Seagulls in the Blink of an Eye

It is always interesting to watch the seagulls in Istanbul. When I take the ferry to cross the Bosphorous, I always watch the seagulls that seem to follow the boats. In Istanbul, seagulls are the birds of the Bosphorous and pigeons are of the mosques. When you go to the old part of the city, near the mosques, you will always find an elderly lady or a man selling bread crumbs to throw to the pigeons. Yet, seagulls give me a different sense of freedom. They are strong and predacious even, but they also seem freer than the other birds for some reason. A few days ago I was sitting at the office of my bio-energy teacher Moshe in Şişli in Istanbul in a new high-rise building of 30 something floors and seagulls were flying as high as the building. I could not help but wonder, were they flying this high when this part of the city had only buildings that were only five or six floors high at the maximum?

Many Turkish poets write about seagulls since they are an inseparable part of Istanbul. The American writer Richard Bach wrote about a seagull also in his world famous book “Jonathan Livingston Seagull”. There Bach tells the story of a young seagull who seeks to find a higher purpose and has the courage to go against the norms of his flock in order to become the best at doing what he loves to do the most. Richard Bach dedicates the book: To the real Jonathan Seagull, who lives within us all.

The story is a wonderful fable about following our dreams. If we want something truly and if we believe that we can achieve anything. I remember loving this book when I read it the first time in high school. Like “The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, this book is also a must it read and re-read at different facets of our lives.

There are so many parts that I like that if I write them all I will have the quote the whole book. So I will share with you one of my favourite short sections. The old seagull and the young seagull known as Jonathan Livingston talk about heaven, flying and flying fast, which is not something seagulls normally try to excel as it is told:

Jonathan asks: “Is there no such place as heaven?” The elderly seagull replies: “No, Jonathan there is no such place. Heaven is not a place, and it is not a time. Heaven is being perfect. … You will begin to touch heaven in the moment you touch perfect speed. And that isn’t flying a thousand miles an hour, or a million, or flying at the speed of light. Because any number is a limit, and perfection doesn’t have limits. Perfect speed, my son, is being there. … You can go to any place and to any time that you wish to go. I’ve gone everywhere and everywhen I can think of. It’s strange. The gulls who scorn perfection for the sake of travel go nowhere, slowly. Those who put aside travel for the sake of perfection go anywhere, instantly...To fly as fast as thought, to anywhere that is, you must begin by knowing you have already arrived…”

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Blink to Relax and to Energize

I have been wearing glasses since I was five years old. I have learned to live with glasses and contact lenses, yet also I try to look into what complementary therapies say about eye care and health. One name that comes up often is William H. Bates. He is an American medical doctor who lived in 1860-1931. He was a graduate of Cornell University, the university that I went to in the US to study engineering. He is the author of the still famous book “Better Eyesight Without Glasses.” I was re-reading his book last week when a Reiki student of mine raised a question about his work. You may find it interesting to read what he had to say about restoring sight at that time.

I will not discuss his theories here. Rather, this week I would like to share with you some info sent from The Cambridge Institute for Better Vision on how we can use our eyes, blinking for relaxation and also to increase our energy. If you would like, give it a try and see if it works for you.

THE PAUSE THAT REFRESHES: You have the power to change how you feel - in the blink of an eye!Here's how:1. Any time you need to re-group or re-center yourself, blink. Let the blink last longer than normal, but not too long - only about 1 second. It can be like a mini-meditation.2. Alternatively, if you want to become more alert, blink faster. Try taking 20-40 light, quick blinks. You might have to do it two or three times, but it can raise your energy level.Here's why:We blink our eyes 10 - 30 times per minute, on average. The rate of blinking changes, depending on the task we're involved in, and also on our emotional and mental state.For example, we blink much more often when we're under stress, when speaking in public, when lying and even in courtship!On the other hand, blink rate decreases when we are sedate. Blinking also decreases by as much as 66% when concentrating at the computer or when reading. Blinking also decreases dramatically when we squint to see.In short, blinking reflects our state of mind and how we are feeling.Every time we blink, we close our eyes for a brief moment. But those brief moments add up:Each blink lasts about one quarter of a second. During the course of a day that adds up to our eyes being closed over 2 1/2 hours!Most of our blinking occurs involuntarily and unconsciously. But, when you bring it to your conscious awareness you can use it to change your internal state to your advantage.

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Wish love, health and happiness.
Z
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Affirmation of the Week:
“I am love. I now choose to love and approve of myself. I see others with love.”
By Louise L. Hay
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Quote of the Week:
“Make your own recovery the first priority in your life.”
Robin Norwood
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Book of the Week:
“Creative Visualization” By Shakti Gawain.
The Turkish translation of this book is available under the name “Yaratıcı İmgeleme”.
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