Morphology sounds like a vast and esoteric topic to be discussed at a medical or possibly philosophical seminar. Morphology sounds important, but what does it mean? The long answer is that it can mean multiple things, dependent upon the field of study in which it is being considered. It can have different meanings in linguistics, biology and medicine, among perhaps many others. Most generally, however, morphology refers to the overall shape of something. Every single "thing" has a specific "morphology.
So if morphology refers to form and structure, and, given that most likely "it is what it is," what difference does it make to any of us, and more specifically to our physiology? I would like to submit to you that I believe morphology is not simply "what it is" (fixed), but rather a characteristic that is ever evolving, positively or negatively. I am not talking about cartoons, but something affecting all of us, all the time, in real life, in deep and meaningful ways.
One might ask, "If morphology is constantly changing, why don't I notice it?" For the answer, we might look to something that, for centuries, has been considered a valuable source of understanding, -the eyes. The eyes, it is said, are the "Windows to the Soul." Through the eyes we might see the nature of an individual. We might see what he truly is. Through the eyes we might also be able get some idea of the relative health of an individual. Certainly it is possible for optometrists and ophthalmologists to identify high blood pressure and other physical maladies simply through examination of the eyes. The eyes might be considered early warning indicators of a variety of physical problems.
In a book entitled "Better Eyesight Without Glasses" (1971, Pyramid Books, New York, NY) William Bates, MD stated that "under conditions of mental or physical discomfort, such as pain, cough, fever, discomfort from heat or cold, depression, anger, or anxiety, errors of refraction are always produced in the normal eye or increased in the eye in which they already exist(p. 29)." He continued that "it has been demonstrated in thousands of cases that all abnormal action of the external muscles of the eyeball is accompanied by a strain or effort to see, and that with the relief of this strain the action of the muscles becomes normal and all errors of refraction disappear(p.37)." This would seem to suggest that stress of various kinds produces strain sufficient to alter the shape and function of the eye muscles. It changes the morphology of the muscles, and subsequently, the eye itself.
Further clarifying, Dr. Bates stated that "during sleep the refractive condition of the eye is rarely, if ever, normal(p.28)," and also that if one has eyestrain when awake, "that strain will certainly be continued during sleep(pp.41,42)." So the condition of sleep is not sufficient to restore normal vision. Likewise, many of us may know individuals who claim to be relaxed yet have faulty vision. These appear inconsistent, yet the answer may be very simple. Likely, for most of us, our normal state of rest or relaxation is not the deep and profound state that is necessary.
I would suggest that negative emotions, over time, have cumulative effects upon the structure and function of the musculature surrounding the eye, and therefore the eye itself. That could be why, even with Dr. Bates' innovative methods, older individuals (especially those who have made use of glasses) have a much harder time and require a longer period to effect an improvement in their vision. Perhaps it is that over time, and with constant repetition of certain behavioral patterns, morphological changes become relatively permanent. Any behavior in which we engage continually will become ingrained as a habit. Habits, for most of us, are stubbornly tenacious and difficult to change.
Eyesight is but one of the manifestations of the effects of strain upon the body. Clearly it has the potential to affect every bodily system to one degree or another. It has long been understood that stress and strain are implicated in maladies as diverse as asthma, obesity, depression, anxiety, heart disease, diabetes, gastrointestinal problems, Alzheimer's disease, chronic inflammation,premature aging and even premature death. It is clear that stress, and the strain-effect upon the body can be linked to changes in the way our bodies function and even in our basic structure (morphology).
This adds import, and even a sense of urgency, to the notion of managing our stress. It is not in the category of "things we all know we should do, but never get around to." It is (or should be) in the category of things to deal with and resolve very, very soon.
Thankfully, achieving a deep and profoundly relaxed state is not an unattainable goal. It is not hard to "do." Ironically, it is actually about the absence of "doing," mentally speaking. While this is antithetical to our typical way of thinking (charging forward, multitasking and "getting things done"), it is essential for restoring us and counteracting the effects that stress would inflict upon us daily.
While the point was just made that this process is not difficult, I will admit it is something which many have found far from easy. It may be because of our past associations, our training or our value systems, but for many it seems just out of reach. The concept of "letting go" may seem like "doing nothing," to some, and is therefore useless, selfish and unproductive. In a sense, we must change our way of thinking to accept that accessing this state of relaxation is perhaps one of the best things we can do for ourselves.
As most people know, our society is "information rich," and finding sources for information on relaxation and meditation should be quite easy. You will find that as you use these techniques (even if you start out believing you are doing them wrong) you will improve and find even greater levels of relaxation and peace.
So if morphology refers to form and structure, and, given that most likely "it is what it is," what difference does it make to any of us, and more specifically to our physiology? I would like to submit to you that I believe morphology is not simply "what it is" (fixed), but rather a characteristic that is ever evolving, positively or negatively. I am not talking about cartoons, but something affecting all of us, all the time, in real life, in deep and meaningful ways.
One might ask, "If morphology is constantly changing, why don't I notice it?" For the answer, we might look to something that, for centuries, has been considered a valuable source of understanding, -the eyes. The eyes, it is said, are the "Windows to the Soul." Through the eyes we might see the nature of an individual. We might see what he truly is. Through the eyes we might also be able get some idea of the relative health of an individual. Certainly it is possible for optometrists and ophthalmologists to identify high blood pressure and other physical maladies simply through examination of the eyes. The eyes might be considered early warning indicators of a variety of physical problems.
In a book entitled "Better Eyesight Without Glasses" (1971, Pyramid Books, New York, NY) William Bates, MD stated that "under conditions of mental or physical discomfort, such as pain, cough, fever, discomfort from heat or cold, depression, anger, or anxiety, errors of refraction are always produced in the normal eye or increased in the eye in which they already exist(p. 29)." He continued that "it has been demonstrated in thousands of cases that all abnormal action of the external muscles of the eyeball is accompanied by a strain or effort to see, and that with the relief of this strain the action of the muscles becomes normal and all errors of refraction disappear(p.37)." This would seem to suggest that stress of various kinds produces strain sufficient to alter the shape and function of the eye muscles. It changes the morphology of the muscles, and subsequently, the eye itself.
Further clarifying, Dr. Bates stated that "during sleep the refractive condition of the eye is rarely, if ever, normal(p.28)," and also that if one has eyestrain when awake, "that strain will certainly be continued during sleep(pp.41,42)." So the condition of sleep is not sufficient to restore normal vision. Likewise, many of us may know individuals who claim to be relaxed yet have faulty vision. These appear inconsistent, yet the answer may be very simple. Likely, for most of us, our normal state of rest or relaxation is not the deep and profound state that is necessary.
I would suggest that negative emotions, over time, have cumulative effects upon the structure and function of the musculature surrounding the eye, and therefore the eye itself. That could be why, even with Dr. Bates' innovative methods, older individuals (especially those who have made use of glasses) have a much harder time and require a longer period to effect an improvement in their vision. Perhaps it is that over time, and with constant repetition of certain behavioral patterns, morphological changes become relatively permanent. Any behavior in which we engage continually will become ingrained as a habit. Habits, for most of us, are stubbornly tenacious and difficult to change.
Eyesight is but one of the manifestations of the effects of strain upon the body. Clearly it has the potential to affect every bodily system to one degree or another. It has long been understood that stress and strain are implicated in maladies as diverse as asthma, obesity, depression, anxiety, heart disease, diabetes, gastrointestinal problems, Alzheimer's disease, chronic inflammation,premature aging and even premature death. It is clear that stress, and the strain-effect upon the body can be linked to changes in the way our bodies function and even in our basic structure (morphology).
This adds import, and even a sense of urgency, to the notion of managing our stress. It is not in the category of "things we all know we should do, but never get around to." It is (or should be) in the category of things to deal with and resolve very, very soon.
Thankfully, achieving a deep and profoundly relaxed state is not an unattainable goal. It is not hard to "do." Ironically, it is actually about the absence of "doing," mentally speaking. While this is antithetical to our typical way of thinking (charging forward, multitasking and "getting things done"), it is essential for restoring us and counteracting the effects that stress would inflict upon us daily.
While the point was just made that this process is not difficult, I will admit it is something which many have found far from easy. It may be because of our past associations, our training or our value systems, but for many it seems just out of reach. The concept of "letting go" may seem like "doing nothing," to some, and is therefore useless, selfish and unproductive. In a sense, we must change our way of thinking to accept that accessing this state of relaxation is perhaps one of the best things we can do for ourselves.
As most people know, our society is "information rich," and finding sources for information on relaxation and meditation should be quite easy. You will find that as you use these techniques (even if you start out believing you are doing them wrong) you will improve and find even greater levels of relaxation and peace.
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For more information about the process of decreasing the stress and strain in your life please read the article Strain Relief. To give the process a tropical twist, be sure to check out Tiki Tranquility.
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