Working with the Gaze of the Eyes in Meditation

One of the most powerful, unused tools for meditation, is to work with the gaze of the eyes.

Working with the gaze of the eyes is known by many Yoga practitioners as drishti. Gazing to the thumbs, to the tip of the nose, to the toes, depending on the pose.

Also in Tibetan Buddhism, working with the gaze of the eyes is used. A gaze that is softly focused, and peripheral. Taking in the entire field of vision, wide open. This is often used as a means to enter a sky-like state of mind.

Many people are quite aware these days that the breath and the mind have a relationship, A very similar relationship is shared between the eyes and the mind, and it deserves more attention.

Just like the breathing pattern changes with different thoughts and emotions. So does the movement of the eyes change with them.

Reflecting, recalling a memory, having an inner dialogue, all have specific eye movements related to them. Up-right, down-right, left-down, and so forth. You can see it when people think and speak.

Stilling the eyes into a peripheral gaze, can quickly bring the mind to a halt with it.

I believe that the difference between an 'advanced' meditator opposed to a beginning meditator, is not all about the accumulated practice. But that instead, it for a large part has to do with the trained meditator simply knowing how to release a deep breath and still their

gaze, all intuitively, when they seek to take a mental pause.

Which means that a beginning meditator can make quick leaps in their ability to calm the mind, if they use this practice early on in their journey.

Give it a go, even just now, and you might be amazed by what changes to your mind-state in a matter of seconds.

A soft gaze to a wall, or into the distance, relaxed eyes taking in the view peripherally.

Let me know about your experience.