MODERN PSYCHOLOGY AND PERIPHERAL VISION

Parent Page : The Benefits / Parasympathetic Nervous System
Related Page : Ancient Cultures and Panoramic Sensing

This is a summary of a few of the videos and sites i found on peripheral vision.

The actual results for YouTube change frequently. This link: YouTube Videos on Peripheral Vision, could give different results to mine. Tell me if there's anything new of interest.

None of these sources teach the subject at anything like the depth which animals have taught me and none include listening. The 1st. and 2nd. links demonstrate valuable beginnings of psychological research on the subject.

Most sources seem to have little actual experience. The subject is explored from an objective, even speculative perspective about what panoramic sensing does, rather than how it actually feels.

If you know of anything which explores the psychology of panoramic sensing as animals use it then please contact me.

Peripheral Vision Training (4.40) from ZhealthPerformance. Is interesting. It talks about tunnel vision and angst. Peripheral awareness stimulates specific circuits in the brain. Apparently alzheimer's is connected with a lack of peripheral vision.

Peripheral Vision – A simple technique to counter unhelpful negative emotions is about parasympathetic system being activated by peripheral vision. This comes form James Conlon who also writes on 9 Tips for Conquering Stress & Anxiety: Section 9. Switch to Peripheral Vision

"The sympathetic nervous system’s primary function is to stimulate the body’s fight or flight response. It regulates the levels of adrenaline in the blood and floods our bodies with stress hormones when we experience danger. In contrast, the parasympathetic nervous system has a calming effect on the body. It’s responsible for digestion and preparing us for sleep. It lowers our heart rate and neutralises stress hormones, following the fight or flight response once the perceived danger has gone."

"The sympathetic nervous system is associated with foveal vision. Directly focusing on an object. It makes sense that when we encounter a threat that we solely focus on it. Whilst the parasympathetic nervous system is associated with peripheral vision. Not directly focusing on any one thing, but being aware of everything around us. If you think about the last time you felt really relaxed, maybe laying by the pool or at the beach whilst on holiday. The chances are you weren’t focused on any one thing but absorbing everything around you."

"Simply switching from foveal to peripheral vision when we feel anxious or stressed, activates the parasympathetic nervous system. As the two nervous systems can’t be active at the same time the body will naturally calm. This is incredibly simple to do." (see the summary in The Benefits of Panoramic Sensing for my comment on this)

How Panoramic Vision Can Reduce Your Stress and Anxiety | The Tim Ferriss Show
Dr. Andrew Huberman talking about general and scientific basics of panoramic and focused vision.

How to Increase your Peripheral Field of Vision School for Self-Healing (2.55 long). From 1.05 onwards a very practical exercise.

Maybe Not So Important

In Peripheral Vision (21.00 long) Jevon Dangeli combines it with lots of relaxation exercises and expands the focus point. A bit complex at times but it is essentially exploring the same area as i am. Seems to suggest trance states are possible with his method of expanding the central focal point.

More Peripheral Vision Training (8.31 long) from someone else at ZhealthPerformance. Talks about when under high stress we lose our peripheral vision. He uses it for greater achievement in sport, speed reading, not falling over, and relaxing the eyes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjhDSqQW8pQ explores animal senses in general. Cupping the ears at 2.02 is an interesting idea.

Using Church "Peripheral Vision" (4.09 long). This is perhaps a bit Christian for most people, but it is one of my favourites because it is the girl's original and independent idea, and it was inspired from watching animals.

Unfortunately, i must add that she hasn't used her own physical panoramic vision, she just uses it as an analogy for panoramic mental awareness, or as she calls it, church peripheral vision.

A site called Music Mind and Movement, PRACTICE: Broaden Your Vision also discusses the parasympathetic nervous system.

"Panoramic or peripheral vision is associated with a decrease in autonomic arousal, or the activation of the parasympathetic nervous system."

He uses the word panoramic sensing, and the spirit of the piece is good, but his ideas aren't always realistic: "ruminants, who are all panoramic all the time". Hares can focus precisely, sheep and cows as well; horses focus their visual attention by pointing their ears.

He mentions the Alexander Technique and inclusive awareness. The Alexander Technique teaches 'spacial awareness', by encouraging a focused awareness all around instead of panoramic awareness.

I prefer to use my research time actually doing it rather than researching such sources. If anyone using the Alexander Technique or any other modern or ancient technique knows anything relevant, pleasecontact me.

There are also a number of new experimental eye therapies such as EMDR (eye movement desensitization therapy) which is said to stimulate REM. All of these are promising but at present a big sidetrack from the panoramic experience.