Parent: Give these directions to your child to teach them how to “Go to The Spot.”

1. Start by taking a slow deep breath... and releasing it slowly. Let your shoulders and chest relax as you release your breath.

   1. This immediately begins the process of relaxing so you can focus your attention – your Mind’s Eye – on The Spot.

   2. If you wish, you may take a couple more slow, deep breaths to relax yourself thoroughly and become ready to learn how to Go to The Spot.

2. Now, pretend that there is a point or dot that is three to five inches directly above the midline of the top of your head ... bring all of your attention, your Mind' to this point.

   1. Notice all the changes you feel when your attention is on The Spot. Your Mind’s Eye is now on The Spot. Your Mind’s Eye is on Home Base for reading and other activities. Most of you will probably not notice anything new at first. With time and practice, you will find that you have access to effortless viewing from The Spot and a positive feeling that goes with viewing from The Spot.

   2. This process will take practice to get it right, so keep following all of these instructions until it is easy to Go to The Spot. Practice makes perfect.

      

      

3. Close your eyes. Move your index finger over your head until it is exactly on The Spot. Hold it there. Then, put it down.

   1. If needed, the parent adjusts the position of their child’s index finger so it is exactly on The Spot – which is 3-5 inches above the midline of their child’s head.

4. Now start again, position your fingertip on your The Spot.

   1. When you look at The Spot your Mind’s Eye automatically moves into the position of The Spot.

      1. See ... feel ... notice.

5. Put your hand down and relax for a moment.

6. Repeat the #4 exercise again ... put your index fingertip directly on The Spot above your head.

   1. Again, the parent adjusts the position of their child’s index finger if it is not exactly on The Spot – which is 3-5 inches above the midline of the top of their head.

7. Put your hand down... See...feel...notice.

   1. Describe what your Mind’s Eye sees as The Spot (Describe its color, shape).

8. Repeat #4 to #6 exercise until you place your index finger exactly on The Spot each time!

   1. Good work.

   2. Now you know where on The Spot is, and how to position your Mind’s Eye on The Spot by simply viewing and imagining it to be The Spot

9. Now, close your eyes. Visualize The Spot – See and feel it above the midline of the top of your head.

   1. Parent says: Tell me when you can visualize The Spot above your head.

   2. Then, the parent swipes their hand several times under and above The Spot, and through the position of the child’s Spot.

   3. While swiping your hand through your child’s Spot, you (the parent) ask: Does The Spot go away or move when I do this?

   4. No! is correct. If the answer is other than “no”, ask your child to start the exercise again... Repeat #9 exercise, until the child realizes that The Spot cannot be moved by anything happening outside of them.

   5. Nothing can make The Spot go away. It is always in the same place and always has been. It has been waiting for your attention to land on it. It is your own point of perceptual focus. It is the home base of the mind’s eye.

10. Beware though: your Mind’s Eye can leave its ideal position on The Spot due to ...

    1. Confusion that interrupts your reading.

    2. Distraction of the attention of your Mind’s Eye by an object, person, thing, or thought.

    3. These conditions can pull your Mind’s Eye off its position on The Spot to some other viewing point. The Mind’s Eye is incredibly curious and wants to KNOW. When the Mind’s Eye wanders, it makes it hard to find The Spot in that moment, disturbs perception, and interrupts learning to read.

11. When this happens,

    1. Stop,

    2. Breathe and Visualize “The Spot” above your head.

12. That is how to: “Go to The Spot” and know where your Mind’s Eye is viewing the world.

    1. Go to The Spot often when reading or learning in school to be sure your Mind’s Eye (your awareness) is on The Spot. And then, you can continue with what you want to focus on, like reading.

    2. While reading or concentrating on learning something, the parent periodically may ask the child to:

       1. “Go to The Spot.”

       2. Parent – beware of saying too often, “Go to The Spot.” Your child will quickly get tired of hearing this command.

13. Now, take in another slow deep breath while maintaining your attention on The Spot, and then release your breath slowly.

Once you have practiced enough to place your Mind’s Eye on The Spot so you can visualize it above your head every time, your Mind’s Eye, after being distracted, will usually naturally return to its ideal focus position on The Spot.

Remember ... When reading, if you notice an interruption and cannot focus well, return to steps # 2-4 to practice how to Go to The Spot. Good work, you have now established The Spot, and your Mind’s Eye will automatically return to The Spot every time The Spot is viewed or imagined.

Go to the Spot

1. Before and during reading

2. Before and during taking a test

3. Before and during performing athletic skills.

4. Whenever you start to feel confused, frustrated, uncertain The Spot becomes your good and dependable friend

The Roving Mind’s Eye Can Leave its Ideal Position on The Spot

This is for Only the Parent to Do: If you want to know how your child can reverse the letters and see them upside down, follow this exercise – 

However, if you are getting resistance from your child when they are told to Go to The Spot do this exercise with your child to show them the miracle of the Mind’s Eye on The Spot

Start them with: Imagine, look at the clock on the wall, and then put your finger tip on The Spot. … Now, move their fingertip down to the 6:00 viewing position. Follow the directions below .... ask what letters and word they see (was); continue counterclockwise to 3:00 ... to 12:00 ... 9:00, following the directions below.

1. Now that you have established your Mind’s Eye on The Spot, you can notice what happens each time your Mind’s Eye moves off of The Spot while you read.

2. Look at a clock face on the wall with the word “was” in the middle of it.

3. You are going to move your Mind’s Eye, counterclockwise to the numbered positions on the clock and view what the word in the middle of the clock looks like as you change viewing positions.

   

   

4. Start by moving your Mind’s Eye below 6:00 on the clock on the wall.

   1. What is the first letter you see?

      1. w

   2. What is the second letter you see?

      1. a

   3. What is the third letter you see?

      1. s

   4. What does the word look like on the clock?

      1. w a s

5. Move your Mind’s Eye beside 3:00.

   1. What is the first letter you see?

      1. s

   2. What is the next letter you see?

      1. a

   3. What is the next letter you see?

      1. w

   4. What word do you see now?

      1. s a w

6. Move your Mind’s Eye above 12:00. From this position, look down at the word “was” on the clock... Notice that you are seeing things upside down (from top to bottom) with your Mind’s Eye.

   1. What does the letter “w” look like now?

      1. M

7. Move your Mind’s Eye back onto The Spot. What do you see when you look at the word in the middle of the clock?

   1. Okay! You have seen how you can see words and letters upside down and in reverse.

   2. Whenever you get interrupted or become confused about what you see ... stop; and Go to The Spot ... and then look again at the word or symbol.

Learn to Read, so you can Read to Learn. ™