"There are several reasons for keeping the eyes open [during meditation]. With the eyes open you are less likely to fall asleep."
*LOL* The challenge for me is staying awake with my eyes open.
I first learned and practiced the Open-eyed Sleeping Technique as a university student. I even passed a few papers this way. :) More recently, I have perfected it as a mom with a child that has a sleep/behavioral issues. The trick is to go beyond the horizon of tired to the place where it all blurs just before you go cross eyed. Then you sustain that posture for as long as you can. :/ Trust me, it gets easier with time...you may even begin to feel confident operating heavy machinery this way..... *SIGH*
I first learned and practiced the Open-eyed Sleeping Technique as a university student. I even passed a few papers this way. :) More recently, I have perfected it as a mom with a child that has a sleep/behavioral issues. The trick is to go beyond the horizon of tired to the place where it all blurs just before you go cross eyed. Then you sustain that posture for as long as you can. :/ Trust me, it gets easier with time...you may even begin to feel confident operating heavy machinery this way..... *SIGH*
Going back to the book, I like where the master is headed with the thinking behind his open eyed medication:
"meditation is not a means for running away from the world, or of escaping it into a trance-like experience of an altered state of consciousness. On the contrary it is a direct way to help us truly understand ourselves and relate to life and the world." (page 68)
I do not want to run away from the life that I have; instead I want to find peace with it, in the present, so I can learn to enjoy those that I love and the world around me better. The world I live in is often a 'cruel to be kind one', where you learn that science does not have the answers...At times I long for the days when I trusted in what doctors told me implicitly, things were so much more simpler then. Alas, no.
I feel as if I have developed a thick, hard, impenetrable exterior at times to hide the sorrow and hardship. Only today I burst out into tears when my husband spoke to me about the arm-splints Mia will have to wear, possibly for the rest of her life, when she goes to sleep because we cannot be there at all times to make sure she does not harm herself. I hate restraining her when her hands are such an important part of her communication, her eyes, her smile. I cannot help but see her beautiful smile. But once I let it out, the ever present parental poise came out when I went spend some times with the girls. My husband is amazingly supportive, us ladies are very fortunate to have him as our rock.
So I hope meditation will help me to improve my enjoyment of life, so I can share it with those I love with infinite love and patience. With my eyes wide open, at peace with the moment and unafraid of what the future might bring. For my eyes to reflect compassion and love, for my whole being to feel it flow through my soul and into my body and back. I want to learn this lesson for myself, but also so that my children can experience a better relationship with me. I want to learn so that I can better love my husband and best-friend. Because I am not the only one that lives with the consequences of decisions.
Love
M-
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