Try It Now: Foveal Versus Peripheral Attention

There are big differences between foveal and peripheral gazes. Just try it now. Stop for a moment, let your eyes just find their neutral-forward place, and without moving your eyeballs, let your attention go left for a while and then right for a while, up and then down. It feels different, right? Even just in the musculature of the eyes it feels different, in the tension of your face. Your attention is saying 'give me that rod data please,' and that changes how you use your hardware—your facial muscles, the angle of your eyes. But it also changes how your system prioritizes which data, when. And when you shift from a foveal gaze to a peripheral gaze, there's a cascade of endocrine, immune and cardiovascular changes—as well as neuronal of course!—that subtly shift your mood, your cognition and your gut. Your breath slows and deepens. Your heart settles into a steadier rhythm. Even old grudges your fascia has been holding onto have a chance to loosen their grip. If you want to influence yourself, just shifting from a foveal gaze to a peripheral gaze is an easy and powerful tool. These shifts are a wonderful part of Feldenkrais lessons.