The art of seeing with eyes closed

The perception of the world is different with eyes closed and open. For the effect to be complete and wholesome, it is recommended to meditate both with closed and open eyes. Closing the eyes is shutting out one sensory perception.  Seeing is also the easiest sense to withdraw. Withdrawal from all senses is a prerequisite for meditation. You will agree with me that eyes closed is not the same state as eyes open. Whereas you can’t see things with closed eyes (you can only imagine) sometimes you fail to see things with eyes wide open. That is what happens when meditating with eyes open – you withdraw the sense of sight even while the eyes are open. That is why Budha taught to medidate in standing and walking positions! Moreover, when meditating with closed eyes there is always a chance of falling asleep and crediting the resultant dreams to divine intervention! Maybe the best way to meditate is with eyes half open and half closed.

The actual danger is when we don’t see things staring on the face when your eyes are open and you are not meditating. This phenomenon is severally termed as ‘closing your eyes’ (when it is actually open) or ‘looking the other way’ (when you are actually looking at it). This is a very dangerous affliction these days in our young, middle aged, old and even ministers including the Prime Minister – well, that is another story.

The art of ‘seeing’ with closed eyes (or ‘seeing’ that which is not presented in front of you) is beneficial when it is evident that ‘What you see is NOT what you get’.

Let me narrate a story involving my friend Col Iqbal Singh (IS) working in the same office in Delhi in the late 90s. IS was a dashing young man at the threshold of hanging up his boots. Being a Delhiite and having a palatial house in Jankpuri he attended office from his own house and climbed rent allowance. Whenever I met him he was impeccably dresses like Sidhu (Not Himmat but Navjot). The turban was always elegantly placed on his pate with immaculate precision. As his daughter lived in London he spoke with a typical British accent. As his retirement date neared, he appeared very enthusiastic. His wife also concurred that his energy levels were raised since he started his evening walks in the park in front of the Tihar jail. On being confronted IS confided that his walking partner was a pretty young psychologist, who though addressed is as uncle he did not mind. He had an invitation from her to visit her parents and he did not know what to do. It was indeed a very piquant but explosive situation. His problem was who should know what and how much. He was not decid3d whether he should take his wife along or not. He reasoned ‘You see is love is blind, even when eyes are open, and age is but a number’. Obviously seeing his ardour I concurred and became pensive myself. Bereft of any ideas (obviously) I asked him “have you ever given it a clear thought without the turban on the head. Maybe you will get the answer”. He concurred and duly removed the turban – in his state anybody will do anything to get an answer!!!!! That was when I noticed that there was just one hair (so I could count) on his head – The motto of the Regiment came to my mind which I repeated aloud – “IZZAT ‘O’ IQBAL”. I told him to take his wife along. It so happened that this pretty little thing had invited IS (she must have also added "Uncle bring ‘aunty’ along no...", which IS may not have ‘heard’ or mistaken the word 'no' in the sentence to mean 'aunty' is dispensable – all senses being shut in a state of walking meditation) to her house that evening to introduce the Iqbals to her fiancé.

It is a good habit to develop a sense to see things even with eyes closed.