Thread: Relaxation Problem

I am practicing meditation for quite some time now and i have never experienced this before.
I meditate daily, and for the last 3 days i have this particlar problem while meditating: at some point, my eyelids start shaking and i can't relax them. if i relax them i open my eyes, if i don't, they shake really violent. is there any way to overcome that?
i was thinking of getting one of those eyes masks, but i bet there's a more simple solution to relaxing your eyelids.
what do you guys think?
it really ruins my meditation, because my whole body goes numb, but my eyelids shake so nervous and violently.

Hmm, does it really happen completely independantly? Somehow I doubt it. Shift your attention away from your shaking eyes and relax them closed. That should solve the problem. During meditation, forget your physical body, after all, you're focusing on your mind while meditating and on what you are contemplating, not where you're sitting or how your legs, arms or eyes are placed.

thank you for your reply.
well, here is the problem. i thought about this. i think i concentrate too much on the eyelids. i mean.. i find them the most difficult part of the body to relax. because if i relax them too much, i open them. i am too self-conscious about them. my whole body completly relaxes, except for the eyelids.
is anyone aware of any imagination tricks so i can focus my mind on something else? i mean i need something to concentrate on while meditating, and the eyelids are definetly not the right choice.

Originally Posted by mmv

i mean.. i find them the most difficult part of the body to relax. because if i relax them too much, i open them. i am too self-conscious about them.[/b]

Precisely. So stop. Think about it. You don't think about the tip of your middle finger on your left hand while meditating so why should you think about your eyes? Just forget it. When meditating it isn't that complicated to shift attention. The very concept of meditation in general revolves around concenration. If you do not shift your attention from your physical self (even something precise such as your eyes) to a state of mental focus, that won't really be meditation all in all, not a state of mental clarity and concentration dedicated only to thought.

I think that an eye mask would help. It would allow you to relax them but if they opened a bit, no light would get in. I use one and found it to be very helpful.