Eye Gazing as Mindfulness

Eye Gazing as Mindfulness for Personal Growth

In a nutshell: notice what you experience (in your mind and body) while you gaze into your own eyes (using a mirror) or another’s eyes. Pick one eye to look at if it helps. Try it now or read on…

Much can be communicated in a single glance. Take this power further by practicing eye gazing as a form of mindfulness meditation to enhance our relationship with ourselves and others.

Basic Principles

During this ‘meditation’, we try to stay focused on the eyes
We can focus on the physical attributes of the eyes
We observe what feelings and thoughts come up while we focus on the eyes
All feelings and thoughts (and reactions) are acceptable
We try to maintain an attitude of curiosity and compassion.

Solo Eye Gazing is…

Looking into your own eyes with a mirror and noticing yourself as completely as you can
Using the visual sense to drive personal exploration and expand awareness
Deepening your relationship with yourself through gentle observation.

Partner Eye Gazing is…

Looking into someone else’s eyes and noticing whatever you feel or think in the process
Noticing how you feel while connecting visually with someone else without words or touch
Nice when done in close proximity but this is not a requirement.

Time to Gaze

Setting a timer can help you to engage more thoroughly with the process
You can start with as little as one minute and build up to an hour or more!
Involuntary or sustained blinking is perfectly alright to avoid eye fatigue and dryness

Practice…

For a few minutes during personal hygiene routine in the morning
For longer periods when you have time
As an ice breaker or focusing practice before something else
With a friend
With a romantic partner
With a family member of any age
With me!

Any one of these options can produce interesting results in little time; however, as with any method of meditation, regular practice over time produces the greatest rewards. Over time (as little as 1-2 weeks), you may observe benefits such as increased self love, self awareness, comfort with vulnerability, increased mental focus and clarity, reduction in emotional reactivity, and deeper awareness of one’s own layered feelings about the past, present, and future.

This technique, including the solo version, is particularly useful for those who have difficulty sitting in silence without any form of connection to others such as extroverts and anyone else who prefers to be in company over being alone. Keep it up for deeper results OR try other methods once your appetite for meditation outgrows this eye-gazing method.