CAN YOU MEDITATE WITH YOUR EYES OPEN?

Have you ever tried meditating with your eyes open? I didn’t even think it was a thing! If you’ve heard about it or have just started trialling it, I’m sure you’re wondering how to empty your mind with the whole World to look at. It’s ok though,I have investigated the topic for you.

Can you meditate with your eyes open? In Tibetan Buddhist tradition, your eyes should stay open during a sitting meditation, pointing down at a 45-degree angle. Keeping your eyes open can indeed create a better condition for meditating, by preventing us from dozing off and our mind from creating disruptive images.

So, you want to try and meditate with your eyes open, but you’re probably not too sure how to start. Are there specific techniques to follow? And what are the benefitsof it? I’m sure you have these and other doubts on the topic, so let’s wipe them away and find answers to your questions!

CAN YOU MEDITATE WITH YOUR EYES OPEN?

If you’ve been practising closed-eye meditation, you will definitely know that often, as soon as you close your eyes, your mind opens and thoughts are very difficult to control. That’s where meditating with your eyes open comes in handy!

It does sound a bit weird at the beginning, I know, but you really can meditate with your eyes open. Not only, but according to the Buddhist and Zen traditions, open-eye meditation is the proper way to go, as it prevents you from creating mental “dullness” and helps you be fully present.

You might object that having your eyes open might even shut your subconscious thoughts, but it will certainly also bring to your attention many other potential distractions. Indeed, sight is just another source of input for your brain and it’s very common to daydream, even while we are doing tasks that require our attention (walking, cooking, working…). Imagine how easy it could be to daydream during meditation!

Fair objections you’ve got. That’s why, if you want to start meditating with your eyes open, and especially if you are a beginner, some teachers will encourage you to start with your eyes closed and, when you feel that your mind is relaxed enough, you open them. Indeed, you can keep switching between closed and open eyes, depending on your needs.

There are specific steps you can follow in order to practice open eyes meditation, I’ve written them for you further on in this article, butkeep in mind that meditation is not a specific posture or the decision to keep your eyes open or shut. It’s a state of mind and you’re free to practice it the way you feel is most suitable to you.

BENEFITS OF OPEN EYES MEDITATION

Aside from the fact that many meditation philosophies suggest it’s better to meditate with your eyes open, because that shushes your subconscious thoughts, there aremany other benefits in choosing this kind of practice.

Personally, my main closed-eye meditation issue is that I struggle to stay awake. Maybe I’m overtired or maybe that’s my response to that deep sense of relaxation, but if you have my same problem, meditating with your eyes open could be a blessing because, guess what, you cannot fall asleep with your eyes open!

Even if you’re not a sleeping meditator, the benefits of open eyes meditation are great and multiple. As you get better at it, you can start integrating meditation in your daily life and do it anywhere, while walking or at work, where your last meeting stressed you out and gave you a bit of a headache.

You may argue that the stimuli you receive with open eyes are too many to actually meditate, but don’t let that stop you. As you improve your open eyes meditation skills, ignoring stimuli will get easier and your concentration and focus skills will also grow, with benefits that go beyond the sole meditation practice.

Not only, but open eyes meditation can also help you expand your awareness of the World around you and can teach you to deal with your emotions and thoughts in a calm, gentle and open manner.

Last but not least, if you keep your eyes open while meditating, it will be immediately obvious to you when your mind starts wandering off (daydreaming) and you’ll be able to regain your focus quicker.

HOW TO PRACTICE OPEN EYES MEDITATION

If so far you’ve only meditated with your eyes closed, understanding how to practice open eyes meditation can be a bit tricky and confusing.It’s ok though, because I’ve listed for you the actual steps to start practicing meditation withyour eyes open:

1. Choose one focus point, it can be an everyday object or, even better, something natural, like a plant or a candle flame. Better if it is not something that can trigger thoughts (calendar, photos…);

2. Move your focus to your feet, or the floor in front of them, if you’re surrounded by too many distracting things. A 45-degree angle will limit your visual field, preventing your thoughts from roaming;

3. Bring your breathing into awareness, which will help your body and mind relax, but keep your focus point, try not to blur your vision;

4. Bring your surroundings into awareness, by simply noticing the objects or people around you. Start with a limited area and if it’s too much, go back to your focus point;

5. Focus back internally, like for a body scan, and accept everything you feel, negative emotions included;

6. Regain your focus point and, if you’re practising in a chaotic place, just observe the events unfolding in front of your eyes;

7. Bring open eyes meditation into your every day, and practice while you’re working, exercising, cooking…

At the beginning, you’re better off starting in a calmer environment with limited visual stimuli, but as you improve your concentration skills, try this practice while in the middle of the city or at the stadium. Remember, it can even be for just 1 second.

OPEN EYES MEDITATION TECHNIQUES

Meditation with open eyes is no new trick; indeed, there are many meditation techniques that use it. Here are the most common:

• Mandala – a mandala (Sanskrit for “circle”) is a symbolic image considered a complex map of the universe. Mandala meditation involves focussing on the selected image while sitting, concentrating on all of its details and letting its shapes, patterns and colours work on your unconscious mind to deeply transform you;

• Colouring Mandala – this art therapy is also an alternative open eyes meditation technique, which uses images of the sacred circles to relieve stress and anxiety. Colouring a mandala with your choice of colours can giveyou meditation benefits together with space for your creative side;

• Object  – it’s a good meditative technique which helps you function in the real World, because you learn to keep your mind focussed and calm while looking at one object, like a tree. Don’t label or interpret your chosen object norits details, simply see it for what it is;

• Candle  – it’s a form of object meditation, also called Trataka, where your focus is placed on a candle flame. You should gaze at the flame until your eyes start watering, then close them and focus on the flame after-glow, bringing awareness at the height of your Third Eye;

• Walking  – in this practice, you bring awareness to your otherwise automatic process of walking. You observe it, together with the sensations that accompany it, like the air caressing your face, the feeling of the ground under your feet, the view of everything you encounter and the sounds you hear in your surroundings;

• Mindful Seeing – itentails noticing everything within your visual field, with mindful attitude. Initially, you can choose a single object to focus on, like your work desk, and then start noticing what’s on it, around it, its colours, textures… It’s simply feeling, sensing, noticing and being present in the moment;

• Standing  – developed in China by acupuncturists and meditation yogis, this technique, also called Zhan Zhuang, is a form of medical meditation. By using 5 very specific standing postures, this form of open eyes meditation can help you release stress and increase vitality, body strength and power;

• Kundalini Yoga – yoga might be seen as a very popular form of exercise, but it’s not a simple physical practice. The ancient roots of yoga are based on wellness for the body and the mind. Kundalini yoga, in particular, is an active form of meditation that incorporates deep breathing and mantras to movements;

• Swimming – swimming is a form of Vipassana meditation working towards a mindful state. In this practice, you need to move slowly, regularise your breathing and focus on one element, visual or auditory: the sound of bubbles exhaled from your nose, the shape of your arm rising out of the water, the “holes” made by your hands…

• Tai Chi – this internal Chinese martial art is a blend of physical activity and meditation, which exercises all parts of the body and the mind, building your inner strength inside out. You can use this moving meditation’s graceful movements to focus, silence your thoughts and release inner tension;

• Kung-Fu – like other martial arts, kung-fu is considered a form of moving meditation that relies on body, mind and spirit development. Indeed, in kung-fu your success is not measured by rank but by your improvements in managing emotions and energy, which leads to mastering your action rather than suffering your own reactions.

As you can see, if you want to try and meditate with your eyes open you have plenty of options to choose from.Just give it a go, I’m sure that in no time you’ll see great results… just in front of your eyes.

RELATED QUESTIONS

Is it common to fall asleep during meditation? Meditation puts you in a very relaxed state, so it’s quite common to feel sleepy and, sometimes, to fall asleep during your practice. Indeed, finding the perfect balance between focus and relaxation can be hard, and if you’re overtired when you meditate, your body will simply get what it needs.

How do I stop my mind from wandering during meditation? To stop your mind from wandering during meditation you can give it a task, like counting your breaths, using guided meditation with detailed visualisations. Alternatively, open eyes meditation has been proven to drastically reduce your mental “dullness” in favour of awareness of your surroundings.

Can I meditate at night? Meditation can be practices at any time, day or night. There are no side effects, aside from the risk that, at night, you might fall asleep more easily. However, if your busy mind keeps you awake at night, meditation can be the answer to silence it and let you enjoy a restful night of deep sleep.