Blog#38: Qi Gong to Help Correct
Near-sightedness
Below is a modified version of a blog
I wrote several years ago.
A qi gong-like exercise which I call “walking trees” has
been responsible for the correction of my near-sightedness for several
decades. I’ve taught it to many patients
and some friends and family members.
Those who have used this exercise daily, in the prescribed manner, have
often obtained beneficial results.
“Walking trees” also could be considered yoga; it involves specific
movements accompanied by a positively expectant state of mind. I first learned a version of this exercise
through the Edgar Cayce Association.
Edgar Cayce was arguably the most famous and accurate psychic of the
twentieth century. He referred to this
yoga/qi gong as the “head and neck exercises”.
“Walking trees” can be done sitting, standing, or
walking. It is best done walking out of
doors among trees, on somewhat uneven terrain.
The spine should be reasonably straight.
This therapy consists of six sets of movements, each done three
times. First, the head and neck are
flexed forward and then brought back to midline before again flexing
forward. After three of these movements,
the head and neck are extended backward, three times, then flexed laterally to
the right, then to the left, then rotated clockwise and finally rotated
counterclockwise three times each. After
each movement in a set of three, and before each new type of movement, the head
and neck are always returned to midline.
Head and neck move slowly, in a relaxed manner, and to their furthest
possible range without causing significant discomfort. A sensation of tightness is alright, as are
sounds of popping or grinding, without pain.
The “walking trees” exercise might best be attempted seated
first and then standing. When a person
no longer gets dizzy standing while doing this exercise, it is time to begin
walking, first on even ground and then among trees, where roots and stones may
cause the ground to gently swell or sink.
The eyes are kept open, and if glasses or contact lenses are normally
worn, they are removed during this time.
If the person is so near-sighted without glasses that they might be in
danger of walking into branches, protective clear goggles can be worn. Numerous factors make this a particularly
effective exercise. Movement in various
directions while the eyes are open forces the eyes to focus on different
spots. Doing this exercise while walking
challenges every part of the eye, including the lens and the surrounding
muscles. Walking on uneven ground,
outside among trees, carries benefits even further, for now the practitioner is
able to breathe in more oxygen from the surrounding vegetation, and to absorb
other forms of beneficial energy from the out of doors. At the same time, the trees absorb exhaled
carbon dioxide. According to acupuncture
five element theory, the wood element is associated with trees and the liver,
and the eyes are the sensory organ connected with the liver.
This exercise can be used to support treatment of visual
problems with TCM (using acupuncture and herbal therapy). It is best to do “walking trees” every day
for an entire year. Gentle use of
“walking trees” can also aid in the healing of neck and upper back injuries
through the mobilization, stretching and strengthening, and the relaxation
which this exercise allows. For this
purpose, it is usually practiced morning and evening, in a comfortable seated
position. Over several weeks or months,
local blockages in acupuncture channels which traverse the head and face, the
neck, and the upper back can be reduced or eliminated, restoring normal flow of
qi and blood through the tissues. Since
everything is connected, in the body and in the universe at large, this will
ultimately improve a person’s overall health.
This blog was extracted from an article I wrote for the
Oriental Medicine Journal in 2011. You
can reach their website at omjournal.com
You can reach the A.R.E., the organization which organizes and shares Edgar
Cayce’s readings at edgarcayce.org
Share this blog with others who might benefit. This blog’s free offer is the opportunity to
read the entire article on correcting eyesight without glasses. Just contact me at mtngrybr11@sbcglobal.net or (773) 274-6827 to arrange a time to drop by
my office. I will also take a few
minutes to teach you “walking trees” if you have questions about it.