Here is an oddity and i do not know just were it takes you. Like meditation, it can be practiced and i do think that repetition is necessary in order to winkle out whatever value can be achieved. I would be nice to have a claim story or two on this.
It is at least a form of meditation not too different than focusing on the inner eye and it may help those who initially have difficulty in retaining focus.
This is at least a method of bringing someone along into meditation itself which is often difficult when a partner simply lacks intention or respect for the process.
Eye Gazing — An Exercise for Soul Vision
By Nick Polizzi
Guest writer for Wake Up World
“The eyes are the window to your soul.” — William Shakespeare
I have a little challenge for you today that involves a simple but often cathartic ritual that has been practiced for thousands of years — eye gazing.
Our eyes are highly complex organs, capable of distinguishing the most finite details of our surroundings and interpreting the slightest discrepancy in another’s countenance. And yet, we rarely make direct eye contact with one another for more than a flashing moment.
It can feel awkward to lock eyes for too long during a normal conversation, but what is the source of that discomfort?
Beyond the various cultural connotations and social dos and don’ts that surround eye contact, there is an opportunity to create true connection with the people who matter to us.
Truly “seeing” another is one more checkpoint on the medicine path—a place to step outside of your ego and into your higher self.
Eye gazing—much different from eye contact—is a way to do just that. You’ll be surprised at what you’ll see and the emotions you’ll feel through the experience. It rarely disappoints.
The beauty of the exercise below is that it’s alarmingly easy, yet so rarely done, even with our most intimate relationships. There’s incredible power to gazing with someone you’re already in close relationship with (friends, lovers, and family), but it’s equally wondrous to do it with complete strangers.
The Eye Gazing Exercise:
This works best when both parties are already relaxed and fully present, so do whatever you need to get in this state. A 15-minute meditation, a yoga asana, a breathing exercise, a walk in nature, aromatherapy, or your favorite hot/cold therapy could work well here.
1) Set a timer for 10 minutes.
2) Sit across from your partner, preferably cross-legged on a soft rug or cushion, arms-length apart.
3) Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths.
4) Open your lids and look into the eyes of the person in front of you. Let the muscles in your face and body respond naturally to whatever is occurring in the gaze. This isn’t a staring contest; blinking is allowed.
5) No talking.
After the ten minutes are complete, it’s up to you whether you want to share your experience with your partner. Sometimes a conversation seems like a natural extension of what you just witnessed, and other times it feels more appropriate to simply thank one another and allow the experience to be what it is.
Buddhist teachings tell us that we are mirrors for one another, living reflections of both the light and the darkness that exist in our inner worlds. With our busy lives, it’s easy to forget to honor that sacred connection. We must open up if we are to help one another in this life.
Stay Curious,
Nick Polizzi
The very first time I experienced eye gazing I was floored by what I felt and saw. The connection you feel with another human being, the visualizations of past lives, future potentials and more, all can become very real while engaging in this exercise. Of course, there are many different intentions you can set before a session of eye gazing that can bring out an array of outcomes, but let’s jump into a rundown of how to go about an eye gazing session and from there we can explore what the benefits of such a practice might be.
“When eye contact between two people is initiated and maintained, an invisible energetic circuit is established between the two participants, dissolving the barriers that ordinarily separate them from each other, drawing them ever closer into a shared awareness of union.” Will Johnson
Right off the top it’s possible that some of us might think this is some “new-agey” or spiritual practice. I can assure you that eye gazing can be used by anyone and while the experiences we may get from a session might be different, everyone will certainly feel something and likely benefit from it.
Intention
Whether or not you are going to do this alone or with a partner, set out some form of intention about what you want to achieve with the process. It can be as simple as wanting to gain more comfort within yourself or with another, to looking into something deeper like past lives. You can also use this technique to connect more deeply with someone, understand their feelings, clear tension and so on. Setting the intention is quite simple, you say to yourself what you are looking to achieve and then allow that to be as you begin the process. In a partner situation, it’s best that both are setting out the same type of intention.
Generally this can be done most powerfully with a partner, however doing it on your own can also be a great experience. To begin you can first close your eyes and get your mind a bit quieter for a few seconds. To do this, simply focus on your breathing and try to let go of any expectations about the process.
If Gazing Alone
Open your eyes after clearing your mind with the process above. Gaze at your eyes in the mirror and allow yourself to get more and more comfortable looking into your own eyes. After a few minutes you may notice that your surroundings will become more blurred with time and eventually you may see just your eyes and nothing else. From here the process will vary depending on the intention you initiailly set in going into the exerceise. This is pretty much all there is to the process as what will be reveleaed to you is up to the intention. You can allow this to go for as long as you want but generally the longer you go the better the experience. You may not notice too much after just a few minutes so you may want to try things for at least 5 – 10 minutes.
Gazing With a Partner
Both people should sit comfortable across from one another. Open your eyes after quieting the mind and begin gazing into your partners eyes. Generally your eyes may want to focus more on the left or right eye. Choose one side and let it be. Over time, you may notice various colors or shapes changing when it comes to your vision of the other person. It is key to simply let all this be and don’t focus on it all too much. The surroundings will likely begin to blur and things will generally take their course from there. Once again this is based on the intention you set forth. It’s important to note that being open to how things will unfold is key as the same results may not transpire for everyone. Similar to gazing alone, the length of time you choose to gaze is entirely up to both involved, but generally results are better when doe for 5 minutes or more.
Gazing For a More Intimate Experience
This is generally best suited for couples or those in a close relationship. It can be a much more intimate experience and can assist in connecting before being intimate with one another. The intention of connecting deeply with your partner is set out in the beginning, from there the process is fairly similar to the previous methods. Sit across from your partner and begin to breathe comfortably. With each breath allow yourself to become more and more open and comfortable with connecting with your partner. Allow the process to unfold slowly and you may notice you will begin to feel much more unified with your partner. Roles between the two of you will disappear and a more true, soul to soul connection will be made. You can then allow the process to go where ever you choose for it to go.
Feel free to try out these exercises as often or as little as you like. There isn’t really a right or wrong way to do this. So long as we allow ourselves to be expectation free and open to the process, it generally can happen quite easily on it’s own. Truthfully, this type of exercise can also be done with nature. You may have found this has naturally happened to you before. By gazing at a tree, flower, or specific aspect of nature, you began to connect more and more with that single life form and everything else began to become less focused. You may have notice the energy waves the plant or tree gives off and you may have felt very connected with it. This can be a great calming and meditative exercise to practice.
If you have done eye gazing before, feel free to share any tips or experiences you personally have had in the comments below!
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