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.
Although all living things change through growth and development, generally speaking, most of us would likely assume that basic physiological structure or morphology changes very little (excepting of course metamorphic processes such as seen in caterpillars changing to butterflies). I would like to suggest that assumption may be at least somewhat inaccurate. I believe that the physiology of our physical being (our bodies) may be continually changing in response to many factors including environmental, behavioral and even the cognitive/emotional. If this were true, it would have great implications for all of us, almost all of the time.
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.
If those things were true then why wouldn't we all have normal vision once we relax? Certainly after a full nights sleep we'd all have perfect vision. Well, first of all, sleep, while rejuvenation, does not necessarily bring us to a state of complete restfulness. "During sleep the refractive condition of the eye is rarely, if ever, normal(p.28)" stated Dr. Bates. He also stated that if an individual has eyestrain when awake, "that strain will certainly be continued during sleep(pp.41,42)." Also, many of us, after a hard day, relax, however that doesn't mean we immediately have normal vision. I believe that the problem lies in that for most of us our "normal restful state" is not the deep and profound state of rest that is required.
It would seem that the very structure and operation of the muscles surrounding the eye are changed by negative emotions. Perhaps that is why improvement of eyesight, even with the remarkable methods of Dr. Bates, takes a much longer time for older individuals than it does for younger ones. Maybe as patterns of behavior continue, their effects become more and more rigid. The morphological changes occurring as a result (including faulty vision) may become relatively fixed.
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).
How many times do we hear or see something and think to ourselves "wow, I should really look into that," and then do nothing, or allow that thing to simply fade from our consciousness? While this could be "one of those things," it shouldn't. Attending to and mitigating the effects of stress will have real and immediate benefits in our lives.
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.
There are many resources for information about relaxation and meditation, including the internet and libraries. Do not try and wait for the "right time" to get started. Now is the right time!
Although all living things change through growth and development, generally speaking, most of us would likely assume that basic physiological structure or morphology changes very little (excepting of course metamorphic processes such as seen in caterpillars changing to butterflies). I would like to suggest that assumption may be at least somewhat inaccurate. I believe that the physiology of our physical being (our bodies) may be continually changing in response to many factors including environmental, behavioral and even the cognitive/emotional. If this were true, it would have great implications for all of us, almost all of the time.
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.
If those things were true then why wouldn't we all have normal vision once we relax? Certainly after a full nights sleep we'd all have perfect vision. Well, first of all, sleep, while rejuvenation, does not necessarily bring us to a state of complete restfulness. "During sleep the refractive condition of the eye is rarely, if ever, normal(p.28)" stated Dr. Bates. He also stated that if an individual has eyestrain when awake, "that strain will certainly be continued during sleep(pp.41,42)." Also, many of us, after a hard day, relax, however that doesn't mean we immediately have normal vision. I believe that the problem lies in that for most of us our "normal restful state" is not the deep and profound state of rest that is required.
It would seem that the very structure and operation of the muscles surrounding the eye are changed by negative emotions. Perhaps that is why improvement of eyesight, even with the remarkable methods of Dr. Bates, takes a much longer time for older individuals than it does for younger ones. Maybe as patterns of behavior continue, their effects become more and more rigid. The morphological changes occurring as a result (including faulty vision) may become relatively fixed.
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).
How many times do we hear or see something and think to ourselves "wow, I should really look into that," and then do nothing, or allow that thing to simply fade from our consciousness? While this could be "one of those things," it shouldn't. Attending to and mitigating the effects of stress will have real and immediate benefits in our lives.
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.
There are many resources for information about relaxation and meditation, including the internet and libraries. Do not try and wait for the "right time" to get started. Now is the right time!
About the Author:
To start the process of creating a more peaceful lifestyle, a good place to start would be the article "Strain Relief".If relaxation is associated with the ocean and tropical themes, be sure to check outTiki Tranquility.
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