1. Improve Vision
and… improve balance…remove floaters…
stop migraine headaches…
increase attention span…and more…
By Louise Hayes, Ph.D.
The brain grows new cells and connections every day.
Grow yours
through touch, movement, and intention.
2. Brain Growth and Repair therapies you can do
for yourself or for another.
Dedicated to my family,
friends,
students, and
clients
from whom I have learned so much.
As you use these therapies and questions arise,
please feel free to contact me.
louise.hayes@att.net
281-787-2451(cell) 713-468-0408
Explore the website for other available information.
www.braingrowthandrepair.com
Copyright 2012 Published by Brain Growth and Repair, LLC
3. Improve Vision
and… improve balance…remove floaters…
stop migraine headaches…
increase attention span…and more…
By Louise Hayes, Ph.D.
Vision is a Collaboration of The Eyes and The Brain
Louise Hayes, a retired special education teacher, helps all
ages learn how to help themselves improve their brain function for
better communication skills and to gain better mental, physical, and
emotional health. Dr. Hayes teaches from the perception that the
Brain, Mind, and Body are parts of us that have specific abilities. As
we learn to maximize the use of each of them in a cooperative
manner, we become able to bring about improvements. By utilizing
the Brain Growth and Repair Techniques of movement, touch, and
intention, we can help ourselves improve and recover function.
Brushing the Brain/Eyes is an important therapy.
It has demonstrated the results of:
1) improving visual acuity to allow reading without glasses;
4. 2) stopping migraine and other headaches;
3) improving the function of the vestibular matrix of the brain
so that balance is restored -- no cane needed for
walking; 4) improving
perception so that dyslexics see clearly; 5)
clearing brain ‘fog’; 6)
clearing sinus congestion; 7) healing
a macular hole; 8) removing floaters in
the visual field; and
9) improving hearing.
Sometimes the growth of brain connections is interrupted
during womb-time, birthing, and crawling. This can prevent the brain
from developing to its potential. Damage to cells and connections
already formed can occur through accident, stroke, illness, abuse,
stress, and living. At times damage to the brain may overwhelm the
natural ability of the body to remove damaged cells. To assist in
clearing the brain to make room for new cells and new dendrite
connections use the technique of brushing. Using more Brain Growth
and Repair Techniques enables the brain to replace or reconnect
missing or damaged connections in order to restore function.
To brush your brain, hold your hand, palm toward your face,
fingers pointing up and slightly separated. Move your hand side to
side in front of your eyes and brain. Position your hand by placing
5. the heel of the hand to the tip of the nose, then move away a couple
of inches so that you do not hit your nose as you move your hand.
Your eyes do not have to do anything. They can be open or closed.
You do not have to be thinking anything special. Someone can do it
for you anytime, even while you are asleep. Brush fast or slow with
either hand. Brush as much as possible. Do it while watching TV,
telephoning, waiting at a signal light, as a passenger in the car,
walking down the hall, lying down, anytime. Continue this brushing
throughout your life. The more you do it the faster and more
complete the recovery will be from damage or wear and tear of the
brain. It is a good life-giving habit. The amount of brushing you ‘need’
to do is not known. It depends on what you wish to accomplish and
the present condition of your brain and your eyes.
Brushing your brain/eyes also improves the functions of the
visual cortex, so that our sense of shape, color, motion, depth, and
intensity improves. Brushing brings about clarity in the brain’s
perception or interpretation or accuracy of what is seen. This is also
one of the Brain Growth and Repair movements necessary to
overcome dyslexia. Brushing improves balance by stabilizing the
perception of the environment through the stimulation of the
vestibular matrix of the brain to function more efficiently. (After a
stroke a client perceived her environment as if she were on a boat,
thus she needed a cane for walking. After brushing, her ‘world’ was
perceived by the brain more accurately, as standing on land. She was
then stable and the cane was no longer necessary.) Brushing also
6. improves our overall health as it stimulates the pineal gland, the
master glad in charge of the functioning of the endocrine system.
Energizing the Eyes is another of the Brain Growth
and Repair Techniques useful for improving visual function. This
increases the flow of the electromagnetic energy directly to the eyes
and to the brain. Cup or curve your hands, so that there is a slight
indentation at the palm. Place each cupped palm over the same-side
eye (right palm over right eye, left palm over left eye). The fingers will
overlap at the forehead. Prop the elbows on the table or desk for
comfort and hold. The longer you hold, the better it is. You can do it
in any position. The more comfortable you are the longer you can
hold and energize your eyes. Someone can also do it for you as they
stand behind you and use their hands to gently cover your eyes.
Exhaling into the Eyes encourages the muscles of the eyes
to relax because the exhalation communicates to the brain that the
need for protection is no longer present, that the muscles can relax.
As the muscles relax, the cells receive more oxygen which promotes
healing and better function. As you exhale into the eyes, image (see
and feel) them relaxing, letting go, turning loose.
The Eye-Hand Tracking movement improves focus,
peripheral vision and depth perception. It increases the ability to
attend to detail efficiently and the ability to see or perceive the total
picture. Growth of these brain connections enhances the function of
the eye/brain as it builds more connections between the eye, the
hand, and the brain for greater ability to pay close attention and focus
7. on the work you are doing and the directions you are being given.
This increases your ability to complete tasks more accurately and in
good time. There is also an improvement in comprehension and
processing of what is being viewed so that understanding of details
as well as the total concept are more accurate. It is a great Brain
Growth and Repair movement to overcome learning disabilities.
To do the Eye-Hand Tracking movement, sit with your head
and body still, extend your right arm straight out in front of your body
and make a fist. Cover your left eye. With your body and head still
and your arm straight, move your right arm as if to slowly draw in the
air as large a circle as you can while keeping your eye focused on
your fist that is moving to ‘draw’ the circle. Make a circle for each
year of your age up to ten. Repeat with the other eye. There is often a
difference in the ability of each eye to make this movement. If this
occurs, exercise the less able eye more than the stronger eye. Adapt
the movement as necessary. If you have only one functioning eye,
do the movement with each arm and image the non-functioning eye
focusing on the fist. If one or both arms are missing, ask an assistant
to use their fist to be your focus point. Their fist should be positioned
about your arm’s length from you eye to better improve depth
perception.
Making the circle even imperfectly will grow brain-eye-hand
connections. Work toward a very large smooth circle with the eye
staying locked on the fist. Tracking well at the top of the circle
corresponds to the neurological ability to comprehend well. Tracking
8. well at the bottom of the circle corresponds to the ability to work with
detail and the outsides of the circle represent understanding easily
the main idea. As you repeat this movement, your brain will be
growing more connections and your circle will reflect the neurological
improvement in your natural ability.
Crosswalk
It is important that there be coordination between the functions
of the two eyes. This necessitates neurological connections between
the right brain and the left brain. The primary time for these
connections to grow is as the baby crawls in a crosspattern
movement. These connections enable the eyes to work together
efficiently and can be encouraged to grow at any age by using the
Crosswalk, a Brain Growth and Repair Technique.
Seated or standing, make very firm alternate contact with your
hand to the opposite thigh. (Right hand to the left thigh, left hand to
the right thigh.) The contact should be very firm, with purpose, as if
you are communicating to the brain that this is important. The more
you do this the more connections you grow. This movement also
improves communication, memory, and academic achievement.
If for whatever reason you are unable to make this movement, it
can be adapted. For instance, if one arm is recovering from stroke
or accident, use the strong arm to grasp the wrist of the recovery arm
and assist in the movement. Contact the opposite in a pattern of five
times to one thigh, then five times to the opposite thigh. If unable to
9. do the movement for yourself because of age, strength, flexibility, or
other limiting factors, someone can do it for you by grasping both
your wrists and making the contact with your thighs. If there is only
one arm, make the contact with the arm available, then move the
opposite shoulder/body toward the opposite thigh and vividly image
the contact taking place. Adapt in any way necessary because this is
a very important movement for coordination of our eyes/brain.
Crosswalk Statements to Assist in an Attitude Adjustment
Another use of the crosswalk is to position more constructive
beliefs and ideas into long-term memory. Our attitudes develop as
we grow, learn, and probably accept what we are told as truth. (You
are just an average student…You are just naturally clumsy…You
probably inherited that habit…There is nothing more we can do to
restore movement after your stroke or accident…etc.) These
attitudes we have learned and therefore live with can be very limiting.
A more constructive attitude is very helpful as we work to improve our
visual function --- and our lives.
The purpose of this Brain Growth and Repair Technique is to
replace ‘less than able’ beliefs about ourselves with ‘what we look
forward to becoming’ beliefs. Using the Crosswalk statements
communicates to our brain what we intend to become, what we
sincerely desire to take place. These statements influence our brain,
instructing it to direct its powerful ability to grow more brain cells and
brain connections as it enables change. We develop a better attitude
10. toward improving, toward a more positive outlook on the possibilities
of life. Our behaviors reflect this awareness and we do improve.
How and Why Crosswalk Statements Work
Each crosswalk statement is presented to the brain in a rhythm
of four seconds of words followed by four seconds of silence to
position it in long-term memory. The crosswalk movement, (firmly,
alternately contacting the opposite thigh with the open hand)
patterned after the cross-pattern crawling of a baby, also helps to
position the information in long-term memory. The rhythmic pattern
allowing for the four seconds of silence following the information
enables the brain to isolate that ‘kernel’ of information as a complete,
individual entity for instant retrieval. It is important to keep the pattern
with the information followed by silence. To assist in maintaining the
silence, insert four sharp exhalations following the words on each
card, (whoo, whoo, whoo, whoo).
To be most effective, the words are said firmly and with
purpose. The crosswalk movement is done with firm pounding of your
thigh as you say the words and do the whoo, whoo, whoo, whoo.
Keep doing the crosswalk rhythm as you say the words and exhale.
The rhythm also assists in positioning the information in long-term
memory. You are communicating to your brain that this is important.
Crosswalk statements are written in the present tense and with
positive words only. The brain does not process words such as not,
don’t, and doesn’t. If you say, “Don’t spill the milk!” your brain sees
11. and hears “spill the milk.” Create your crosswalk statements that
express what you feel is most important to you. Say exactly what you
want to become or what you want to go into long-term memory. Write
each statement very clearly on an index card, black on white for clear
contrast. You may want to write the four whoos at first until you get in
the habit of always including them. Always look at the card as your
crosswalk. Crosswalk during the words and the exhalations.
Crosswalk each card three times, then place it at the bottom of the
stack. The next time you crosswalk them, mix them up so the brain
does not use the technique of sequential learning as we did our
ABCs.
Here are examples, including my own favorite crosswalk statement.
I’m happy, and heathy, and wise.
Whoo, whoo, whoo, whoo.
I see clearly. Yes, I do. My vision is great. Yes, it is. I
exhale before I breathe. I think clearly. Yes, I do. I am
calm and confident. My brain is growing, NOW! I
feel great. Yes I do. I ask for the help I need.
I love doing the crosswalk. My eyes are very relaxed.
My eyes feel great. Yes, they do. I relax easily and often.
My muscles are strong and relaxed. I am balanced. Yes I am.
12. There are many other benefits of growing more and more
connections between the right and left brain. As a tool for academic
achievement at all levels, the crosswalk is excellent for memorizing
spelling, vocabulary, grammar rules, names and dates, math facts,
geometry formulas, algebra sequence, chemistry signatures, and
event sequence. Our learning and understanding of concepts,
depends upon memorizing facts, processes, and sequence of events.
To know the relevant facts enables us to put them together to see the
big picture, to understand relationships and to take tests with
confidence. This Brain Growth and Repair Technique also can
enhance our physical and emotional health, our communication skills,
our physical coordination, and our management of stressful events.
13. May you find Encouragement here and
Determination within yourself.
Email or call for clarification or with questions
about your individual situation.
Louise Stiedle Hayes, Ph.D.
louise.hayes@att.net
281-787-2451(cell) 713-468-0408
Check out my website to find other information.
www.braingrowthandrepair.com