Sunlight

Sunlight is one of the best light sources for eye relaxation. Most people are scared to look at it because it will supposedly permanently damage the eye. Well, that is up for debate. But, since most people won't even consider the idea, I have come up with a way to still achieve a great deal of relaxation from the sun, without looking at it. I, personally, have achieved the most relaxation from this method than any others. (Dr. Bates has written about sun treatment but it was ommitted from the online version of the book)

There are a couple of different ways to do it. Both involve looking towards the sun with the eyes closed. For people with extremely bad eyesight, this cannot be done without much discomfort. So, I like to hold my hands in front of my face to shield the light from coming in. Then, I open my fingers slowly, gradually letting the light in. Only open them as far as you can comfortably go. To make sure that the sun is shining directly on the eyelids, it may be necessary to open your eyes for a split second. It is important that the suns rays are shining directly on your eyelids. I like to lay out on the grass and relax while doing this. First, I look at something easy to remember, such as the siding of the house, and then, after I have relaxed for a few minutes or more (the more the better) I look back at the siding to ascertain my progress. I love that part. I am continually amazed at what I can see when I am done. And continually disappointed when I have to stop due to kids, clouds, or sunburn.

Another thing I have tried recently, is closing my eyes really tight and holding it as long as I can. This somehow relaxes my eyes and at first they go all bright inside, and then they go dark with a red glow slowly shining in. I slowly relax and let the light in. If I tilt my head back so that my pupils are in position near my lashes, I seem to be able to endure the light better, and can relax.

When your eyes are tense, when looking at light with your eyes closed, it appears shadowy. The more you relax, the brighter the light and less shadows. My sister says that when looking at the sun (with the eyes closed) it should appear white. I have only ever seen a bright orange color, so I'm assuming that I haven't achieved total relaxation yet.