Open-Eyed Meditation Changed Their Lives

One of the surprising things I’ve learned about mindfulness over the years is that, for many people, open-eyed meditation is a game-changer. In fact, eye exercises in general, such as EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and yogic drishti, can have a wonderful effect on our mental health. And it’s not just me.

In fact, it’s in the news today that GOOP co-owner Gweneth Paltrow has launched a meditation app called Moments Of Space that’s all about open-eyed meditation, which the actress says has changed her life. She personally doesn’t recommend the application of it, but I certainly recommend the general practice of meditating with your eyes open. And many of my meditation students tell me that meditating with their eyes open completely revolutionized their practice. But why?

The simple practice of controlling your gaze can have a profound effect on everything from concentration to anxiety. In fact, in recent years, researchers have found many fascinating links between eye movements and mental health. For example, the fact that holding your gaze can improve concentration, and that thinking about a painful memory while repeatedly moving your eyes from side to side will make the memory easier to bear.

I fully believe that understanding the link between eyes and mental health can help improve quality of life. And in this guide I will share everything you need to know. If you want to experience it yourself, simply watch the video below or read the instructions. And if you want to know more about the incredible science involved, read below.

Guided meditation with open eyes

1. Sit comfortably with good posture. Close your eyes for a moment. Now open your eyes a little so you can see a slit opening. Focus your gaze slightly downward.
2. With your eyes in this position, inhale and exhale deeply through your nose. Focus on your breathing.
3. Continue looking in the same place, open your eyes a little wider, and breathe deeply again, still focusing on your breathing.
4. Continue like this, gradually opening your eyes step by step, breathing deeply and concentrating on your breathing, until your eyes are completely open.
5. Now look straight ahead and focus on whatever you are looking at. So now you’re sitting, looking straight ahead, focusing your mind on anything you can see directly in front of you. Continue doing this for as long as you like, but I recommend at least a few minutes.
6. Now, primarily for educational purposes, I am going to introduce the core concept of EMDR. As you look ahead, recall a problematic memory (because it’s your first time, choose a memory that is somewhat unpleasant but not traumatic).
7. As you think about this problematic memory, move your eyes from side to side at a rate of back and forth per second. Do this for fifteen seconds and then stop. Look straight ahead for a minute, relax, and then repeat the process.
8. If at any time during the EMDR stage you feel unpleasant sensations, be aware of them and let them come and go as they will.
9. When you’re ready to finish, stay still for a couple of minutes and focus on breathing.

Benefits of meditation with open eyes

Moving your eyes in specific ways could have a significant effect on your mental health. Research shows that saccades (jerky eye movements) are linked to mental illness, and that eye exercises like EMDR and Treatka (meditation with open eyes) could reduce anxiety and depression and improve concentration. But why?

Part of the answer comes from the fact that the eyes and brain are deeply connected there. Thoughts and emotions cause eye movements and varying degrees of pupil dilation, and by moving our eyes in certain ways we can influence our thoughts and feelings.

For example, holding your gaze while concentrating on an object (a technique used inTrakaka or Candle Gaze meditation) can improve concentration, memory, and other cognitive processes. It is not clear exactly why this happens. One possible reason is that neural activity is directly related to eye movements and therefore the lack of eye movement reduces neural activity.

Specific patterns of eye movements can also improve mental health. For example, in EMDR, we move our eyes rapidly and repeatedly from side to side while thinking about a traumatic memory, and this has been shown in some studies. Help with PTSD and other complications. EMDR is believed to work because of the connection between the left and right sides of the brain. In traumatic memories there is a separation of the two cerebral hemispheres and this prevents the left side of the brain so that the right side does not calm down. When we practice EMDR we use bilateral eye movements to stimulate both sides of the brain while focusing on the traumatic thought. This reconnects the left and right hemispheres of the brain so we can process memory in a healthier way.

There is also evidence that all our thoughts are encoded in our eye movements. For example, in a study of Tobias Loetscher and his colleagues at the University of Zurich discovered that you can predict the number someone is thinking about by measuring the dilation of their eyes. That same eye dilation also indicates the level of confidence a person feels when making a decision. How this information can be used to advantage is yet to be determined, but I’m sure you’ll agree that it’s fascinating. What we do know for sure is that open-eyed meditations like Fácil are incredibly beneficial.

Fascinating facts

• Holding a painful memory in your mind while moving your eyes rapidly from side to side makes the memory less painful (this is EMDR)
• Maintaining steady eye contact with another person creates a strong emotional reaction.
• Saccadic eye movements (rapid, jerky movements of gaze from one place to another) are linked to numerous mental health disorders
• Holding your gaze straight and steady for prolonged periods increases attention and concentration when practiced daily for a few weeks.
• Keeping your gaze upward and concentrating on the third eye is a form of meditation called Shambhavi Mudra which is considered one of the most powerful of all mudras.

Precautions and contraindications.

Before attempting the above exercise, be sure to consult with a professional healthcare provider. Also note that there is some controversy about EMDR because the core theories of the technique are considered by some be unfalsifiable and unscientific.

Is it better to meditate with your eyes open?

As a meditation teacher I can say one hundred percent that it is neither better nor worse to meditate with your eyes open, and it really comes down to a matter of personal preference. In fact, most of the eye movement exercises we looked at above can be done with your eyes open or closed and will work either way.

The biggest difference between having your eyes open or closed is the amount of information your brain is subjected to. With your eyes open, the brain receives much more information than when your eyes are closed. But even this can be a blessing or a curse. Some people will find it easier to concentrate with their eyes closed because there are fewer distractions. Others will find that when they close their eyes the lack of stimulation causes them to enter a dreamlike state that prevents them from meditating.

Ultimately, it’s up to you. I recommend that you experiment with meditating with your eyes, open, closed and also open a little (which is the style used in buddhist zazen). He isHowever, it is very important that you find the correct method. for you. As a meditation teacher, I have seen many times that switching from closed-eye meditation techniques to open-eye techniques can have a profound impact on a person’s meditation practice and life.