EYES CLOSED

  

 I am surprised to realize that there is an obvious tool available to me that I have failed to use more often.  Meditation exercises and seeking a mantra to find an existential peace is not my thing.  I found that I’m not a candidate for such an experience.  However, that  being said, occasionally, I have been in situations where it has been necessary for me to just sit and wait for a car to come, my turn to have the barber cut my hair, the doctor to see me or perhaps my wife to finish shopping as I sit in a comfortable chair at the mall. 

Closing my eyes at such times, when I'm not sleepy, I can conjure up an image that can be very relaxing.  For example, I can visualize a scene by the lake where I have often sat.  I can picture the pattern of colors of a new shirt I bought.  I can picture a nice hot fudge sundae I would like to eat.  The fact of the matter is, with my eyes closed I can remove myself from my immediate surroundings and avoid feeling bored or impatient for waiting.  Closing my eyes, I am actually insulating myself from my immediate surroundings that provide me for a wonderful moment to enjoy privacy.  Incidentally, I can even shut out noise by concentrating.

It’s very interesting to know how closed eyes can play such a wonderful part in our life.  Think about the many times we close them aside from sleeping.   When something frightens us or excites us our eyes close momentarily, as if to escape from the shock,  or how about when we kiss or hug?  Don’t we close them to enjoy the moment ? I’m not sure it is necessary to become involved in transcendental meditation if we can get a handle on our own ready available tool, closing our eyes.  Yes, even under stressful situations closing our eyes can give us an opportunity to sort out our feelings and organize our thoughts.  Those instances are not always easy but they can be surmounted.