Why Eye Yoga

This post continues a series exploring the differences between modern and traditional forms of yoga.

This time, I will talk about a centuries-old practice for those wonderful spheres that float in the center of our heads. For convenience, we call this practice Eye Yoga.

 

What is Eye Yoga

Eye Yoga is a sequence of 8 to 12 different exercises that methodically target all the ocular nerves:

1. You move the eyes in all directions, in various rhythms, patterns, and intensities;
2. you shift focus between short, medium, and long distances; and
3. you rest and nourish the eyes with pranic energy from your palms.

Simple enough, right?

 

Expected and Unexpected Benefits

People who discover Eye Yoga—meaning people who have practiced it a few times until they understand it—absolutely love it. They realize that a lot more than they expected is actually happening when they practice Eye Yoga. But more on that later; let’s first look at what you’d expect.

You’ll find lots of information online about the obvious benefits of Eye Yoga: improved neuromuscular function, increased blood flow to the eyes, stretching and relaxation of the fascia, etc.—the usual things that happen when you move a body part.

 

Different Worldviews

Consider this: Horizontally, our central vision spans about a 130-degree field. Each eye adds 30 to 40 degrees to each side, meaning we can perceive movement in a field of over 190 degrees before us.

Not bad, eh?

Our ancestors probably accessed their entire field of vision with great regularity. They constantly shifted focus from near to far. They switched to peripheral view as quickly as an animal appeared or a rain cloud approached.

We, on the other hand, tend to look predominantly forward, rarely accessing our peripheral vision. The objects of our focus are usually directly in front of us, mostly within arm’s reach. We spend extended periods with a fixed gaze—looking at the screen, the book, or the taillights of the car in front of us.

 

The Bad News

atrophy /ˈatrəfi/ verb

1. (of body tissue or an organ) waste away, especially as a result of the degeneration of cells;
2. gradually decline in effectiveness or vigor due to underuse or neglect.
   (from Oxford Languages)

 

What happens to any body part when it is underused or under-exercised is that it atrophies. It wastes away.

So, when we use only a small fraction of our eyes’ range of motion, when we barely move our eyes, when we rarely focus on a distant object… well, we’re asking for trouble.

More precisely, eye muscles get stiff and weak, movement coordination decreases, and tear production is reduced. Even the visual field narrows.

 

The Plot Twist

But this is only part of the story, because the eyes do more than just see.

Did you know that when you move your eyes in certain directions, corresponding areas of your brain get activated? Eye movement serves an important function, stimulating areas of the frontal cortex and midbrain.

Recent scientific research, aided by functional MRI and eye-tracking technology, has revealed predictable patterns linking eye movement to brain activity. Many exciting applications of this insight are currently being explored in fields as diverse as stroke patient rehabilitation and gaming technology.

 

The Good News

For those of us who have practiced Eye Yoga for years, this link between the brain and the eyes comes as no surprise. We have experienced how deeply our state of consciousness can be changed by these techniques. We have noticed how letting go of facial tensions can release all sorts of mental tensions as well.

And, more importantly, we’ve realized that the ultimate purpose of these practices is not better sight or a radiant gaze. It’s an expansion of consciousness. Or one could say, Freedom.

 

Going Deeper

Eye Yoga is the entryway to some of the most powerful and transformative practices of traditional tantric kundalini yoga—for example, Shambhavi Mudra, gazing at the eyebrow center.

I choose not to talk too much about the effects of these advanced practices. It’s best for people to discover the effects in themselves and not be conditioned by expectations or promises.

But let’s say that the area of the brain most activated in some of those fMRIs I mentioned before is precisely the area where the tradition targets practices like Shambhavi Mudra: the pineal gland.

 

If you’re interested in discovering these timeless yogic methods for yourself, join us for one of the Pirate Tantric Yoga Rituals in Berlin.

 

On 16.11, we have almost two and a half hours of “Only Eyes.” We’ll go through all the techniques mentioned in this post, plus many others from our tradition as well as Daoism, traditional Chinese medicine, and modern somatics.

 

Ahoy!