If the x-technique works best for you use it. To avoid reading turn the book upside down. It's all to easy to switch into the reading mode.
The narrowing of the pupils indicate you are trying to focus with the fovea. When you relax your gaze it doesn't focus on anything and the whole world can seem out of focus. Most people experience this when they are day dreaming looking at something but their mental focus is somewhere else and the eyes have followed..
Chanting mantras? Relax, Relax said slowly over and over in a steady rhythm is hardly chanting a mantra. It's to keep the conscious mind occupied. If you are finding it hard . You're simply trying to hard.
The PhotoReading step itself is the easiest of the system other than entering the Accelerated Learning State, taking a moment to affirm your intent, and acknowledge your purpose, place the tangerine and smile and then get to the job of just looking at the pages with a soft gaze while saying a chant (for rhythm) to keep the pace as you turn the pages. Then close with a closing affirmation of your intent to notice what comes out of it.
We do all that to set the stage and help you change the rules you have about reading. Your headache and your posts says you're trying to get PhotoReading to work within your rules of how you think it should be. Rather, Let go and see what your experience is when you just do it.
Alex
