Yoga and Eye Sight

"The fastest way to bring the mind into concentration is through the eyes" -Swami Sitaramananda

It is said that “the face is the index of the mind and the eyes are the windows of the soul.” On a tangible level, eyes are our only windows to the world.

Human eyes need care and attention. As years go by, the muscles around the eyes lose their tone. Eyesight becomes weak after the muscles around the eyes lose their elasticity and become rigid, thereby reducing the power to focus different distances. In addition, tension around the eyes affects the brain causing stress and anxiety.

Eyesight is dramatically improved when the muscles of the eyes are relaxed. There is a deep correlation between the eyes and the mind. It is said that vision occupies 40 percent of the brain's capacity. Therefore, when we close our eyes, relaxation is induced in the brain. Eye health corresponds to the level of relaxation it experiences.

Eye on yoga

Yoga plays a significant role in promoting eye health. A yoga routine replete with asanas, pranayama and meditation helps in achieving peace and tranquility. Yogic eye exercises strengthen the muscles of the eyes and thus help in curing many ailments of the eyes. Certain eye exercises are known to completely rectify eye problems. With yoga, people begin treating their eyes with care, which reflects in good eye health.

The renowned late William H. Bates, an ophthalmologist, claimed that vision could be improved with eye exercises like palming, eyeball rotations and gaze shifting. So, eye exercises are important to any individual and should be incorporated into the regular yoga routine. These exercises can be performed after the asanas.

Asana for the eyes

Shavasana or the corpse pose

Before beginning the eye exercises, it is important to assume the corpse pose to relax all the body parts.

Steps
1. To do this pose, one should lie motionless on the floor and close the eyes.
2. All the body parts from the toes to the head should be in a relaxed state.
3. In this relaxed posture, total calmness, and peace is felt when the whole body and mind have taken complete rest.