How to meditate with your eyes open

When people imagine someone meditating they tend to think of a wise soul sitting cross-legged, with their eyes closed, enjoying their clear mind. This can be an intimidating figure to aspire towards.

It’s vital that we challenge the stigma surrounding meditation. It’s not about sitting in perfect stillness. Meditation is not limited to people who are spiritually enlightened, experts at emptying their minds, or yogis accustomed to holding their bodies in awkward positions. 

Meditation is for everyday people too (anyone seeking to improve their lives). It’s not a complicated practice structured with loads of rules. It does come with its set of challenges and difficulties but it’s an inclusive discipline that requires no equipment, expertise, or physical skills to start. Meditation is accessible even though many of us believe it’s only for gurus, monks, and spiritual leaders. It has been overcomplicated and portrayed as unattainable in popular culture, when in reality, it can be practised by anyone, at any time. We can all learn the art of getting into a ‘meditative state.’ 

To slip into meditation you simply need to be intentional with your mind (and what you choose to focus on is up to you). Common areas of focus include the breath, visualisations, sensations in the body and the stream of consciousness. 

The only necessity for entering a meditative state is to go into a session with intent and purpose. Meditation warrants practising awareness. It necessitates giving close attention to something. You don’t need to do anything physical or be of a certain intelligence or religion to meditate. Anyone can meditate – even with their eyes open!

Why open your eyes when meditating?

Keeping the eyes open during a meditation session allows for visual stimuli which can help us maintain a sharp sense of awareness and focus – beneficial for those of us who often feel drowsy. We want to avoid getting into the habit of falling asleep when we meditate as this disrupts the purpose of meditation – being alert in the present moment. Whilst meditation is largely about finding peace, it’s not about completely switching off the mind and body. 

Sleep requires individuals to surrender, meditation requires individuals to mindfully focus. Remaining conscious is important and if you often feel half-asleep when you meditate it’s worth factoring in more hours of sleep at bedtime. Meditation often reveals important truths to us, if we are sleep-deprived, it will feel obvious when we stop to meditate. The state of our minds and bodies becomes clear in meditation sessions and it’s worth taking note and letting the enlightening process inform you. 

Meditation guide: An eyes-open practice

To begin your eyes-open meditation session, find a quiet place where you can relax and take a seat on the floor (ideally somewhere you won’t be disturbed for 10 or 15 minutes). Depending on your preferences, play relaxing music in the background or embrace the silence. 

Decide on a ‘gazing point’ to focus on during the session. You can select an object that makes you feel positive, inspired, or tranquil to look at. That might be a candle, a book, or a bouquet of flowers. You can also simply choose to gaze at a spot in the room you’re in (perhaps a mark on a carpet). Whatever you choose to focus on make sure you’re happy relaxing your gaze on this spot. You don’t want to have to strain your neck or get into any awkward position to view your spot so make sure it’s in a comfortable site. 

Rest your eyes on your gazing point and without labelling what you’re looking at, notice its features. Don’t assign any meaning to the object or spot you’re looking at, just allow your mind to curiously consider it. Notice its colour, texture, and size. Take in all the little details. This inanimate object might at first glance feel uninteresting and maintaining your attention on it may feel difficult to begin with (don’t panic). The more in detail you look at it, the more you’ll notice. Keep an open mind and remember that we often overlook what’s right in front of us. Allow yourself to tap into that childlike curiosity and observe. 

You might find yourself randomly daydreaming or going over your to-do list – that’s OK. When this happens, use the breath to bring you back to reality. Please know that getting distracted is a natural part of being human (our brains are programmed to resist silence and look out for new stimuli)!

Just keep gently refocusing on your gazing point. When you’ve spent a few minutes with this object/spot on your floor, slightly widen your gaze to take in more visual stimuli. Notice other elements in your direct eyesight. Perhaps you can see your shadow, some wires on the floor, or an item of clothing. Observe these items.

When you feel you’ve spent enough time taking in your surroundings, and feel eager to move on, begin to notice yourself. How do you take up space in your environment? Try to avoid labelling yourself or seeing yourself from a personal lens, and instead, simply notice how you physically exist (practice being non-judgemental).

Notice your stomach slowly rising and falling as you breathe in through your nose and out through the mouth, your heart beating in your chest, and your body being supported by the floor beneath you. Are your legs resting on the soft carpet beneath you? Are your hands curled up on your lap? Take time to ponder how you exist in this space together with all the other inanimate objects.

The goal is to focus on your visual field and maintain your attention on your current environment. Allow yourself to embrace your surroundings for a few minutes and slowly you will start to fall deeply into a meditative state. 

The feeling of entering a meditative state is subtle. Don’t expect to notice a dramatic change in your frame of mind or any sudden bodily sensations. In fact, going into a meditation with as little expectations as possible is the smartest move. Pressure isn’t conducive to a satisfactory session. Your mind doesn’t suddenly empty once in the meditative zone. 

Inner chatter is normal even for the most experienced meditators. So, let those disruptive thoughts arise, allow them to take up space in your mind, and calmly watch over them. When you allow your thoughts to exist rather than fighting them, they quickly move on. Thoughts are temporary, they expire, and we can encourage this process by not feeding into them or trying to get rid of them. Practice awareness, non-attachment, and then refocus. 

It’s valuable to note that there are several ways to carry out an open-eyed meditation session, so, if the method above doesn’t resonate with you, keep experimenting with other exercises! Sometimes walking meditations are great for those of us who crave a richer environment to focus our attention on. Others may find having their eyes open overwhelming and prefer to have less sensory activity in their awareness. Everyone is different and it’s good to honour our unique wants and needs. It’s worthwhile trying a variety of meditation practices before sticking to one exercise or giving up practising altogether. Your experience will differ based on the style of meditation. 

Meditation becomes easier and effortless the more you do it. Just like strengthening your body, learning to get into a meditative state takes time and practice. You don’t go to the gym once and expect to walk out with a six-pack. The same goes with meditation – you don’t do one session and feel instant inner peace.

With regular practice, you will start to notice differences in your mentality, physicality, and overall livelihood (but it takes time). As the saying goes, “Patience is a virtue.” Meditation can dramatically improve anyone’s life, they simply need to be willing to trust in the experience.