In Part 1 of this series we interviewed Greg Marsh, a leading Bates Method practitioner and researcher, Certified Natural Vision Teacher and Wellness Coach with over 30 years experience in the field. It was a real pleasure to listen to Greg's sincere, gentle and inspirational responses! We discovered what the Bates Method was, the actual cause of virtually all eye conditions and which eyesight issues you can improve yourself at home without medical intervention.
In Part 2 of this inspirational interview we are going to discover:
- Some incredible case studies of people getting their vision and life back after using the Bates Method
- How to avoid reading glasses at middle-age
- Whether corrective surgery is necessary
- How quickly and where you can learn the Bates Method
C&J: Why would you use the Bates Method over going in for corrective surgery?
GREG: If you’ve already had LASIK (corrective eye surgery), it’s very important to put your mind on the benefits and not wonder if you did the right thing. You made the best decision you knew at the time. Also, realize that if your original result has drifted, you can “relax” your eyes back to the original clearer result with the Bates Method. Also you can reduce the need for reading glasses that often follows LASIK surgery.
LASIK is really like installing a permanent pair of glasses or contacts into the front of your eyeball. When successful, it provides sharp, clear vision.
However, it does not restore the natural feedback loop of eye focusing as nature intended. I have heard people literally scream with delight when a new row of the eye-chart came into focus. It was so viscerally pleasing that they couldn’t help it. Likewise as I mentioned earlier, many people have other health improvements when they reduce the chronic strain in their eyes.
Many people have other health improvements when they reduce the chronic strain in their eyes
I won’t go through some of the heartbreaking side effects that happen with a small portion of LASIK procedures, but you can readily find them online. They sound very different than the rosy picture you get from the eye doctor.
C&J: Should we only care if we have eyesight problems already?
GREG: I used to do information booths at a lot of holistic and alternative health fairs. It was amazing how many people with perfect eyesight came up to the booth. They would often say they love their clear eyesight, and wonder if they can make it even better. (Yes, they usually can.)
One message I always leave them with is that they do not need to succumb to reading glasses at middle-age. I think reading glasses are at least partly an outcome of a strong cultural belief. It can be very helpful for a person who believes in their clear eyesight to hear that, yes, you can continue to have good reading vision for the rest of your life.
Bates Method can help improve your vision at middle-age without the need for reading glasses
C&J: Why is it not used by all eye doctors worldwide?
GREG: A lot of people assume the problem is eyeglass companies and eye doctors wanting to make as much money as they can. I honestly think it has more to do with our culture that demands instant gratification, which is not what the Bates Method offers.
In contrast, the Bates Method offers the unparalleled pleasure of visual ease, with a huge boost in eye health as a person gets older.
Some ophthalmology researchers are beginning to be more interested in factors that are related to thoughts, emotions, and strained eye muscles, which add up to the heart of the Bates Method. I hope these people persist, and I hope they succeed with their research!
If the mainstream comes up with a better or faster way to naturally improve eyesight, I won’t mind at all. Dr. Bates often said he felt sure his methods would be improved upon. There’ve definitely been some improvements, but a big new breakthrough would be great!
Bates Method offers unparalleled pleasure of visual ease, a huge boost in eye health as you get older
C&J: What are the most fascinating case studies you have come across?
GREG: There are many fascinating cases. I will mention three of them:
A man with macular degeneration was going to lose his driver’s license at his next vision test. Bates techniques and EFT tapping seemed to be a perfect mix for him.
He made quick progress on reversing the macular degeneration, his arthritis disappeared, and he lost 15 pounds with no change in diet. He also became much happier.
I have to mention that he maintained an extraordinary buoyant belief that I could help him. Not everyone can cultivate that kind of faith that something will work. I recently heard from him 5 years later and he again passed his drivers test.
A woman who had just gotten prism glasses for double vision could no longer see without terrible strain, and she was concerned it would destroy her new medical career. The irony was that her medical knowledge was feeding her idea that she had a medical problem.
Within three weeks of Bates techniques and some EFT, she declared that she no longer needed the prism glasses (she did still need regular glasses), and all was well.
Six months later she called me again, and she was terrified. Why? Because she was about to have a checkup with her ophthalmologist who had prescribed the prism lenses. We did some EFT tapping and then she was fine. Strangely (this is very strange!) her doctor said nothing about the fact that she now had no need for the prisms he had prescribed 6 months earlier. She did not mention it either.
A girl who was a junior in high school could not read without terrible headaches. Her glasses were fairly mild, and the prescription was mostly for astigmatism. I asked her to read from one of her regular textbooks and helped her become aware of various strains in her mind, eyes, and elsewhere.
Then I helped her isolate and reduce the strains one-at-a-time. She discovered how to read without strain, and the headaches ceased. This one-hour session was all she needed. She was very bright, and very confident. Once she tasted victory all was well.
C&J: How quickly could someone expect results?
GREG: A person should see at least some temporary bursts of clarity in the first session. This is essential to keep encouraged and motivated.
As one continues, there are two kinds of progress:
- Gradual results from regular practice.
- A quantum leap from an “ahah” experience. This may be all that is needed.
It is recommended to commit to the first way, and always have a sense of possibility that the second way could happen at any moment.
Persons who are younger or have a milder prescription can often get lasting results in a few weeks to a few months.
Persons with established and strong glasses may take months or years.
But the exciting part is that they often become more interested in the amazing opportunities for personal growth with the straightjacket removed from how they see the world.
They often have big improvements in all sorts of health issues as well.
C&J: How long does it take to learn the method?
GREG: Here is one of my favorite stories from Maurizio Cagnoli, a Bates teacher in Italy. There was a several-day Bates Method retreat in Italy. It was a large enough group to need a full-time person to go run errands, pick up groceries, etc. The errand person was constantly going in and out of the retreat setting, with lots to do. At the end of the week, who do you suppose had the biggest improvement in their eyesight? Yes, it was the errand person!
Sometimes “less is more”. An innocent but sincere understanding of the Bates Method can sometimes be enough, maybe in just a few hours. Or possibly a magical session will occur with a big “ahah” in just one hour.
For most people it is helpful to attend a workshop, receive regular sessions in person or online, or read books and put things into practice if you are a good self-starter.
C&J: Is there a Bates Method center? How can someone find a teacher near them?
GREG: What we have in North America is an organization called the “Association of Vision Educators”, open to all Bates Method practitioners. I had the honor of hosting our September 2016 conference here in Colorado. It was a wonderful mix of people, even including three medical doctors and two optometrists! There is a new level of excitement about growing our ranks and reaching more people. The website, which will soon receive a major upgrade, is VisionEducators.org.
Currently my training program is producing most of the new Bates teachers (natural vision coaches) in North America. But soon there should be two or three additional active schools.
Honestly, except for workshops and trainings, I reached most of my Bates Method clients these days with Skype sessions. Years ago I would not have believed it would be possible to make enough of a connection online. But I’m finding that it works really well.
FIND BATES METHOD & OTHER NATURAL VISION TEACHERS
Of course if you can find a Bates Method teacher in your own city, it would probably be a bonus to meet in person. Here are my best suggestions to find Bates Method teachers, natural vision teachers, and natural vision coaches:
- http://VisionEducators.org - As mentioned above
- http://VisionsOfJoy.org - A wonderful resource website for all things Bates
- http://bettereyesightnow.com/links-to-other-natural-vision-coaches/ - My website with several Natural Vision Coaches
C&J: Thank you Greg for the inspirational and eye-opening (literally) interview!
About Greg Marsh
Greg Marsh is a Certified Natural Vision Teacher and Wellness Coach with over 30 years experience in this field. He has helped thousands of people improve their eyesight through his CD programs, workshops, and personal Vision Coaching.
Greg is a fun and inspiring instructor. He uses an encouraging, sincere, yet playful teaching approach. Greg has a degree in Chemical Engineering, experience in technical writing, teaching martial arts and mediation for 25 years and various alternative health approaches including massage, hypnotherapy, EFT, and EMDR.
Find out more and start improving your eyesight with Greg’s programs here: http://bettereyesightnow.com
