Eyes open during samatha?

[AstralProjectee]

Hi all, I am wondering can I do samatha aka shamatha with my eyes open. I would keep my eyes closed all the time but i can easily become to lax. Thanks.

Peace!

[sangyey]

Eyes open (halfway) is how I was taught and how I practice. Common point in Variochana posture. Number of good benefits like preventing laxity, helps to enhance clarity of the object, and good symbolically as a Mahayana practice so as not to close out the rest of the world.

[Asabandha]

I have been told that a benefit of meditating with the eyes open is that one becomes accustomed to concentrating amid the distractions of visual sense perception. I do both right now, and I feel based on personal experience that meditating with the eyes open does carry over into day to day activities more easily than meditating with the eyes closed -- though it is a little more difficult to get the hang of.

[Terma]

I was originally taught to have my eyes gently closed, but I found this made me more prone to laxity and eventually sleep too! So I began to practice with my eyes slightly (half) open as is traditionally taught by most Tibetan teachers. I also agree that this also helps to focus a little better amongst all the external or outer appearances which I think can help us in our daily experiences.

And as Sangyey alluded to, there are many benefits of sitting in the seven point posture, which can really help our practice.

Terma

[AstralProjectee]

Thanks for your replies. It just confirms what I thought was true. Thanks.

Peace!

[mint]

Eyes open. This will train the mind towards the higher tantras, if you are practicing Vajrayana.