During zazen (sitting zen), the eyes are soft gazing—half-open—neither fully closed nor focused on anything in particular.
Closing them turns attention inward, while opening them completely allows the mind to be drawn outward.
Half-open eyes mean seeing the external world with one part of your vision while turning the other inward, toward your own heart and mind. This is not merely a physical adjustment of the eyes but a way of opening the mind’s eye—a deep awareness that perceives the true nature of things.
Everything has both a front and a back. That is why, instead of being fixated on either, there is wisdom in choosing not to look at everything too directly.
In an age overflowing with information, the more we see, the more our minds become restless, filled with doubts and confusion. This is why not seeing too much is essential.
Ironically, it is when things are not fully visible that they begin to reveal themselves.
I was once taught: “Half-open eyes are not greedy eyes.” The more we try to see something, the more we lose sight of everything else. But when our gaze is soft and relaxed—when we are not trying to see—things naturally come into view.
In this state, we become sensitive not only to what we see but also to the sensations of the body and the sounds around us.
This is the most refined and sharpened way of perceiving.
When the mind becomes still, the world enters as it is—
And only then do we begin to see what truly matters.
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