SHAOLIN EIGHT EYE EXERCISES
Stand some comfortable distance from leaves and count them with your eyes
Question
Please let me know if the training dates are firmed. I will need to make reservations for flight and accommodation, as well as to reschedule a non-critical eye operation.
Ho, Singapore
Answer
My secretary told me that you would reschedule a non-critical eye operation to attend my Intensive Taijiquan Course.
I believe that if you practice the Shaolin Eight Eye Techniques, you may improve your eye conditions sufficiently so that the operation may not be needed. These Eye Techniques have helped many people with eye problems, including myself and my children who were told by eye specialists to wear glasses but did not need to do so after practicing the exercises.
Not only the Eye Techniques are highly effective, they are also safe to be practiced on your own without a master's supervision. These wonderful Shaolin Eight Eye Techniques are as follows. All the exercises are performed while standing upright in a relaxed manner. Those too weak to stand, may sit upright.
Technique 1 — Counting Leaves. Stand a comfortable distance from a tree or plant and count its green leaves with your eyes. Start with 50 leaves, then gradually increase the number to 300, increasing a few leaves after a few days.
Technique 2 — Rolling Stars. With the eyes open, roll both eyeballs in big circles (as big as possible) 10 times one side, and then 10 times the other side.
Technique 3 — Angry Eyes. Open both eyes as big as possible, then shut them as tightly as possible. Repeat about 10 times.
Technique 4 — Far and Near. Stare at a distant object, like a cloud, a tree or a faraway mountain, for a few seconds, then stare at a nearby object, like the tip of your nose or some grains of sand on your feet, for a few seconds. Repeat about 10 times.
Technique 5 — Focusing One. Gently stare at a point about 5 to 10 feet in front of you with steady eyes as long as you can, which may range from a few seconds to a few minutes. At first your eyes will become tired or painful, and tears may roll down. This is part of the training or recovery process. Initially when your staring time is short, you may repeat the exercise a few times, but as your eyesight improves gradually you can stare at the point for many minutes comfortably and steadily.
Technique 6 — Nourishing Spirit. Gently close your eyes and let your chi (energy) nourish your eyes and spirit. At first you may feel your eyes itchy. This is a good sign indicating that chi is working at your eye problems. As you progress, you will find your eyes restful and your mind fresh. (Note: “Nourishing Spirit” may appear similar to but is actually different from “Standing Meditation”. But students need not worry about the differences.)
Technique 7 — Point Massage. Massage the face with both palms and then using your fingers massage energy points around the eyes, at the base of the nose, at the temples (here, use the base of the palms to massage) and behind the ears. If you do not know where the energy points are, just massage the face, round the eyes, nose and ears.
Technique 8 — Heavenly Drum. Close your ears firmly with your palms and strike the back of your head with your fingers 24 times. You should hear inside your head sounds like a resonating drum.
Practice once every morning. At first, start with Technique 1 and complete with Techniques 7 and 8. After about a week or two of daily practice, add Technique 2, then Technique 3, and so on. Then practice all the Eight Techniques in that order in one session.
Like all other chi kung exercises, these Shaolin Eight Eye Techniques are not just for those with eye problems. Those with healthy eyes will also gain much benefit from these techniques. Not only their eyesight is good (even at an elderly age), but also their spirit is fresh. The saying that the eyes are the windows of the soul is not just poetically but also factually true.
The above is taken from Question 4 of October 2004 Part 2 of the Selection of Questions and Answers.
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