Hello wonderful being,
I am Anisha and thank you for choosing me to be your guide today.
Constant digital stimulation can lead to eye strain and mental fatigue so let's offer ourselves a much-needed respite today.
In this track first we will do the practice together and then I will explain the practice in detail including why it works,
What are the benefits of doing so,
When to use it and when this practice might not be a right fit for you.
If it is possible can you move to an area from where you can see a large portion of the sky for example your terrace,
Your balcony or from road or from anywhere else so if you can move to such an area you can pause this audio to take your time to go to that place and if you can't go to such a place right now then that's okay you can practice it wherever you are and it would still be effective.
Before we begin the practice let's check in with ourselves,
Turn your attention inward and notice how are you feeling right now.
Name the most dominant emotion present inside you.
Now rate the intensity of this emotion on a scale of 0 to 10 where 0 means complete absence of this emotion and 10 means the most intense this emotion can be.
Now that we know exactly where we are let's start the practice together.
Begin by finding a comfortable seated or standing position ensuring that your back is straight and your shoulders are relaxed.
You may close your eyes if that's comfortable for you.
Take a deep breath in through your nose and out through your mouth.
Again inhale through your nose and exhale with your mouth open.
One last breath in through your nose and out through your mouth.
If your eyes were closed you may gently open them and now choose a still and neutral object in your environment to focus on.
This could be something simple like a plant,
A picture or any other object at your eye level.
Choose an object that is not too distracting and is within a comfortable viewing distance that is it is neither too close and nor too far away.
Once you choose an object look at the object noticing its details like its shape,
Color,
Texture.
Keep on noticing the object without straining your eyes.
Again you don't need to stare at the object.
You can allow your eyes to blink as needed but maintain your attention on the object.
Until now you have been naturally focusing at the object.
Now I invite you to try intensely focusing on the same object for few seconds so that we can experience how focusing this way affects you.
So focus on this object as intensely as you can.
As you concentrate notice how your eyes feel as you concentrate on this single point.
Pay attention to how your body reacts.
As you intensely focus do you feel any tension,
Contraction or energy in your body?
Is your breathing shallow or quick?
Take a moment to acknowledge all these sensations that come up for you.
Now begin to gradually soften your gaze by allowing your eyes to relax.
Instead of fixating on the object allow your eyes to relax and let the object become slightly blurry.
Continue to allow the muscles around your eyes to relax.
Notice your vision beginning to expand without concentrating at any single point.
Just as the camera lens shifts focus from an object to the background gradually widen your field of vision to take in the entire room while keeping your head still.
Noticing the colors,
The shapes and the movements around the edges of your vision.
Allow your eyes to rest here for a few moments relaxing with this soft gaze.
Continuing to take deep breaths as you soften your gaze.
Now bring awareness to how your body feels.
Notice if there are any changes in the areas of tension that you noticed before.
Is your breathing slower and deeper rather than shallow and quick?
Perhaps you feel a sense of relaxation or warmth spreading through your body.
Now you may gently close your eyes resting them completely.
Take a deep breath in.
Another breath in.
Now you may gently open your eyes.
If you need to you can blink your eyes a few times and return to your normal vision.
Now as this practice comes to an end take a moment to notice your feelings as your emotional landscape shifted since we began.
Are you still feeling the same emotion that you felt initially?
If yes then notice has the intensity of the emotion changed?
So you can re-rate your emotion on a scale of 0 to 10.
And if you are not feeling the same emotion then can you name the new emotion that has emerged as a result of this practice?
Now to end this practice bring both of your hands to your heart center.
And thank yourself for taking this time to make your nervous system feel safe and calm.
You can silently say thank you to yourself.
Wonderful,
You did amazing.
If your eyes were closed you can gently open them.
Okay now let me explain what we just did.
When our focus narrows especially on a perceived threat our body enters a state of heightened alert triggering the flight or fight response.
However a soft wide gaze sends a signal of safety to your nervous system.
So this shift in focus that we did during the practice help us decrease the cognitive load and the mental clutter making us feel relaxed.
Coming to when to use this practice?
You can use this practice for one to three minutes in one sitting.
And if you found this practice helpful then you can replay this track two to three times a day and practice with me.
I would also highly recommend you to practice this technique for the rest of the week because this way you will develop a habit of regulating your emotions in a healthy manner and it will become easier to use this technique immediately in times of crisis.
Practicing this technique offers more than just eye strain relief.
It can be a powerful tool for breaking a freeze response.
Where you feel immobilized and stares blankly or have a fixed gaze.
It reduces the feeling of being overwhelmed by visual stimuli and also increases creativity.
While this technique is generally safe it's essential to listen to your body.
So if you experience any discomfort such as headache or if you have a history of seizures,
Photosensitivity or psychosis then it's better to explore other regulation techniques.
And if you also have any serious eye condition then you should consult with an eye care professional before incorporating this into your routine.
This will help ensure that the technique is used safely and effectively in your unique situation.
Remember everyone's journey to inner peace is unique.
While this practice offers a powerful pathway it might not be the perfect fit for everyone.
So if this technique didn't worked out for you then don't worry there is a tool out there for you.
So feel free to explore other techniques on my profile to find the right fit for you as I have multiple techniques for you to go through.
Thank you for listening.
You being here means a lot to me and I will see you soon till then take care,
Bye-bye.
