An eye-opener
Most people who swear by meditation do so with their eyes closed. That has been the practice worldwide, thus far. But now, eyes-open meditation is slowly and steadily gaining traction
By : Swati Sharma
Update: 2024-03-27 19:05 GMT
Gwyneth Paltrow has recently spoken about using eyes-open meditation to connect to her “highest self” and said she relies on it to “feel more whole.”
Paltrow posted: “I relied on my eyes open meditation to connect to my highest self, to not lapse into reactivity, and to try and keep my ego out of it. Especially when we feel something is not fair or unjust, someone’s not living up to their end of the bargain, or something. For me anyway, I can get reactive. And so I will now use eyes-open meditation in some of those difficult conversations, just to stay present. And to stay connected to my better part.”
Open Your Eyes
Eyes-open meditation involves meditating with your eyes partially or fully open, as opposed to closed-eye meditation. It often entails maintaining a gentle and relaxed gaze without fixating on any specific object. But how does one meditate with their eyes open? Is it better than closed-eye meditation?
Dr Babina NM, chief medical officer, Jindal Naturecure Institute, says open-eyed meditation involves maintaining a gentle and relaxed gaze without focusing intently on any particular object. “This technique allows you to be aware of your surroundings while still being centred and mindful,” says Dr Babina.
When you practice meditation with your eyes open, you teach yourself to find peace the same way you face everyday life. “You can help clear your mind without having to block out the visual inputs. Many practitioners of open-eye meditation find that it helps to enhance concentration skills,” explains Dr Babina.
State of equilibrium
In yoga, Trataka and Shambhavi Mudra meditation are a couple of famous methods that advocate open-eye meditation. “We must integrate meditation with our everyday life experiences. The higher goal is to maintain this awareness of pure consciousness that lies within us. Our spiritual masters do this because they have achieved it through years of practice, or sadhana. They are living in constant meditation,” says Nikhil Kapur, co-founder and co-director of Atmantan Wellness Centre.
Open Your Eyes
Eyes-open meditation involves meditating with your eyes partially or fully open, as opposed to closed-eye meditation. It often entails maintaining a gentle and relaxed gaze without fixating on any specific object. But how does one meditate with their eyes open? Is it better than closed-eye meditation?
Dr Babina NM, chief medical officer, Jindal Naturecure Institute, says open-eyed meditation involves maintaining a gentle and relaxed gaze without focusing intently on any particular object. “This technique allows you to be aware of your surroundings while still being centred and mindful,” says Dr Babina.
When you practice meditation with your eyes open, you teach yourself to find peace the same way you face everyday life. “You can help clear your mind without having to block out the visual inputs. Many practitioners of open-eye meditation find that it helps to enhance concentration skills,” explains Dr Babina.
State of equilibrium
In yoga, Trataka and Shambhavi Mudra meditation are a couple of famous methods that advocate open-eye meditation. “We must integrate meditation with our everyday life experiences. The higher goal is to maintain this awareness of pure consciousness that lies within us. Our spiritual masters do this because they have achieved it through years of practice, or sadhana. They are living in constant meditation,” says Nikhil Kapur, co-founder and co-director of Atmantan Wellness Centre.
Buddhists have been practicing a type of eyes-open meditation called Zazen for more than 2000 years.
“It’s a state of equilibrium. This is when we don’t get swayed by happy or sad thoughts from the past or about the future,” says Nikhil, adding, “It’s commendable when business leaders like Gwyneth Paltrow are able to experience awareness with their eyes open, as it shows their evolution in their spiritual journey. Business leaders and owners have plenty of distractions and stimuli, as the nature of business is dynamic, but the ability of a leader to maintain a state of mindfulness and self-awareness is a blessing for the team and all others with whom the business transacts.”
"After meditation, open your eyes very gently. Then, remain in meditation for a few minutes more, but with half-open eyes. This is very important. By spending just a few minutes meditating with open eyes, your consciousness remains meditative as you adjust to the waking stage."
— Kamlesh D Patel (Daaji), President of Shri Ram Chandra MIssion
Benefits
If you find that closing your eyes during meditation puts you to sleep, try open-eye meditation. It’s a sensible option for situations where you need to be conscious and awake because it can keep you focused and awake,” says Dr Babina.
Listing out a few advantages of meditating with eyes open, Raman Mittal Meditation Teacher and Co-Founder of Idanim says, “There’s a growing interest in meditating with open eyes due to its unique advantages.”
Integration into Daily Life: Keeping the eyes open during meditation allows individuals to seamlessly incorporate mindfulness into their daily activities. By staying visually connected to their surroundings, they cultivate a deeper sense of presence and awareness in all aspects of life.
Concentration: Maintaining a relaxed gaze while meditating encourages practitioners to remain attentive without becoming lost in distractions. This heightened state of awareness not only deepens their meditation practice but also improves their ability to concentrate on tasks throughout the day.
Integration into Daily Life: Keeping the eyes open during meditation allows individuals to seamlessly incorporate mindfulness into their daily activities. By staying visually connected to their surroundings, they cultivate a deeper sense of presence and awareness in all aspects of life.
Concentration: Maintaining a relaxed gaze while meditating encourages practitioners to remain attentive without becoming lost in distractions. This heightened state of awareness not only deepens their meditation practice but also improves their ability to concentrate on tasks throughout the day.
Greater Sense of Connection: Observing the world with open eyes fosters an appreciation for the interconnectedness of all things. Practitioners begin to recognize the unity underlying their experiences, leading to a deeper sense of empathy and connection with both themselves and the world around them.
When paired with yoga, both techniques require the practitioner to relax while becoming more conscious. These therapies harmonise the body, mind, and spirit by impacting all aspects of life. As a result, they not only encourage mental clarity and contentment, as well as physical flexibility, but also a special type of heavenly soulful healing, which is desperately required at this time,” says Dr Babina.
When paired with yoga, both techniques require the practitioner to relax while becoming more conscious. These therapies harmonise the body, mind, and spirit by impacting all aspects of life. As a result, they not only encourage mental clarity and contentment, as well as physical flexibility, but also a special type of heavenly soulful healing, which is desperately required at this time,” says Dr Babina.