Three good reasons to use an eye pillow
By Nancy B. Loughlin
Published in News Press on September 20, 2016
- It’s a meditation tool.
Pratyahara, the withdrawal of the senses, is an essential step toward meditation. Our senses are wild horses, pulling us out of ourselves, and sight tends to run the show.
When we are preoccupied, stressed or worried, our eyes dart around the room. Use the eye pillow to tame the horses.
Just prior to seated meditation, lie down in savasana, corpse pose, with an eye pillow over your eyes. As you focus on deep diaphragmatic breathing, tuck your shoulder blades under your body to open your heart. Inwardly rotate your thighs so your toes face the ceiling.
Set your meditation timer for five minutes to calm your mind. When the chimes ring, roll onto your side. Allow the eye pillow to slide off your face while keeping your eyes closed. Sit in your easy seat, and focus your mind.
2. When we can’t sleep, we stare at the ceiling, waiting for the angels of sleep who never arrive.
Spray lavender on your eye pillow, and slide it over your eyes. Surrender to the breath.
Remove the pillow from under your head, and place it on your belly. As you inhale the scent of lavender from the eye pillow, expand your belly to lift your bed pillow to the ceiling. As you exhale, let it fall. Count to 100. It’s more effective than counting sheep.
3. The eye pillow can stimulate your parasympathetic nervous system.
The vagus nerve, also known as the wandering nerve because it starts in the brain and wanders to the base of the abdomen, is a key player in our stress response. When you get stressed, the vagus nerve helps you chill out.
The eye pillow’s light pressure on the eyeballs will stimulate the vagus nerve and activate the parasympathetic nervous system. Whenever you are feeling irritable, frustrated or angry, skip the venting which is scientifically proven to be ineffective.
Instead, put the eye pillow to work, at home or on the job. Lie flat on the floor or in a reclining chair and slide an eye pillow over your eyes for ten minutes. It’s also a great time-out alternative for agitated children.
Then, surrender to the breath and to relaxation.
