Essential Technique: Palming Survey Results

Palming Survey Results - 3/19/2008

Title of the online survey posted at this website over the last 3 weeks:

PALMING - What are your experiences?

Choose all that apply:
Raw Results

HOW HELPFUL?

Palming is not helpful: 2%
Palming is somewhat helpful: 44%
Palming is very helpful: 35%

BENEFITS

Palming relaxes me: 60%
Palming sharpens my vision, at least for a moment: 38%

UNDERSTANDING

I am unsure how to palm: 6%
I know how to palm: 65%

HOW OFTEN?

I can't find time to palm: 8%
I palm rarely or never: 13%
I palm sometimes, not every day: 44%
I palm at least once per day: 25%
I want to palm more than I do now: 62%

Comments

1. Most people report that:

Palming is helpful 79%
Know how to palm 65%
Palm at least sometimes 69%
Want to palm more 62%

2. Only 1 in 50 people said palming is not helpful

The true number could be higher since 19% of respondents did not choose one of the 3 levels of helpfulness in the survey. It may be worthwhile for that/those person(s) to explore palming further, but some people succeed with the Bates Method without liking or using palming.

3. Only a third (37%) said palming sharpens vision

Ideally we want to get at least a brief flash of clearer vision each time we palm!

Only 33% said that palming is very helpful.
Only 59% said palming relaxes them. By contrast, most people find palming helpful in workshops, where we emphasize not trying to do it right, and never straining to relax!

4. 61% said they want to palm more than they do now

Impressive that 25% palm at least once per day!
Only 8% said they can’t find time to palm
Only 14% said they rarely or never palm

5. Other Comments

Just 1 in 20 site visitors responded to the survey; the sampling is likely skewed toward people more actively practicing the Bates Method.
Please consider that there are a million ways to add strain to this wonderful, relaxing technique. If you do not get at least a short burst of clarity from palming, consider letting your hands and fingers relax more, breathe more deeply, keep looking for ways to drop your habitual strain patterns. If you don’t find palming relaxing it will be of no use. So, make some adjustments before you continue. It is worth a lot to make yourself comfortable. Don't multi-task! Read the other articles about palming on this website and explore each of the relaxing methods they discuss. Ask yourself this question: “Why do I find it so hard to let go?” Wait for a real answer from your heart, breathe, and try a fresh approach. Want to palm more? Consider the option of palming frequently for just a couple of minutes, several times through the day. Or consider palming with one of guided palming or guided visualization tracks on our CD programs. Want to delve in to the art and science of palming? Again, please try our CD programs which aim squarely at the question how to truly relax. Or, get a copy of “Better Eyesight – The Complete Magazines of William H. Bates” at amazon.com and try some of the suggestions. A much shorter but very thoughtful and helpful book is “Help Yourself to Better Sight”, by Margaret Corbett. Keep up the quest, follow your interest! Notice how you pursuit of better vision bumps into every area of your health... diet, stress level, fitness and exercise, emotional health, etc.