of glasses is the "mental key" to opening up communication with the outside world (another scientist, although the spiritual type).
In the course of my investigation, I found a reference to some recent scientific research into dyslexia which found that dyslexics have a missing link between hearing and vision, which means they can't relate images and sounds. My husband and son, both being partially dyslexic are proof of this, because both became avid, self-taught readers, but neither can spell or read music! Interestingly, the Davis dyslexia programme (The Gift of Dyslexia) discourages the teaching of phonetic spelling to dyslexics - in fact, I wasted years trying to teach it to my son. Anyway, the point I am making here is that neuroscience now has proof that the senses are connected.
It interests me that some people say they hear better or feel more organised with their glasses on whilst some say their other senses are sharpened when they take their glasses off. It is common knowledge that blind people can fine tune their hearing and their other senses to make up for vision loss. Braille is a means of seeing through touch, although apparently not all blind people learn this skill.
As I said, I'm not getting definitive answers, but intuitively I feel there have to be connections between the senses. Take the chakras, for instance - we surely wouldn't claim that they were unconnected to one another, because if one is out of balance then surely this affects the functioning of one or more of the others? And at a physical level, if one of the vital organs packs up it's only a matter of time before the others follow suit. So, taking a wholistic view, everything is connected.
Whilst trying to keep myself open to all possible explanations, I admit I am hoping to uncover some deeply spiritual, unscientific, esoteric answer to this issue. For the time being I feel we must accept as true what someone says is true for them, even if we don't experience it ourselves or if we experience the opposite.
Has anyone else anything to add?
Love, laughter and best wishes, Suzanne
PS I also use a pair of frames dating back to 1992 - big, round circles which I am ashamed to be seen in, but the modern, narrow frames make me look older and mean, I think! However, I agree that all glasses are alien and it is a relief to remove them. I have decided to give myself two months to work on the diabetes before I go back to the clinic for an eye check. As I said before, I either sink, float or swim and I really want to swim, to it's all up to me! S.
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Post by Maria on Jan 29, 2006 15:09:38 GMT 1
Hi Suzanne, Very interesting post. It makes total sense to me that the senses are all connected. I think that most humans pretty much ignore them though, in favor of using their logical mind to interpret the world. I was watching my cat this morning, as he was preparing to pounce on his unsuspecting brother. He uses every single one of his senses - and quite expertly too (his poor brother got clobbered My first reiki teacher was talking about developing intuition, and he believes that all the senses are inter-related. Even intuition which is, after all, the sixth sense. He had me do a series of meditation exercises where each week I would concentrate on one sense. The object was to experience my surroundings from the point of view of hearing, or touch, etc. It was a very interesting and enlightening project and I learned a lot. In fact, I think I might just do it again soon Peace, Maria
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gilly
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Post by gilly on Jan 30, 2006 11:52:03 GMT 1
Here's more for the sense-relation theory. I've had a semi-blocked right sinus for so long that I forgot what it was like to have it clear (incidentally, my right eye is the more short-sighted, my headaches are all right-side, and I had previously put all this down to my wisdom teeth coming in). I noticed that my sense of smell started to disappear (about 5 years ago), and this was when my eyes started getting worse after several years of stability. At the time I put it down to too much computer work (for my eyes), but of course I was just stressed out (finishing my phD and work overload and emotional crisis all at the same time). My smell has come back, but it's something I've been consciously re-activating because not smelling things actually distressed me far more than my failing eyesight did. Obviously I never saw the connection between the two, except that I felt generally muffled & full of cotton wool. Anyway, this past week my sinus has unblocked (I have unblocked it??), and not only do I breathe more easily, but the tension I had behind my R eye (just above tear duct) has also gone, and I'm really aware of being able to focus my eyes more clearly and my headaches are less intense and last for shorter periods. I have also found my sense of smell becoming more acute since I started the programme. I'm quite sure the senses are all linked, if not directly (i.e. cause-effect). Something to do with tuning-in to ourselves and our environment, instead of blocking things out, maybe? love to all Gilly oh- just as an update: yesterday I found I could read the captions on TV for the first time since I can't remember when (only as flashes, mind, but long enough to read). Hurrah! And today I did the car-registration-plate thing (for flashes of clarity) which I hadn't managed to do since last summer. The difference being that today is dull and rainy and yucky January, and last time was bright and sunny and clear July. That means measurable improvement!
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Post by Maria on Jan 30, 2006 14:36:12 GMT 1
Awesome progress Gilly!
Rock on!
Maria
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gilly
Junior Member
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Post by gilly on Jan 30, 2006 14:58:35 GMT 1
Should've mentioned that this kind of eye chart www.usd.edu/coglab/ images/acuity.GIF is very useful if you work at the computer a lot. I have one that's similar (it reads 'cortical magnification increases acuity' in clockwise spiral) but I couldn't find the page... It's pinned on the wall behind my workstation. I try to take regular breaks and try (VERY HARD) to see the smallest letters. Some days I see them and some days I don't (quite), but it lets you know when you need to take a break. BTW, optician approves of this tactic, esp. in absence of a window to gaze out of (which is apparently optimal) also have a chart with phonetic symbols, but that's really only for wierd linguists,,and even I don't know how to pronounce them all yet ... lots of love Gilly
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Post by suzanne on Jan 30, 2006 15:23:14 GMT 1
Dear Everyone Following This Thread,
I hope Queen agrees that these replies are fantastic! It was well worth thrashing this topic out, and it may not be over yet...
I thought your Reiki master's practice, Maria, was 'inspirational'. At first it reminded me of my brother as a teenager, many years ago, stumbling around the house blindfolded. He wanted to be an actor and he was practising being blind. I don't know exactly what he learned from the exercise but he went on to become a musician, even though he was expected to become an artist!
Then I noticed that you describe the practice as 'enlightening' - a word with both physical and spiritual connotations. This, to me, is a prime example of how a physical practice can produce a spiritual response, and a reminder that our physical, earthly work is also our spiritual 'path' because the two realms are never separate.
Today I read your post, Gilly, and was amazed at how much I could identify with your symptoms. I too have an array of annoying symptoms which always occur on the right side of my face and head, and which I have always believed to be physical 'blockages'. However, I have not had any lasting effects from physical attempts to remove them, so it it very encouraging to know that you are successfully using 'spiritual' energy to release these physical symptoms. Here we have a prime example of how a spiritual practice can produce a physical response because, of course, our spiritual work is also our physical, earthly 'path'!
So, Queen, what can we learn from all this and what has it to do with the senses and how they connect? Well, the message I am getting is LOUD and CLEAR . The senses are connected to each other in that we can identify imbalances in two or more of them simultaneously, and the fact that we have several senses makes it easy for us to spot imbalances. (Incidentally, Rudolf Steiner identified 12 senses but other mystics have identified as many as 21 - not all physical ones, of course.) A blockage somewhere, in a tear duct or sinus, for instance, can affect more than one of the senses. I have come to look upon them as windows into a room; the obscuring of one is bound to have an effect on what passes in and out of the others. Gilly sees them as a means to tune into ourselves and our environment, and I support that analogy too. Either way, there is scope for us to create imbalances.
We cannot dismiss as mere quirkiness observations such as, that the wearing of glasses aids the hearing or, as in my case ( as a child) that pinching the nose takes the edge off the nasty taste of certain foods! A close relative of mine was once laughed at by his doctor because he often got the distressing feeling that his arm was detached from his body - he went on to develop epilepsy. This is a man who has no sense of smell.
I watched an old comedy film recently in which a young soldier went to the M.O. because he had a funny feeling in his kneecap which he described as "floating". The impatient doctor's response was, "Let me know when it's SINKING!!!!!!" At the time I couldn't stop laughing at this scene, and I still do find it funny but in another way - so many of us dismiss our symptoms as just minor annoyances and it's true that many symptoms just disappear by themselves. But I wonder how many of these symptoms get replaced by different ones that don't go away without work - how many of us wait until we are apparently 'sinking'?
I'm not advocating hypochondria! That would be a disease in itself, but it is surely the recurring or chronic symptoms we need to address, minor or major, physical or mental, ranging from impaired hearing when not wearing glasses to chronic coughing and worse.
Oh monkeys, I am getting soooo serious now and this is starting to make me giggle and I could do with a good, healing laugh (at myself, of course, although I am more than happy to share!). Just in case you were wondering, I AM a Gemini!
If you see someone without a smile, give them one of yours. Love, laughter and healing,
Suzanne
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Post by queen8 on Jan 31, 2006 10:04:57 GMT 1
Suzanne hopes I like the replies (probably because I started this thread), and , yes, I like interaction! Sometimes it's so nice just to see how things evolve and experience that I can just watch and relax and enjoy the results... Thank you, all of you, for being there! As for the senses, I agree that shutting them off probably is to concentrate on inner issues (withdrawing). Gilly put it nicely, I think " tuning-in to ourselves and our environment, instead of blocking things out", that's a constant challenge! I'm just waiting to see how this relates to my own life, and I'll write more when I find out!
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gilly
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Post by gilly on Jan 31, 2006 17:21:47 GMT 1
Suzanne, I have a confession to make - my sinus cleared because I kept poking at my cheekbone (from outside, obviously!) until I could let some air through (and it was a bit tender for a few days afterwards too...) But I've kept it clear since, with no outside interference, just thinking very hard to make sure it doesn't block again. Can we count that as "aided-spiritual" do you think?? (Don't know what Martin would say about that. Let's hope he doesn't notice. - That's my rejecting authority coming through again, by the way... ) love, Gilly
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Post by queen8 on Feb 28, 2006 22:27:42 GMT 1
My intensive month is almost completed, and I've discovered more what I want! I've made a question now about work, but whether they'll answer yes or no, I'm now more sure of my own will. And what I then feel, is a much larger degree of tranquillity or serenity. I think this has to do with the fact that I'm discovering my will and wants, not because the will creates tranquillity, but rather because a missing component has reappeared, thus creating more balance!
My inner picture is about sudden change, going from darkness to light. I now have two or three days left and I wonder how it can happen! ANyways, I've done really great at sticking to my exercise program for this month, and I've seen that it works, slowly but steadily!
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Post by autumn on Mar 1, 2006 2:41:10 GMT 1
Hi all,
What an interesting discussion! I had read some years ago, that there are a small percentage of individuals who actually see / experience colours in their mind, when they hear different sounds. It's like there is a cross-referencing in their brain, relating colours & sounds. Or the visual cortex of the brain is stimulated when they hear sounds...(?)
And, I think on another level, it could have something to do with vibration... everthing has a vibration.... colours, sound, objects, people. So maybe some people are blocked to a certain vibration, and this may become interpreted within the body & senses in different ways.
Also, on a slightly different tangent, haven't scientists used sound in experiments.... to make patterns with sand by using different sounds. The sand would arrange itself into a pattern in response to the vibration. And I had also heard of a book /website which, discusses a similar thing with water... Masaru Emoto (author), photographs water crystals, which gain their pattern from the observer's thoughts. Positive thoughts/words would produce beautiful patterns, and negative words would produce discordant patterns. Very interesting.
Does anyone here experience colours when they hear sounds, or hear sounds when they see colours.... would love to hear from you! It's so fascinating!
Autumn
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gilly
Junior Member
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Post by gilly on Mar 1, 2006 13:10:12 GMT 1
I have a colleague who is colour-letter synaesthetic - he automatically associates numbvers with colours, so memorises things like phone numbers by colour sequence. There's quite a lot of work been done on that, inlcuding a special issue of the online journal PSYCHE (in 96 or 97 I think - I used some of this stuff for a study) But it's funny you should raise the question, because yesterday, after my eye exercises, I got a yellow feeling all over my eye area and cheekbones. Not that I've ever had a yellow feeling before, mind you, but there it was, all soft and warm and glowing, and it lasted for a couple of hours after the exercises, so it wasn't just the heat from my hands. I'm not sure what any other other colours will feel like, but I'll keep you posted if I experience any. love , Gilly P.S. Queen, you're doing great - I really admire you
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Post by Andrew on May 25, 2006 0:14:36 GMT 1
Regarding Hearing and Vision or rather *listening* and vision i think this is a big one in myopia. Martin seems to be saying in this thread that perhaps when we dont hear it could be that our mind is creating an excuse not to hear? It seems to me that in vision problems there is massive resistance to seeing things clearly. Instead we want to see things from our own point of view. For example we want to have more perfect parents and get annoyed with them that they say and do things we dont like. On the other hand at the same time deep down we know that we love them but we find that hard to admit so that love flows more naturally. Instead we can be resentful. In the bigger picture we know we love them, meanwhile we focus on the details. Its the myopic way! So when we listen what do we hear? Our own chattering mind or what another person is communicating to us? When a person wants to guide us or advise us - even if we never asked for such guidance - it still remains an expression of their love for us. They want to help us. What do we hear? Love? Probably not. Does a parent have the authority to guide us? I think so. And do they have to do that perfectly? Or can they do it in their own style free from interference guided by what they think is best for us? Its a tricky area of course. But certain words keep coming to the surface when you look in detail at the myopic problem. Authority, Power, Control, Love insecurity and so forth. And in my own personal view myopia can be described as a process. And the Chapter of Martins book that is on this site of 'Vision as a Metaphor' accurately describes many aspects of this process. When something is a process it can by definition be seen in a step wise manner having beginning and end so that the parts can be assembled to a whole. Be it car assembly or the development of myopia. As myopes we tend to struggle with our identity a bit and can feel insecure about what is right and real for us. We might know that we are living a role but d**n it! its going to be our role! But in reality the myopic process means that we are somewhat predictable in our behaviour. Others tend to see our predictable behaviour, be it our negativity or complaining or lack of enthusiasm for being a team member or our need to be in control and so forth. And instead of us seeing that there is truth to what is being said about us we tend to refuse to listen and see everything as a criticism when really we are getting some good advise as often as not. From our parents view point we were hard work sometimes. From our viewpoint *our* parents were hard on *us*. Why could they not be nicer to us? And why was it that *we* never listened to *them* they might say? Predictably our behaviour results in us not learning what we need to change and do in order that we can see things as they are instead of the way we want them to be. What to do? Well we could begin by listening. My parents have both now died. And now i see our relationships differently. And it is common that as a person gets older their vision often improves towards less myopic. It seems a fact that the myopic way is related to an earlier stage of development rather than a truely adult way of seeing. Perhaps one day there will be an easier way to reach a myope via some process or set of tools? Andrew
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Post by Spirit Girl on May 25, 2006 17:31:12 GMT 1
Actually I know people with normal vision, who have one or more of these traits eg fearful, insecure, predictable behaviour, negative, opinionated, narrow minded!! Or is it the combination of these traits that make up the myopic personality I wonder? The one thing that I have observed in people with normal vision is their strong sense of self or "I" (eye). They also do not question their goodness for being or feeling in certain ways.
In my own life I have let others decide for me what labels to put on me. On other words I have let them decide if I am good or not, right or wrong, correct or incorrect. I have always questioned my goodness in relation to my parents. I thought that I don't miss them or don't really love/like them and I am a monster and bad daughter because of this - I thought that everybody loves their parents no matter what! Basically I was ashamed of me being/feeling this way. I did not feel this way in my pre-myopic days.
So I have decided to just accept myself and my points of view. I guess I thought that my point of view was wrong and others point of view was right in so many different areas of life. Now I think my point of view is just as valid as anothers and I do not have to be or feel the way that others do. So basically there is nothing wrong with me being me or feeling the way i feel towards anybody or anything even if the whole world says it is wrong. I guess previously I wanted other people's love and approval to prop up my sense of self. So maybe self acceptance is the key, no blame, or judgment against self, no criticism, no comparing me to others, treating myself preciously :-))
Spirit Girl
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Post by Martin Brofman on May 28, 2006 9:35:04 GMT 1
Right.
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