Closed Eye versus Open Eye Meditations

[tulku]

So there are closed eye meditations where you shut your eyes and go deep inside.

 

There are open eye meditations where you gaze at an object with single-minded concentration.

 

Which method is better and why?

[Jetsun]

I guess its down to personal preference and the type of meditation you are doing as I have seen different masters say different things but many Tibetans say having your eyes half closed signals your body to relax more than having them open, but is less likely to make you tired/fall asleep than having them closed. So for beginners half closed then when you get better close them fully, although with my own meditation I close them fully because it involves some visualisation.

[Thunder_Gooch]

So there are closed eye meditations where you shut your eyes and go deep inside.

 

There are open eye meditations where you gaze at an object with single-minded concentration.

 

Which method is better and why?

 

 

Buy a mindfold and it doesn't matter either way

 

http://www.amazon.com/Mindfold-Sleep-Relaxation-Eye-Mask/dp/B000X2DODU/

[C T]

I guess its down to personal preference and the type of meditation you are doing as I have seen different masters say different things but many Tibetans say having your eyes half closed signals your body to relax more than having them open, but is less likely to make you tired/fall asleep than having them closed. So for beginners half closed then when you get better close them fully, although with my own meditation I close them fully because it involves some visualisation.

In the Nyingma schools all sitting meditations are done with eyes fully opened.

 

Key phrase is 'seeing things exactly as they are.'

[Jetsun]

In the Nyingma schools all sitting meditations are done with eyes fully opened.

 

Key phrase is 'seeing things exactly as they are.'

 

I don't know why it may be different but in the Gelug school at least in the beginning they say your eyes should look down toward the tip of your nose loosely. Because your eyes influence the nature of your consciousness so much if you make your eyes loose it helps to make your mind loose, not forced open or forced close

[Friend]

Trataka.

[eye_of_the_storm]

I have found trataka good also

 

I do open, closed, half open/closed depending on how I feel at the time ... though my practice is inconsistent

 

I find after staring for some time into space things go blank/"black" anyway?

[Protector]

Same difference as meditating on a mountain or in a cave

[C T]

Same difference as meditating on a mountain or in a cave

Not really. Some who are without sight 'see' more than those who's supposedly sight-endowed in full.

[C T]

I have found trataka good also

 

I do open, closed, half open/closed depending on how I feel at the time ... though my practice is inconsistent

 

I find after staring for some time into space things go blank/"black" anyway?

It can be a good thing not to fixate on any one method.

 

Things go blank mainly because there is a kind of forced 'seeing' happening. The idea is to gaze pervasively, but not too tight and not too loose. Too tight and a sort of mental and physical 'clenching' happens; too loose, and the whole psycho-physical posture collapses -- one could doze off, lose concentration, become led astray by discursive thoughts, begin to notice all kinds of minute discomforts -- in fact, become prone to all things detrimental to a productive session.

 

In order to remain in the right space, it is recommended to keep the sessions short, like 15 minutes each, and take small breaks. As is often the case, realizations occur during these gaps rather than in the actual practices themselves. Quality sessions are often more effective than quantity ones. Personally i never sit for longer than half an hour each time. Usually intermingle sitting with breathwork or prostrations, or both, and then settle afterwards with pervasive gazing coupled into the sitting. Sometimes i would do visualizations, but even then, it can be done with eyes opened, but not staring upwards.

[eye_of_the_storm]

Thank you for your reply (:

 

(open eyes) I actually would like to go further into the "blank state" I am totally aware... I am not sure if its moving into a sleep state - its like "reality" dissolves and the mind turns in? I suppose it is kind of...

 

when i lose the focus of... I see my surroundings again.

 

I would like to maintain a practice such as yours, I am happy for you (:

 

and excited at the prospect of maintaining a solid practice.

 

because i am young first i have to establish myself - unless i join a monastery.

 

peace

Edited April 21, 2012 by White Wolf Running On Air

[Protector]

Open eyes and closed eyes are not techniques and not something that can be better then the other

Eyes are one of the openings through which chi escapes your body and knowing how to apply this knowledge makes a difference in meditation depending on what your goal is

It's like knowing to grab a cup with your hand instead of your foot and wearing shoes on your feet instead of hands

Keeping your orifices closed and keeping your palms and soles of your feet up prevents some of your chi from escaping, imagine what you can do with that

Keeping your eyes open and NOT BLINKING makes your eyes hurt, cry, and want to blink

That's the opposite of keeping eyes closed and they both create resistance but they're as different as a mountain and a cave

[C T]

Open eyes and closed eyes are not techniques and not something that can be better then the other

Eyes are one of the openings through which chi escapes your body and knowing how to apply this knowledge makes a difference in meditation depending on what your goal is

It's like knowing to grab a cup with your hand instead of your foot and wearing shoes on your feet instead of hands

Keeping your orifices closed and keeping your palms and soles of your feet up prevents some of your chi from escaping, imagine what you can do with that

Keeping your eyes open and NOT BLINKING makes your eyes hurt, cry, and want to blink

That's the opposite of keeping eyes closed and they both create resistance but they're as different as a mountain and a cave

The issue of blinking was not brought up at all.

 

You enjoy putting ideas into people's heads... like the above, about chi escaping. Your imagination is quite remarkable. Why not then imagine all the external chi entering you by keeping your eyes opened? Or maybe, better still, keep one closed and the other opened, so that there is a two-way flow, with no traffic jam?

[Aetherous]

I like to look at nature (for instance, mountains) way off in the distance, while just sitting there doing nothing. Good for gaining perspective.

 

I also like looking downward, and relaxing the sight (so it's more peripheral). Good for becoming meditative and collecting your light.

 

Also like looking way up close at certain things...good for having attention to detail.

 

These methods tend to bring a sense of elation and calm, which I think is important.

 

Closed eye can sometimes make the eyes tense, but if it doesn't then it's great too...especially important if you can't focus on whatever your meditation is and can't calm down or go within.

[Protector]

The issue of blinking was not brought up at all.

 

You enjoy putting ideas into people's heads... like the above, about chi escaping. Your imagination is quite remarkable. Why not then imagine all the external chi entering you by keeping your eyes opened? Or maybe, better still, keep one closed and the other opened, so that there is a two-way flow, with no traffic jam?

 

What do you mean 'imagination'?

[C T]

What do you mean 'imagination'?

Imagination... as in 'unrealistic', with regards to professing how chi escapes when eyes are kept opened during meditation. Are you then advocating closing the nostrils, the ears, and all the other orifices as well? Its not very practical, is it? And if its not practical, or natural, stress follows. So one meditates, for one out of many other benefits, to reach a stress-free space, so that that can be carried into daily living, which mostly involves developing a keen eye to observe things, especially one's mind and responses, and also how the environment responds to one's general beingness. Otherwise, one could stumble even with eyes wide open.

[Friend]

Open eyes and closed eyes are not techniques and not something that can be better then the other

Eyes are one of the openings through which chi escapes your body and knowing how to apply this knowledge makes a difference in meditation depending on what your goal is

It's like knowing to grab a cup with your hand instead of your foot and wearing shoes on your feet instead of hands

Keeping your orifices closed and keeping your palms and soles of your feet up prevents some of your chi from escaping, imagine what you can do with that

Keeping your eyes open and NOT BLINKING makes your eyes hurt, cry, and want to blink

That's the opposite of keeping eyes closed and they both create resistance but they're as different as a mountain and a cave

 

Hey Nekomata,

 

Open eyes are not only for escaping. They are very capable to absorb energy.

Open eyes is good when one is strong. And the openess or closing grade of the eyes is an indicator of strength else there would be not these staring contest between

animals.

 

A relaxed eye is blinking little or less often and show that the rest of the body should be also relaxed - a state of readiness. Force is created between a relaxed muscle and a tensed muscle. The more the difference the greater the power.

So when one blink natural first, then the inner tension has reached its maximum and need release. As a short closing of eyes is a state to recover relaxation to release the build up tension. And if the creater is more weaker will look away and more drastic lower the eyes and even more drastic turn away the head.

 

I use the wording of Lao Tzu "The soft overcomes the hard"

 

The conncept of Starring can be found by Frater.D and other authors in the occults

getting a stare which can see the whole body at the same time and maintain of about 30 minutes. If not forcing but natural indeed it would be very impressive

as the power on develop is -as I remember reading those work of this author- is quite dominant as if the magic stare user is see into the secrets of this person.

(The eyes seem be able to keep moisture when the eye is relaxed.) (Never train this

so do not ask me just for information - for more instruction read the books)

 

Trataka again is teached either most with use of a flame of a candel or second to use a small object. When do as teached on will stare into the flame -but I show a different method by expirience:

 

"You sit in front of the flame about 2 Foot and look into the flame.

The eyes will close automatical when the light reach the eyes and it appears too bright for you. Sit with closed eyes in front of the Flame and try to open the eyes a little (There is a little tense up when you try to open up the eyes in the body)

 

As the Fire is stronger than you- allow the face to follow the eyes and tense the face up and do the mimic as the face want change into (appears like when you look into the sun or when you wake up and try to find the shorts). Relax, more around the eyes, keep focus with the closed eyes on the flame at the place where it would be if you look into the flame.

 

Try to open a little maybe one millimetre. Test if the eyes close- allow. Wait and relax and try again. The eyes will as I expirienced flow with tears even the eyes are closed and much tension is released (these tears are more of oily consistence). Try to relax from the eyes into the rest of the body. (It is like the fist, it maybe a fist but the muscle from the forearm is far more below and everthing in the body is connected.)

 

With time the eyes are more open and the time -to look into the flame before the eyes closed- is extended. With time you can then look into the flame.

 

And then Trataka begins really (I stopped here as I get this pre method from wisdom)

This is a safety build for natural adaption and inner strength by release of needless tension- instead of power and force to do the Trataka."

 

There is much into the eyes as it is with breathing and the relation with each other.

Well, everthing is connected with each other.... in different ways.

 

Best

Q

[Protector]

Thanks, Friend!

[Birch]

I was pondering this seeing thing. IME eyes go out to grab things. Closing them still lets them grab. Offering only one thing to them to grab, haven't tried it. I'm a bit of a sensual animal :-)

 

I should point out the 'grabbing' thing is an actual feeling. Like something reaching out from your eyes to get whatever's there.

 

And I should add that closing eyes at some point in meditation has resolved to them being able to see 'as if they were open anyway' so I'm not entirely sure wtf is up with that either. I had concluded a while back that 'non-local consciouness' was the only conclusion. But maybe there are others.

[Chi-Fox]

I recently have been doing open-eye meditation in a method that is described in the attached video. Harada Roshi has some great tips. For me, I have noticed that doing this in nature around a lot of plant-life is an especially effective tool for your eyesight. My visual perception has increased dramactically and I don't have 'floaters' in my eyes anymore. (i think that's what they call em. -Those little blurry things in your eyesight)

 

I have noticed that I will get what I will call "fractal vision" from doing this effectively in nature. It's very similar to the clairvoyance that one may experience under the influence of magic mushrooms in the forest. Like, hyper-vision! Everything is very sharp and clear. I mention this because I don't get the same effects from closed eye meditations that I do in the same area of wilderness.

 

 

 

[astralc]

From a neurological perspective, the eyes act as a switch to change brain states. When we close our eyes it messages the brain to switch to 'go to sleep' mode. This means that the brain immediately, within half a second, drops off production of fast beta brainwaves (12-40 Hz) and starts producing sleep frequencies, namely alpha the calm, transition, no activity state (8-12 Hz) followed by theta the dream imagery or lucid state (4-8 Hz) and finally delta deep sleep state (0-4 Hz).

 

Conversely, when the eyes open it does the reverse, sleep frequencies drop off and wakefulness brainwaves begin to dominate (back to the 12-40 Hz).

 

Our human brain evolved from small, quite defenseless creatures, living on the edge of survival. They had to be able to switch brain states (brainwaves) according to their environment. If they had slow waves dominant while awake and walking the savannah, they would be very attentive, too sleepy to notice predators and thus be eaten before they could run away to safety. They also had to be able to switch off their alert active brain at night to get a good nights sleep. The brain evolved to use eyes open / eyes closed to be able to change the 'state' of the being.

 

Meditating, as far as I am aware, has many paths, some are designed for open eyes and some for eyes closed. If you are doing tai chi for instance, you use eyes open and enter an alpha state, calm and relaxed. If we are seeking to gain a deep state of relaxation for insight or astral travel etc then you would use an eyes closed form to reach the lucid theta state.

 

astralc

[Elliot]

Interesting to read what all of you think about this, personally I agree with Jetsun and think its down to preference.

I have tried both and find little difference between them.