Writing:Beyond the Blur Horizon

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I had trouble “getting” the Active Focus concept at first too. One thing that helped me was reading beyond the blur horizon, both close up with print and at distance with familiar road signs.

I position myself at a distance where I can make out distinct letters and words, but not tell what they are. I scan until I can find one letter that I can make out and then gaze on that without eyestrain while still looking at the entire page or sign, while trying to "guess" the word. Usually a little rocking or swaying helps to relax my mind and body. Eventually that word - or some other word - becomes legible, and then larger blocks of words and then, sometimes, the page/entire sign. I’m not trying to clear it up completely, just enough to read.

I don't know if this practice has value in and of itself in terms of vision improvement, but when I then took this approach to AF, I found it easier to grasp. I still do it from time to time, because it’s fun and gratifying and it reminds me what "soft eyes" feel like, which I think is the key to this whole AF thing. Because it’s less subtle than AF, you get good positive feedback that it’s working, something that is harder to distinguish when working just at the edge of blur.

I think most of us have been staring for so long we probably don’t even know what a relaxed eye is supposed to feel like. Once you know the feeling, then you’ll know when you’re “getting it” and find it easier to reproduce consciously, and then ultimately unconsciously, which is the goal. It’s more about feel than technique.So if you’re getting frustrated trying to “get” AF, you might want to try this, both with and without your glasses or contacts.