Eyes open meditation?
May 17, 2012 | 27 Comments
Often, when I teach our meditation technique to people for the first time, I hear this question, “why do we have to keep our eyes open?” Sometimes people say it’s easier to concentrate with eyes closed or there are just too many distractions or I keep seeing weird things, or simply become overly conscious of their vision.
This is totally understandable. When were you ever told to open your eyes for no particular purpose? Nothing to read, detect, peruse, or survey with the eyes. Just seeing. Similarly, with the ears—nothing to listen to or for. Just hearing. It’s a kind of open tuning with the eyes and ears and sense perceptions altogether. And when we apply this kind of open tuning approach to our minds by not directing it to count, analyze, dissect, or judge, but simply to relax and allow thought while we maintain awareness of breath—well, now we are getting into extremely interesting territory.
Often (of course) people come to meditation because they want to relax. Sure!! We want to feel more peaceful and at ease. There is too much anxiety. This is true. However, if we predicate our peacefulness on withdrawing from our circumstances, that peace will be short-lived indeed. If, instead, we can cultivate the ability to be peaceful with everything that is going on—with everything we see that is wonderful and terrible, all that we hear that is pleasing and dissonant, and all that we think, whether it is calm or aggressive—well then we’ve really got something. Now we can get up off our cushions, not with the sense of “back to the war zone, I’m leaving that peaceful place I’ve just been,” but with the sense of “I carry my peace with me wherever I go.”
And btw, peace does not necessarily mean placid or even undisturbed. Here, it means the ability to come back to balance, no matter what is thrown your way. It may take a few minutes or a few lifetimes, but now, through your practice, you know how to find and re-find your equanimity: by going toward your world, actually experiencing it, letting it go, and coming back to the present moment.
This can give you some idea of why meditation is sometimes called a path of warriorship. We drop preconceptions–this takes tremendous courage. We lean into our experience as it arises. We trust ourselves to know that whatever we find, we can taste it, explore it, and when it is done, let it go and come back. This is not a practice of withdrawing from this world to find peace, but of going into it and stabilizing our ability to be peaceful with what is. It is a practice of wakefulness. Therefore, our eyes are open.
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27 Comments
“This can give you some idea of why in my lineage we call meditation a path of warriorship. We drop preconceptions–this takes tremendous courage. We lean into our experience as it arises. We trust ourselves to know that whatever we find, we can taste it, explore it, and when it is done, let it go and come back. Ours is not a practice of withdrawing from this world to find peace, but of going into it and stabilizing our ability to be peaceful with what is. Ours is a practice of wakefulness. Therefore, our eyes are open.
–this is what I love about your sharing your lineage. It is teaching me to show up, to stay in my body, to embrace it all just as it is…and then know that I can look at another and be okay with them also. Such total freedom to love….a moment at a time….with eyes wide open….leaning into life! kc
this is lovely, kate!
Susan,
This talk is nothing short of inspired. I’ve started using your dharma talks as a part of my practice, listening to them from my cushion just prior to beginning my meditation. I already look forward to the next listen to this one.
A side note is that your energy is changing, or it changed at the end as you were speaking about your new project. I’m happy for you!
Love,
Tammy
So glad you enjoyed the talk. And, yes, I am tremendously excited about the new project. And also scared and hopeful and invested and happy.
Love, S
Oh Yeah – today’s post Susan is just delish. I’m gonna print it. The entire point for me has been to re-join the entire human race, and once upon a time, happily long ago, I wasn’t much fun to be around. Now I am feeling so connected to everyone, the bus driver, the cashier, the super of my bldg, and it feels fantastic! All due to one simple discipline, sitting and getting to know who I really am. I not only like who I AM, but also LOVE who I have become. Years ago at the beginning and for quite some time, lots of discomfort but it paid off in spades. Love, and more Love, Kathy
Welcome back!! The sitting practice of meditation is truly remarkable. Love, S
Susan: This is why I pay strong deep attention to you, as you are not afraid to say “exactly” how you feel, not one iota of denial, gawd, I so love that and thank you also for sharing ALL your feelings, you know like saying, “I am tremendously excited about the new project. And also scared and hopeful and invested and happy.” To me it means you are so authentic, a rare rare kind of teacher to find. This moves me and makes me respect you a ton more than some who always wear “some” kind of mask. Thank you Susan. This means the world to me and no doubt to everyone who follows you.
Love Kathy
Kathy! This is very lovely and makes me so happy. Thank you.
I sit in my house and make these videos and have no idea what happens once I hit “send.” It is great to know that they are attended to! Thank you again. Love, S
I loved the reference to getting up off the cushion “Now we can get up off our cushions, not with the sense of “I don’t want to leave that peaceful place I’ve just been,” but with the sense of “I carry my peace with me wherever I go.” In my study of the Enneagram, my mentor, Helen Palmer used to remind us of the following. Our study of the Enneagram allows us and challenges us to get up off the cushion and to do our practice as we live in the world. Coming back to center is necessary fuel to support the courage to continue on our path.
this is so great! i love that you tied the Enneagram to the inner journey. I have found it invaluable. btw, did you see THIS?? it is an amazing talk by Helen. she is some kind of genius.
Susan – I LOVE your reference to “open tuning”. That really resonated with me. Easy to play, don’t need to worry about making the right chord. Just a quick strum and it’s already where it’s supposed to be. It’s hard not to try hard!!
Excellent!
hello,
loved the piece but wondered if the audio could slowly fade and is it real or post production?
thanks susan!
peg
Peg, not sure I understand the question. What audio would you like faded? What are you referring to when you ask is it real or post-production? Happy to answer, just want to understand! xo S
Okay, gotta share. This was actually my first experience of keeping my eyes open; I’ve always kept them closed while sitting because of the visual “distractions” (and wearing glasses it is sometimes a bit disorienting to lower and soften my gaze with and without them) but, you know, now that I’ve experienced it (and lived to tell about it!) I’m thinking that keeping my eyes closed might have actually been contributing to my sense of wanting to withdraw/shut out off the cushion. Huh! Who knew?! 😉
Oh, by the way, Susan, the chirping of the birds is delightful! Just curious, was there a thunderstorm in the background on this one? I actually looked out my window to see if it was raining where I am 🙂
Janet, so great to hear this feedback and it’s great you were willing to try something different.
It was such a beautiful day when I made yesterday’s video–I had my window wide open. No thunderstorms, but occasionally a train goes by…
Hi Susan,
Funny, I was wondering about the eyes closed question just a couple of days before you answered it! I really appreciate your explanation, and it makes a lot of sense in beautiful ways I had not expected! However, although I have tried eyes open many, many times since starting the OHP, I cannot seem to get adjusted to it. I think the problem is my background in Insight Meditation. I have practiced (and continue to sit with my local community) using Insight Meditation for over a year before coming to the OHP, and we keep our eyes closed. It is a habit now, and it is most comfortable for me. I am finding it difficult to keep my eyes open during my OHP sits. Do you have any suggestions or comments on this? I would love to hear your feedback.
Thanks!
Hi Chelsea. There is no problem with eyes-closed. You should definitely honor the technique of your community. When using the OHP videos, just keep your eyes closed! That is totally fine and it’s better to do this than to create any kind of uncertainty during practice. Let me know if this makes sense? xo S
Yes, makes a lot of sense, and I will take your advice! Thanks so much for answering.
No problem!
Susan: Could you recommend a book on the Enneagram for beginners? Something that would be easy to understand how to get my own personality number? I see Helen Palmer recommended but thought I’d ask you anyhow.
Many thanks,
Love Kathy
With pleasure! Helen’s book, “The Enneagram” is as good an intro as you’ll ever find. I also love Eli Jaxon-Bear’s “Freedom from Fixation” which you can find on Amazon. Enjoy! Love, S
Susan: your instruction is so lovely– thank you. I resonate with the idea of deepening our “wakefulness” as I learn and practice “applied mindfulness” in my every day life — and teaching my daughters to do the same!— Also, I agree with your comments (may be from a previous post) that our goal is not to become more spiritual, but more loving humans…..yes!
Thank you,
Mayra
Thank you, Mayra! I appreciate hearing your thoughts and that you are bringing the fruits of meditation to your family. xo S
Do open eye meditation for deathlessness. Guru Ramalinga Vallalar who attained deathlessness, light body asked all human being to try his teaching..
Siddha’s Way of SUMMA IRU-Do nothing..
If you use mind karma will add to you. Get initated by guru and do nothing..
For more details, in the way of Ramalinga vallalar
http://deathlesseducation.blogspot.in/2012/05/meditationdavam-do-nothing.html
Thank you for this compassionate and instructive explanation of why we keep eyes open! As with Adelaide, I very much appreciated the sentiment of “Now we can get up off our cushions, not with the sense of “I don’t want to leave that peaceful place I’ve just been,” but with the sense of “I carry my peace with me wherever I go.”
Also, as you said, “Knowing, no matter what happens, how to find balance within our experience” Yes! With everything going on in the world, being in control is crazy-making. Rather, having faith in my ability to handle any situation I get myself into is my intention, and that begins on the cushion.
XO
Very glad it was useful, Shawn. xo S