In the last chapter we discussed the routine that is to be followed in doing the eye exercises.

1. Sunning.
   
   
2. Palming for ten minutes.

LONG SWING

The next step is the Long Swing, which should be practiced for five minutes before going to bed at night, for five minutes on arising in the morning, and as the third step in relaxing at the time you do your eye exercises.

Because of its stark simplicity, you may find it diffi­cult to believe at first that this kind of eye exercises can accom­plish anything. Actually, it is one of the most useful relaxing eye exercises in existence. It will relax the eyes, the mind, the spine, and the back of the neck, enable the eyes to shift naturally and, if you follow instruc­tions, the mind will think of one thing best, which is the basis of all relaxation.

In the beginning, in doing the Long Swing eye exercises, it may help you to unbend if you turn on a radio or phono­graph and sway to the rhythm of a slow waltz. But later on it will be better to try to regain your own inner rhythm. Rhythm lies at the very heart of all life, from the circling of the planets to the changing seasons; from the movement of the tides to the rhythm of the heart and the lungs.

That rhythm differs with each person, a little more rapid in one, a little more leisurely in another. When it goes at its own pace we are in harmony with our­selves and with the world about us. Under civilized strains, however, the rhythm tends to become jerky, over-rapid, over-tense. A knowledge that the body is loose, rhythmical, free, gives a sense of buoyancy not only to the body but to the spirit.

It is never a good idea to stick to any particular eye exercises for a long time. It is better to change from one to another so that the movements do not become automatic and routine.

Before beginning the Long Swing eye exercises, stand erect in an easy posture and begin to sway the body slowly and easily from side to side, enough to throw all the weight on one foot at a time but not enough to lift either foot from the floor. Then, when the body is mov­ing rhythmically, without jerking from side to side, you are ready for the Long Swing, in which the body relaxes through mental control as well as the physical shifting of the eyes. This Long Swing is the basis of all the techniques which follow. Ideally, it should be done out of doors. If that is impracticable, it should at least be done in front of a window, which will give you a deeper perspective than you can get within the four walls of a room.

Stand erect with the feet about twelve inches apart during your eye exercises. Do not "square" your shoulders. Your body must be at ease, head up, arms hanging loosely at your sides. It is the body we are going to turn—not the head. It must move with the body and not independently.

Standing in the middle of the room, swing the body to the right, shifting the weight to the right foot and letting the left heel come off the floor. Your turn should bring you facing the right wall, with shoulders parallel to the right wall. Now swing the body to the left until you are facing the left wall, shoulders parallel to the left wall, shifting the weight to the left foot and letting the right heel rise.

Back and forth at the rate of about thirty swings a minute. About the tempo of a slow waltz. Be careful not to do it faster than that. Most nervous people do it too quickly. You are swinging, not jerking yourself around or going into a whirl. Your arms hang easily at your sides, swaying a little with your body. Keep your head upright by imagining that it is brushing the ceiling.

Do not let your thoughts go wool-gathering during these eye exercises. Exer­cising without focusing mental attention on what you are trying to accomplish is a sheer waste of time. You must think about what you are doing and only abou't what you are doing.

As you swing easily from side to side, get the illusion that the room is moving in the opposite direction. As you swing to the right, the room swings to the left.

Your eyes are open but not staring. You are not try­ing to see. Blink frequently and easily, and, as you swing, let your eyes follow the line of the picture molding around the room. Now imagine a molding a foot lower and let your eyes follow that line. Keep dropping the line, a foot at a time until it is just below eye level.

Keep your mind on that imaginary line. It is not as easy as you think. If you let your mind wander, your eyes will jump from one spot to another and the shift­ing of the retinal pictures will be jerky and uneven. The line must be kept smooth and even, without breaks. From the right wall to a distant point outside the window and back to the left wall there should be one continuous, imaginary line

You are relaxed as you swing—slowly and regularly —feeling that the room is revolving in the opposite direction. Your shoulders hang free and without ten­sion, your head is up so there is no pulling on the back of the neck; your eyes are looking, without trying to see, from near to far, as you follow your imaginary line. In other words, your eyes are rapidly shifting focus from objects within the room to distant objects outside the window.

If it is possible to do this kind of eye exercises out of doors, on a roof or porch, the distance from near to far will be much greater than a room can offer and this will pro­vide greater action and flexibility in the extrinsic mus­cles which we are endeavoring to relax and strengthen.

Imagine that you have a long-handled paintbrush, covered with jet-black ink, fastened on the end of your nose. Swing with eyes closed and, as you swing, paint the imaginary line with your brush, making it a deep soft black, and keeping it smooth and even. Never permit it to waver or blur. Retrace the same line with your eyes open. But do not stare at it. Blink softly and frequently.

Keep in mind an imaginary pull from the top of your head to the ceiling and, as you swing in that revolving room, you will get a sense of freedom and release.

The Long Swing eye exercises are particularly helpful for myopic eyes because they... [Chapter Incomplete]

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