Many first-time meditators
(myself included) assume that the most productive (and only) way to
meditate is with their eyes closed. The choice is actually yours: keep
your eyes closed or open. Each has pros and cons, with neither method
guaranteed to be better for you without first trying it out!
The video above talks about how you can meditate with eyes open, if
that’s what you want to do, but also offers a succinct explanation of
the advantages and disadvantages of meditating with either eyes open or
closed.Basically, with eyes open versus eyes closed:
- With eyes closed, you cut all stimulation from the surrounding environment and can possibly concentrate on your thoughts better. However, if your mind is not yet “disciplined” enough, you might let thoughts and minor distractions (like sounds) prevent you from getting into a productive meditative state.
- With eyes closed, you might feel sleepy and just fall asleep instead.
- With eyes open, you can avoid day-dreaming and other distracting thoughts because you just stare blankly in front of you. Some people find this to be an easier introduction to be meditation.
- Obviously, with your eyes open, you won’t fall asleep as easily (though if you do, that’s...quite impressive). Some claim, however, that their meditation doesn’t get as deep.
