VT Works

As we dive into the second weekend of the Sanet-Vergara Seminar in San Diego, one of the initial moments included a question posed to the group: On a scale of 1 to 10, where we are in terms of energy?

My answer – 26.

Outcomes, as a concept, have never been all that important to me, for one simple reason – they indicate a belief that time somehow stops. As if to suggest at some point we stop learning, stop focusing, or stop growing or that we are done improving ourselves. Do we ever really reach the end? It just seems to a bit a fabrication. Even if we consider results to be a snapshot, reality has to stop for it to actually occur, which just is not based in truth. We are always working to get better, we are always working to improve, we are always seeking the more efficient, whether we choose to be active or passive participants. Growth is a function of acting on or reacting to our life circumstances, whether those conditions are brief or perpetual, there really are not any outcomes – other than death. There is only what happens now and what happens next. Outcomes are not a real thing.

When it comes my fellow participants in the Sanet Seminars, very few seem to take a passive approach to learning – we are all a work in progress. As the second weekend began, the group was asked to share observations or changes they may have observed or made since we met in March, which brought on a slew of openness. The depth of vulnerability, courage and grace which flowed through the room is likely something that no one could have predicted. People sharing stories of their life changes all based on the impacts felt on the first weekend, back in March.

In demonstrating activities this weekend, Dr. Sanet made one thought extraordinarily clear – the best VT activities are done when the destination is unknown. As doctors and therapists, we have an idea of where we want the activity to go and possibly how we want our patients to get there, but in reality, we don’t really have any idea of what will happen. The single best way to move from the unknown into the known is to experiment, period. These experiments don’t have to be large or lengthy, either. They can be small. They can even be miniscule. The more we work on discovery in the area of unknowns, the more growth we can uncover, no matter the scale. The vital key is to approach the activities as experiments and to be willing to learn from the outcome, which is not only a great approach in Vision Therapy, but also in life.

Experiment with the Bi-Focal Rock activity to see how it changes your awareness of space. Experiment with Monocular Prism Jumps to see how it changes your perspective on spatial changes. Experiment with the Space Fixator to better understand how increasing peripheral awareness impacts your understanding of the world. Experiment with Wachs Mental Minus just to see where it takes you. When you’re done, decide what to do the new knowledge you’ve just gained. Remember, no experiment is bad if it provides knowledge.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote “All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make, the better.” 

In the framework of this weekend’s seminar, vulnerability was an experiment, sharing was an experiment, and meaningful experiences were an experiment. Dr. Sanet guided us through the unknowns in the name of discovery and safety, while those who shared part of themselves and fully exposed their own challenges and delivered the courage.

Heaps and heaps of courage.