When you meditate, you have to focus, and most people find it much easier to do when they keep their eyes closed. If your eyes are opening when you are meditating, it could be because you feel uncomfortable, you are trying too hard to meditate or because it naturally helps you to focus.
This article will explore the top 4 reasons why people open their eyes when they meditate.
5 Reasons People’s Eyes Open When They Meditate
If you find yourself with open eyes when you’re trying to meditate, below are a few of the reasons why this might be happening.
1. You Feel Uncomfortable Meditating
When some people are beginners at meditation, they might feel a little awkward or unnatural. From the pose to the deep breathing, it can sometimes feel unlike anything else you’ve ever done before, which can make your eyes pop open even if you don’t want this to happen.
Once you get more comfortable at meditating, you should become more comfortable with keeping your eyes closed.
2. You Find It Easier to Keep Your Eyes Open
Even if you want to keep your eyes closed, it might simply be easier for you to keep them open. We don’t normally go throughout the day with our eyes shut, so for most people, it just feels better to keep our eyes open.
When you’re meditating, it might require a little effort to close your eyes, at least when you first start meditating.
3. You’re Trying a Little Too Hard
When you first start meditating, there are numerous things to remember, including breathing the right way, discovering a mantra, focusing, etc.
Because there are so many things to remember, it’s easy to forget to keep your eyes closed as you meditate, at least until you get used to the process.
4. You Don’t Like Keeping Your Eyes Closed
To some people, keeping their eyes closed doesn’t feel right and they simply don’t like it. If you’re one of these people, you may find it takes longer to feel comfortable with your eyes closed as you meditate.
If you don’t like this feeling and you aren’t comfortable with it, it’s going to be a lot harder to keep your eyes closed as you meditate, but you’ll eventually get used to it.
5. You Think It Helps You to Focus
Some people believe that keeping their eyes open as they meditate will help them focus better, so it’s a natural thing for them to open their eyes the entire time. They feel that the only way to establish a focal point is to open their eyes, so they keep them open the entire time.
As you can see, these are mostly challenges faced by people who are new to meditation. For many people, once meditation is practiced and you become more familiar and comfortable with it, it becomes much easier to close your eyes during the process.
But there is no “rule” that says your eyes have to be either closed or open. It’s totally up to you.
Is It Okay to Meditate With Eyes Open?
Meditating with your eyes open is perfectly acceptable. If you aren’t relaxed as you meditate, you won’t be able to achieve your goals, and if you feel more comfortable meditating with your eyes open, that’s perfectly acceptable.
In some meditation techniques, it is actually suggested that you keep your eyes open as you meditate. These include both Zen and Tibetan Buddhism meditations. If you choose to meditate with your eyes open, you won’t be alone.
Four Reasons Why People Meditate With Their Eyes Open
Why do some people choose to meditate with their eyes open? Here are a few of the reasons:
1. They Don’t Want to Fall Asleep
Some people become so relaxed while meditating that they start to fall asleep if their eyes are closed, so they keep them open the entire time. For people who are prone to falling asleep while meditating, this is a solution that usually works.
2. They Can Meditate Anywhere at Any Time
If you have to close your eyes when you meditate, you might feel limited when it comes to where and when you do so. Keeping your eyes open often makes people feel that they can meditate in more places and at any time of the day or night.
3. They Can Focus Better
Some people focus much better with their eyes open. They sometimes feel a little disoriented when their eyes are closed, which affects their focus, concentration, and their ability to relax.
4. They Feel More Relaxed
Everyone is different, and many people cannot relax when their eyes are closed. They simply relax much quicker and much better when their eyes are open.
How Do You Know If You Are Meditating Properly?
To determine if you’re meditating correctly, ask yourself the following questions:
- Is my body still and not moving?
- Do I feel a distance between my physical and emotional self?
- Have I let go of all judgment of myself?
- Have I lost my sense of time and feel totally “in” the moment?
- Do I feel that my actions are effortless and natural?
- Do I feel a complete sense of peace?
Is It Better to Meditate With Your Eyes Open or Closed?
People who meditate with their eyes open claim they can focus better, stay in the present much better, stay in the right mindset more easily, and also concentrate better. But this can also make it harder to focus because you have so many surroundings to glance at as you meditate.
People who meditate with their eyes closed claim they can more easily tune out distractions, become more aware of their feelings and emotions, and control their thoughts much better. But it is also harder to do for many beginners and can even cause some of them to fall asleep or lose concentration.
Conclusion
Meditation is different for everyone, so the bottom line is that you can meditate with your eyes open or closed. If it helps you focus and concentrate better and helps you achieve inner peace and deal with stress better, then it’s the right thing for you.