Eyes closed | If you are someone who is seeking spirituality in your life, then there are many ways to achieve this. Today, we discuss one of the rather easier ways to gain an understanding of what it means to be spiritual, and this is recommended by none other than one of the greatest spiritual leaders of our time, Yogi Sadhguru.
Being spiritual means turning inward, having a reflection of life that is not marred by the physical aspects of society, and creating a consciousness of the inner self.
Sadhguru’s recommendation is simple – to sit or lie down with your eyes closed everyday for an extended period of time. In a session, he speaks about this in length and we are going to break it down for you in a very simple manner. And the best part is that there are multiple benefits of closing your Eyes closed and being with yourself!
1. Removing the onslaught of colors and visuals upon your senses
We live in a world today which is highly visual, and this impacts us in two critical ways. Firstly, we are always connected to the people around us, leaving our mind very little rest; and secondly, we are unable to shut ourselves off from the world even if we try.
So, breaking off from this cycle of constant involvement with our surroundings is highly necessary for anyone seeking spirituality and this is also why relaxing is so important for your Eyes closed.
2. Staying grounded by reducing visual input
Sadhguru explains the importance of closing your eyes for an extended period of time in his speech. He says that the primary benefit of reducing visual input is staying grounded in oneself. This is how Yogis across the world, and across religions, still attain meditative stances.
Once you try performing this for yourself it may be easier said than done. So, you can start with one hour every day. If you can stay at it you will very soon understand the benefits of resting your eyes and cutting off the world around you.
3. Achieving Pratyahara – a new dimension of energy
In ancient rites of Yoga there are many sects, and one of them is Pratyahara, which is achieved by the action of long-term removal of self from human society. Many yogis perform this by moving to forests and mountains.
The act of spending time with eyes closed emulates this within the confines of one’s home. Sadhguru himself practices this for over 6-12 hours on many days. Of course, for us to achieve 6 hours of Pratyahara would take rigorous practice. But even if we do this for 1-2 hours everyday, we will achieve a sense of Pratyahara, and realize that a new dimension of energy exists within us.
4. Take your outwards sensory engagement and put it inside
Visual engagement is one of the primary ways in which we interact with the outside world. Often we think that staying away from screens will help us relax our eyes, but this is not true. So, what to do for relaxing eyes? Firstly, start by not looking at the faces of people around you.
When we look at faces we are always engaging with them, even without speaking or interacting in any other way. One of the key benefits of your Eyes closed is that you stay from this engagement and do not lose your sensory energy.
5. Let your mind’s content flow
When you stop engaging with the rest of the world, you will truly begin to engage with your mind. Sadhguru warns that when this is actually done, it may be a scary experience at first. Since your mind will start flowing to places you do not want it to go to, you will try to control it forcefully.
But, this is not something you should do. Only if you let your mind roam freely will it calm down and rest after a while. This is when you will start to see the world with a different vision. So, begin the practice of relaxing your eyes and remaining in this stance for longer periods, and rejuvenate your mind.
6. Don’t expect a transcendental experience
This is an important point that Sadhguru notes in his speech, so we are going to close with it.
Often when we perform any yogic exercise, we tend to think it will provide us a transcendental experience. But, this is not the case. To achieve transcendence, it will take you months and years of performing any yogic routine.
So, ease your mind, and concentrate on achieving the psychological benefits of resting your eyes.
Final thoughts
Sadhguru says that the current age is a really good time to bring Pratyahara into your life. Firstly, it requires no training, and secondly, it will provide you with the psychological energy that you desperately need. If you are feeling stressed or out of energy, it is because you are constantly engaging your mind without even realizing it.
So, start the practice of resting with your eyes closed everyday, and you wiil soon find a new and rejuvenated you!
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