Core Four: Yoga
So, very quickly to review, let’s look at the main inputs to strong vision, what we call the Chair of Vision:
Ocular Inputs: Retinal imaging and somatoreceptors in the eyes to provide information about where they’re pointing.
Vestibular/Balance Inputs: We need a sense of how the head is moving in order to properly direct gaze and predict target movement.
Somatosensory Inputs: Body senses from the whole body, from your toes to your neck, to provide information regarding body position in relation to visual targets of concern.
Yoga is one of my favourite activities for vision development. As one of the Core Four set of activities, it is likewise inexpensive, fun, accessible, and appropriate for individuals or small groups.
Yoga is entirely focused on controlled breathing, controlled movement. The entire body is engaged to achieve a sequence of poses, support primarily by large muscle groups. This control requires the building of somatosensory awareness, great balance, and relies heavily on awareness of peripheral visual fields to maintain steady body posture.
Building body awareness reinforces visual targeting, especially in the context of maintaining balance with a steady fixation point. Yoga by its nature requires paying attention to the whole body, its movement, and its balance in space during slowed movements. Working on these skills, especially with guided breathing, promotes mental focus, attention, and balanced mood.
Yoga is accessible, available everywhere, including online. It can be adapted to varying ages and skill levels, and is appropriate for treatment in most mild brain injury cases. Yoga is like learning a musical instrument, each day spent practicing shows up as greater skill, greater knowledge, greater benefits.
Learn more about the other Core Four activities and how these can help to promote strong visual skills by clicking here.
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Yoga has a long history of promoting a calm state of mind and a strong and balanced body. Did you also know it has many wonderful benefits for visual development? Learn more about how Yoga can benefit your patients through this brief series on my favourite core vision building activities, the Core Four, by clicking below.