ENTRY #9

• Audience: Since I am imagining writing for a website such as Natural News or Better Eyesight Now, the audience will most likely have an interest in alternative answers to health issues thus implying a higher level of interest in questioning established paradigms. Some of the information presented to the reader could be new but likely they know at least enough to learn something from the article. This audience also tends to value scientific thinking along with the creative pushing of boundaries.
• Genre: I've had trouble finding a specific article that reflects the genre I'm going for and I think that is because it's a rare genre of writing that aims to cohesively say a lot with few words. I would say it's an expository and persuasive hybrid because it will not assume the reader's bias, but it will offer challenges to a certain viewpoint but only to explain reasons, not necessarily convince the reader that they are proven outright. I will mostly be about my experience and explanation of the Bates Method, which will offer quick solutions to errors of refraction and present specific ways of integrating the Bates Method into everyday life.
• Purpose: My purpose is to help provide a single article that creates a clear, integrated picture of the Bates Method so the reader understands how and why to make the method habitual. I want to write the explanation down because it is my sworn duty as a person who practices the Bates Method to encourage people to use their eyes naturally so they don't get worn out with age and eventually stop working. I also learned much clearer ways of explaining why it works through this project.
• Growth: What I want to learn through writing this paper is how to present a diversified and large amount of information clearly with integrity. Some of my writing habits need a bit of mindful tending to as well. The beginnings of my sentences are sometimes indistinguishable from one another so I am going to experiment with different ways of beginning sentences... and maybe ending them too. I think that will help to distract from the technicality of the information. 

ENTRY #8 2 audiences into one genre

http://higherperspective.com/2014/10/quit-smoking.html?utm_source=MAM


Purpose:  To influence changes in perception and consequently behavior through informing the reader. The information seems to be inspirational.

Content:  Lists changes in the human body following the decision to stop smoking.

Sources: American Cancer Society, reputable and well-known.

Style:  Casual, and straightforward. Short sentences with emotional appeal

Language:  Informal but without slang.  For the laity.

The purpose seems to be very typical of articles like these.  A short, inspiring paragraph followed by source information supporting the inspiration.  The way the purpose, content, language and style interact creates a less intimidating approach to perceptive changes or the learning of this new information.  I feel, as a member of what I am assuming is part of the target audience of this article, that the information presented is easy to understand and seems realistic.  The information is presented in chronological order so it was nice to be able to see the progression of quitting smoking laid out clearly that way.  Very casual read but not exactly the length I would go for in my research writing  The feeling of ease and clarity I want to preserve in my writing, but with a more rigorous approach to the information presented. This presents what and not how, I would like to present how like the Bates article here does.


"The Radical Cure of Errors of Refraction" Through Central Fixation Dr. W.H. Bates, M.D. 1915

Purpose:  To scientifically challenge established assumptions about errors of refraction and how they are produced and treated.

Content:  Dr. Bates describes his experience of his experiments.  Fact-based.

Sources:  Primary, observed source of information from the author's experiments

Style:  Scientific, slightly formalized, lengthy.  Not a casual read.

Language: Formal, dry and full of jargon.  Clear and thorough descriptions of the experiments.

This article is geared towards people who read medical journals. It's safe to assume that they're well-educated, probably do not need to use the dictionary to read this article and lived in 1915.  The content is stated in simple fact and presented as a typical journal entry is but formatted to fit a scientific journal.  This is a good primary source for fact-based research and information on the alternative treatment of errors of refraction.

The article I write should meet somewhere in the middle of these two articles.  I want the content to be personal, scientific, thorough but concise and easy to understand. Along with challenging views and informing the reader, I want to provide a sort of schematic way of looking at vision improvement.  This is something that I have yet to find in a short article that is easy to understand, so I'm gonna write it.

Bibliography

Bibliography

- http://www.allaboutvision.com/resources/anatomy.htm

- http://www.dcavm.org/12junenotes.pdf

- http://www.aoa.org/optometrists/education-and-training/clinical-care/vision-a-collaboration-of-eyes-and-brain?sso=y

- http://www.tedmontgomery.com/the_eye/indexeom.html

- Fractal Minds and the Sacred Cosmology, presentation by Wai H. Tsang

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eye_movement

- Ophthalmology Secrets in Color 3rd ed. - J. Vander, et. al., (Mosby, 2007) BBS, Elsevier Inc

- The Cure of Imperfect Sight By Treatment Without Glasses, WIlliam H. Bates, Central Fixation Publishing 1920

- The Secrets of Regaining Your Vision, Greg Marsh 6 CD set

- Various pages from http://www.seeing.org/ for testimonials

- The Significance of Sturm's Interval in Refraction, Avery Deh Prangen, M.D. Trans Am Ophthalmological Soc. 1940; 38: 242–258.

- "How the Brain Controls What The Eyes See" http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071120195651.htm

- Esther van der Werf from "Visions of Joy" website

- Eye Nutrition

http://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/nutrition-world-3/foods-eye-health

This list will be more specific as the article comes to completion.

ENTRY #7

To answer this question, my audience must be clarified.  I mainly want to appeal to the laity or average person reading a Natural Health magazine or article on a website related to holistic living or "life hacks".  Something that explains what the method is, how the method works, how somebody can integrate it into their life, and other important and related information to know, such as nutritional aspects and emotional aspects.  I want to do this through the use of many different aspects of the Bates Method, from personal testimonials to scientific theory.  The information should have variety because I find too often that the explanations for a life-changing practice like the Bates Method do not include many aspects of the method.  The article will most likely be over 3 pages and hopefully under 6 depending on how pithy, concise, and organized I am about writing it. This reminds me of an outline...

A.  Introduction to the Bates Method
    1. Origins
    2, Bates' Model
    3. Studies
B.  Bates Method
    1. Palming
    2. Swinging
    3. Shifting
    4. Centralization
C.  Science
    1.  Eyeball structure
    2.  Seeing and the brain
    3.  Nutrition for the eyes
D.  Integration
    1. Practicing the Bates Method for life
    2. Levels of skill
    3. "perfect vision"
E.  Conclusion

"There is a prevalent impression in the public mind that when any difficulty in seeing becomes apparent, there is no other help available but wearing of artificial lenses. This vague consciousness might be spoken of as a belief. But it is not a belief that is founded on any knowledge of the subject. The public mind knows very little of the factors or the mechanism of vision; it asks no questions, and it does not even consider the plain facts which are generally known. Just a little consideration of the many simple, established, obvious aspects of this most vital question arouses an astonishing reaction to a situation which is of national importance."

-Esther van der Werf  from "Visions of Joy" another source of info for my research.

She addresses the prevalent attitude towards poor vision very well.  She also addresses the damage our capitalist economy has on the cure of imperfect vision by stating:

"Whatever may be the belief of those who have glasses to sell; or whatever may be the individual attitude toward the question of wearing or not wearing spectacles, there still remains a problem which has a most vital public interest. Those who are concerned in the future of the United States will do well to analyze the situation. Every thoughtful American should consider the promise there is in this avowed purpose to make every citizen of his country helpless without a pair of artificial lenses on his face. It is certain that the longer glasses are worn the more helpless the wearer becomes if he is obliged to see without them. The vast number who are already in that condition is not so serious a
question as is the fact that in recent years this number has been increasing at a rate which multiplies itself each year. The strange and ironical and dangerous aspect of this subject which has a tremendous national interest, is that if  and when the eye is taught to be itself, the salvation of the eye will involve an interference with the merciless greed of commercialism."

One cannot deny the various forms of damage done to this entire planet through the greed of green paper and ultimately power.  One thing I avoid at all costs is the relinquishing of my life's vision in exchange for paper.  I understand that some people just need to use their glasses because their job requires clear vision and I cannot expect people to begin living without making money but even when I was driving at night after ditching my glasses,  I would only use them if I felt extremely uncomfortable.  All my effort was put towards the calming of my nervous system rather than trying to see because the more I relaxed, the more clear my vision became.  Some, including myself would call me crazy for going 3 months without using glasses. I was practically blind but it was that blindness that forced me to relax.  Nothing else mattered because I couldn't see anyway! I found myself being so grateful that I could ditch my glasses for good and tend to my eyes because my priority is my health... not money.  Once I began noticing results and being able to read most of what was on the chalk board at school... yes they still have chalk boards at my school... I realized that my efforts were bringing results!

Within 5 months my vision was back to functionality and I could be comfortable with the decision never to rely on my glasses again.  At first it was difficult to accept that what I was doing to myself was for the best.  Nowadays, relaxation comes naturally to me and I hardly have any problems with my vision.  Soon I will make the higher degrees of visual acuity a habit, which is the main idea.  Once you figure out what improves your vision at all, do it over and over and over until seeing poorly is automatically recognized and fixed by the mind.  I theorize that the decision to look at something begins a subconscious mental process that can be refined and quickened.  William Bates said it can be as quick as thinking differently.  I believe that people with perfect vision have refined that mental process so well and never lost it because they never got in the way of the natural process of seeing.

Interesting that the Bates Method was founded in America but seems only to have prevalence in Europe.  Way to go America... enjoying that fluoride in your water too?

http://www.visionsofjoy.org/ another great website and source of info.

ENTRY #6 Source List

Sources:
- Ophthalmology Secrets in Color 3rd ed. - J. Vander, et. al., (Mosby, 2007) BBS, Elsevier Inc
- The Cure of Imperfect Sight By Treatment Without Glasses,  WIlliam H. Bates, Central Fixation        Publishing 1920
- The Secrets of Regaining Your Vision, Greg Marsh 6 CD set
- Various pages from http://www.seeing.org/ for testimonials
- The Significance of Sturm's Interval in Refraction, Avery Deh Prangen, M.D.  Trans Am                         Ophthalmological Soc. 1940; 38: 242–258.
- "How the Brain Controls What The Eyes See"   http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071120195651.htm
- Esther van der Werf  from "Visions of Joy" website
- Eye Nutrition
   http://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/nutrition-world-3/foods-eye-health
- http://wholegrainscouncil.org/files/ValleySelectGABA.pdf, Nutritional properties of sprouted brown rice

 

Rhys Gerwin

Research Writing

Mid Term Self-Evaluation

My strength in this whole project seems to be my confidence with what I am writing about. Since I have personal experience with part of what I am researching, it comes very naturally to me to talk and write about it. I have also come up with a lot of speculation and conjecture, mainly in Dr. Bates' language, to explain to myself what is actually happening between me and the Bates Method for Natural Eyesight Improvement. What I think I need to work more on is gathering the crucial information for the main point that I want to make, which is that the Bates Method could potentially improve the reader's quality of living as it has done for so many others.

What I was originally attempting to address was not only a question of physiology, but also neurology, psychology, biology and many other areas of study that I will not understand on such short notice. I decided that I want my focus to be testimonial based research. People's personal account and explanation of the Bates Method, which may not be scientific, but it is still a reality to some people. I still want to use some scientific research to explain in low detail some of the theory behind the Bates Method but I want to make it clear that it's not meant to be a scientific research paper.

This brings up another point, since I have chosen an audience of the laity, I want to keep the language simple, understandable and still interesting. A lot of scientific writing can get boring and dry. I want to inspire people to take control of their visual habits, not tell them what Sturm's conoid is. I'm not quite sure how I am doing at that.

These are some thoughts I wrote about my own experience with the Bates Method.  I named it the following:

Practicing The Integrative Integrity of Eyesight from Nearsightedness

Font is intended to be small because more relaxation is required to read it

During my practice of self-taught and self-performed vision therapy, I often thought of ways I could passively utilize the methods of good eyesight by integrating them into my everyday thought patterns. I realized that many of the identified methods of eyesight improvement are simply the habits of people with good eyesight. “The eye must travel to see” is a reference to bit of graffiti I saw on the side of a clothes store in Seattle as I walked past. Nothing spoke more truth to me in that moment. Another realization had hit me; learning to move efficiently and easily is of the utmost importance when improving one's eyesight without corrective lenses. This is a personal exploration and documentation of the Bates Method eyesight improvement learning process.

Eyesight is a learned skill. Babies do not come into this world with perfect vision, they develop it. When reading “Evolve Your Brain: The Science of Changing Your Mind”, I realized the importance of being unconsciously skilled when practicing the Bates Method, which is the fourth level of the learning process. One is at first unconsciously unskilled, discovers the possibility of learning a new skill becoming consciously unskilled, practices the methods of the skill becoming consciously skilled and finally refines them resulting in unconscious skill. This applies more to natural vision improvement from an older age. The four core principles of vision improvement are Relaxation, Centralization, Blinking and Movement. This procedure is the crux of the unconscious skill of clear, lifelong eyesight.

Swinging is one of the most efficient methods to integrate into everyday movement. Swinging can be performed in many mundane settings and situations on many different levels. For example, a simple and subtle moving of the head is actually a very vivid experience of movement for the eye and mind with good sight. In order to practice this method efficiently, the conscious, decision making mind must be disciplined. A high quality of attention is of the utmost importance. The object should be thought of as a thing to explore regardless of the clarity. This mindset is essential to humbling the conscious mind to the translation of the fundamental and most subtle vibrations of reality. I am referring to our perception of what we call atoms.

When performing a swing for the nearsighted, pick the smallest point close up that your attention can handle without strain. Once focused upon enough to see (absolute clarity and definite centralization comes with time if it is not currently present), gently move the body while applying the core principles. The movement of the attention should be limited to a very specific area and not just one point to stare at. Tiny shifts in small areas are crucial for centralization. Once swinging and focused, notice the peripherals moving against the focused object. This alone should be a relaxing experience, eventually becoming habitual and personally very enjoyable.

Walking, running, dancing, and even just a shift of the eye will create a visual effect of movement. There are few movements the body makes that will not create this effect. One may ask, well if it's so simple like that then why don't some people who walk down the street or move at all have good vision? My answer to that question would be in the form of another question. What are they thinking about when walking down the street and are they being mindful of what they're seeing or not seeing? From childhood, we are inundated with all kinds of mental banter that frankly is useless a lot of the time. Insecurities, sick fantasies, dark ruminations, and plain old negative thought are all a strain of the mind. These thought processes can be destructive and since the mind and brain are designed to process our attention, the results can vary from face muscle strain, hunching, hunkering, squinting and much more. Try to let your entire body melt onto an invisible axis.

Shifting is crucial when centralizing. When a small point is regarded, the eye is never fixed completely and stagnantly on that point. It is performing many tiny shifts in quarters of seconds. The practice of shifting is related to the practice of swinging because the fine movements of centralization work in tandem with the gross movements of swinging. Shifting can be practiced in stillness of the body and with movements of the eyes. If one sees a fly in the room, they may be inclined to observe the flight patterns or movements. It is encouraged that they do with a sense of ease and discovery. The more smoothly and clearly the movements can be seen, the more acute the vision will become. Not only is the constant movement necessary to see anything at all, the imagination plays a crucial role in perceiving color. Bates often wrote about perfect imagination being related to what people call perfect vision. He used a black period as an example of something to remember when improving upon tiny shifts. This helps quiet the mind and get the eyes fixed on what they see within the mind, which is where most of the visual integrity comes from. To practice remembering a black period, simply look at one in a book, article or anywhere there is one and see it perfectly round (or square in some cases) and black. The nearness should be at a comfortable place and the memory should be focused on each visual change. The most important but difficult to understand principle that I had to familiarize myself with was not trying to see. Weakness has nothing to do with poor vision in terms of muscular activity. Quite the opposite actually. The only thing that should be strengthened is our quality of attention. The stronger this becomes the less distracted the mind will be from seeing things for what they are in the collective consciousness.

Reading and working at the near point can be a strain for anybody, even for those with good eyesight. In order to relieve this strain, central fixation must be utilized to its fullest potential. Ask yourself when beginning a sentence, do you see the first letter or word perfectly clear and better than all of the others? If not, look steadily at the word or letter and allow your attention to be immersed in it. You may notice changes in how you see it but remain focused and calm. Once seen clearly, read the sentence and interpret it. The perception of this process after much practice will practically disappear and reading will actually be more relaxing, as it was meant to be.

Walking has proven to be the most relaxing activity for my vision. I would often go on walks specifically to watch the world pass by. When walking by a tree, building, sign or anything else that catches the attention, I keep my attention with interest, shift, blink, and let go of the inevitable movement of that object. The 3D experience of movement is one of the most relaxing occurrences in my mind. Often, I would look as straight forward and far as possible with good posture and experience the “zooming in” of objects as well. Not only did this direct my attention towards the subtle processes of the mind, it quieted any internal monologue or dialogue that was occurring – useful or not. Anxiety, depression, anger, frustration, impatience and many more distracting emotions can be quieted with focus of attention and centralization. Think of how much moving is done throughout the day and apply good eyesight habits to that.

Practicing music was one of my deeply seeded habits of bodily, and mental strain. I recall a moment after practicing guitar. After playing whatever I was playing – most likely a rambling of notes and rhythms that had nothing to do with my inner ear – I looked through my glasses and realized my blurred vision. Of all experiences that frightened me most, this was the most substantial. To think that the way I practiced my life's ambition was detrimental to my health was the determining factor in my decision to break my relationship with my glasses completely. In order to make practice more relaxing and less stressful, I constantly posed myself properly - not leaning into the guitar, not staring at the fretboard until my eyes glazed over, and breathing regularly. These are just a few examples of behavior that needed attention that apparently affected my vision negatively. If I felt I had to look at the fretboard, I would follow the smooth movement of my fingers along whatever musical idea I wanted to practice. Now I keep my eyes away in the distance as I play musical ideas as this is more practical in performing situations anyway.

Looking through this Ophthalmology Secrets in Color e-book I found is highly informative.  Secret number 5 states that "The goal of refractive correction is to place the circle of least confusion into the retina."  I ask myself what the circle of least confusion is.  After reading the technical explanation, which is: "The circle of least confusion is the circular cross-section of Sturm’s conoid, dioptrically midway between the two focal lines."  Okay, so what's Sturm's conoid? Come to find out that it is simply a name for the midpoint of the vertical and horizontal focal planes in an astigmatic system.  So when light passes through an astigmatic lens, which is essentially distorted in shape so that the vertical and horizontal focal distances are different, it theoretically behaves similar to the way described by Sturm's conoid.  Instead of a clear image being produced, the source of light  is perceived through many distorted images where one is closer to clarity than the others.  The source closest to clarity is where the circle of least confusion resides.  The diagram according to Avery Deh Prangen, M.D. is not the best visual for understanding the various problems that arise from astigmatism.

Since my prescription was for astigmatism, I found it useful to know what it really is.  Simply put, it is a kind of wrinkle in the lens of the eyeball according to Greg Marsh, a natural vision coach and chemical engineer college graduate.  The extraocular muscles of the eyeballs become so asymmetrically constricted that the cornea distorts as well producing astigmatism.  Dr. Bates was very curious about voluntary errors of refraction and was able to turn hyperopes into myopes.  In other words, people who were farsighted could voluntarily become nearsighted through the instruction of Dr. Bates.  He found that many of his patient's errors of refraction would change throughout the day - sometimes their vision was good or decent and sometimes poor or practically dysfunctional.  He spent much of his time during his practice studying the effect that the mind has on the eye.

While understanding the mechanics of astigmatism can be interesting and helpful, much of the information is superfluous when it comes to the Bates Method.  It's almost like trying to make music from a purely theoretical standpoint.  It may sound organized and well-thought out but the emotional effect it has on people is likely to be weak.  The Bates Method must be experienced and practiced. No amount of complex thought is going to give you any more power over your eyesight.  If anything, complex thoughts are likely to produce strain, which tends to cause errors of refraction.  Another reason why I feel as if testimonial research is more practical for this particular project.  I cannot become an ophthalmology expert on such short notice.  Testimonial research will present a more human approach to improving eyesight.  It will consist of people's explanations of how they thought about the Bates Method and what emotions, which is important, they experienced as well.  Try to convince me that you're emotionally content when you cannot see well... I doubt you will.  Emotions as we all know can and often very easily cause strain.  The good news is that they can undo it as well.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1315872/?page=1