On the eve of the year 2025, I was struck with a vividly clear message.
That message was VISIBILITY.
To embrace visibility, I have begun a brand new Natural Vision Vlog where I give you a glimpse into the life of a Natural Vision Teacher and provide bite-sized vision improvement tips.
Make sure you subscribe to my YouTube channel to catch the release of future episodes coming out regularly!
Check out some episodes below…
Natural Vision Vlog #1 – Off to Hawaii
I started my YouTube channel ten years ago in 2014. At first I shared my Bates Method 101 instructional videos to teach you foundational natural vision improvement practices. Next I shared my Naked Eye Podcast episodes to introduce you to other health experts and visionaries. Now I’m sharing my Natural Vision Vlogs, which are short videos released once a month that give you an look into the life of the life of a Natural Vision Teacher. And as a natural vision teacher, I can’t help but offer helpful insights and practical tips in each one, so there just might be some gems found when listening.
In this first episode, I share a little bit about my upcoming trip to Hawaii where I am assisting on the Hawaii Ecovillage Tour on the Big Island and then teaching two eye yoga workshops on Kauai and Oahu. To learn more about Ecovillage Tours you can go to https://ecovillagetours.com and to learn more about the Yoga for Better Eyesight Workshops go to https://integraleyesight.com/hawaii
Natural Vision Vlog #2 – Sun Strobing in Waikiki
In this second episode, I reflect on my Hawaii trip where I taught two eye yoga workshops on Kauai and Oahu. I also teach one of my favorite natural vision improvement practices called “Sun Strobing”, which is a variation on basic sunning or “sun sandwiches”. Instead of alternating from basic eyes closed sunning to palming for sun sandwiches, you can also try “strobing”, where you wave your spread out fingers back and forth close in front of your closed eyelids.
This creates a flickering “strobe light” effect, which can be perceived as many different colors and patterns when relaxed. Make sure you do not strain, keep your eyes closed the whole time, and do not perform this practice if you are sensitive to flickering lights. Always follow with some nice palming! This vlog episode ends with some beautiful footage from the Big Island of Hawaii, Kauai, and Oahu.
Natural Vision Vlog #3 – The Swinging Habit
In this third episode of my Natural Vision Vlog, I take you up to the top of a mountain where I live in Bolton Valley to demonstrate Swinging as a Practice and explain Swinging as a Habit. Dr. Bates requested that his patients “see things moving all day long”. This can easily be accomplished by doing a swinging practice (The Long Swing, The Sway, The Head Swing, The Optical Swing, etc.), but what about the rest of the time in the day when you’re not specifically doing a dedicated swinging practice? That’s where the swinging HABIT comes in, which involves your ability to become more aware of perceiving motion in your periphery as you go about your daily life. At first you might notice the big movements happening in your periphery while riding in a car or a train, but eventually you can even notice tiny movements happening in your periphery without physically moving as much – like when you’re sitting at the computer!
Both the swinging practice and the swinging habit can be done physically with the eyes open, but it is also important to think about implementing the swinging practice and the swinging habit mentally with the eyes closed. Dr. Bates warned against imagining stationary objects, and suggested it is way more relaxing to imagine moving objects. (Take special note of how my eyes “saccade”, or shift, as I swing. Swinging helps break the staring habit when the eyes don’t have many saccadic eye movements. They only happen when you relax though, so don’t try too hard!)
Natural Vision Vlog #4 ~ Dealing With Dry Eyes Naturally
In this fourth episode of my Natural Vision Vlog, I check in from Crested Butte, Colorado to answer a commonly asked question about dry eyes. Dry eyes do not see as well as lubricated eyes, and luckily there are some simple tips for increasing eye lubrication naturally.
1) Yawning stimulates tear production in the lacrimal glands
2) Blinking secretes oils from meibomian glands and smooths tear film
3) Sunning & Palming help regulate the eyes’ lubrication system
Natural Vision Vlog #5 ~ Stimulating Periphery Outdoors & Indoors
In this fifth episode of my Natural Vision Vlog, I check in from the disc golf course to explain the importance of using your peripheral vision both outdoors in nature and also indoors while looking at screens. It’s easy to stimulate your periphery outdoors because everything in nature is moving all the time!
However, when we switch from more movement-based activities outdoors to more sedentary activities indoors (like looking at screens) most people start to stare and develop tunnel vision. Whether looking at smartphones, tablets, laptops, computers, or TVs, we need to learn how to bring our peripheral vision into our screen time by stimulating the rods with more movement!
Natural Vision Vlog #6 ~ Glasses: To Wear or Not To Wear?
In this sixth episode of my Natural Vision Vlog, I check in from Pitigliano, Italy to talk about the role that glasses play in natural vision improvement. “Quitting cold turkey” is not always the best way to go about improving your vision naturally.
I personally opted for the “weaning off” approach, and pretty much switched between wearing full correction glasses (20/20) and wearing no glasses (naked eye). Some people also utilize “training glasses” (20/40) or other types of reduced lenses to support their vision healing process.
Treat your glasses like medicine and “dose your brain with clarity” mindfully. Use discernment to decide when it is appropriate to wear your glasses and when to go without them. This concept applies equally to people with nearsightedness (minus lenses) and farsightedness (plus lenses), as well as astigmatism.
Natural Vision Vlog #7 ~ New Office in Montpelier, Vermont
In this seventh episode of my Natural Vision Vlog, I check in from my brand new office in downtown Montpelier, Vermont. I will soon start teaching in-person vision lessons at my new space here at 50 State Street as well as hosting small groups. Stick around at the end for a short tour of the capitol of Vermont!
Natural Vision Vlog #8 ~ Intentional Breathing in Intentional Community
In this eighth episode of my Natural Vision Vlog, I say hello from my new home in an Ecovillage in Vermont. I’ve spent the past few weeks packing, cleaning, and moving, which has been quite stressful… therefore, I felt inclined to share a simple and relaxing intentional breathing technique called The Wheel with you by a waterfall.