Some Newbie-Questions regarding Zazen-Practice

[Koushi]

Thus I am wondering if a blurry vision is normal/alright in the context of Zazen-practice?

Still, when I relax my eyes, then after a while my vision gets oftentimes blurry and I still think actually that this is in the range of expected when one does not fixate/focus anything...

Hello Chris,

If the light in my room is particularly dim, or if my eyes are overly-dry (I have chronic dry eye I manage with eye drops), I find my vision gets blurry after sitting. This doesn't last long, maybe 4-5 minutes, and quickly gets back to normal with "usual" visual stimulation. I'd say it's normal, but possibly circumstantial.

Also, don't forget to blink normally.

Gassho,
Koushi
STLaH

[Jundo]

Shinshin, an insightful comment! Lovely.

Bion and Koushi, very helpful, practical advise.

I agree with "shift focus" and all the rest. We do focus on things in the line of vision, as with ordinary seeing. The eyes drift to this, look at that, move from time to time as in normal vision ... but we just don't get caught in long trains of thought about whatever we are seeing.

I agree that some Sangha obsess about the Lotus Posture too. Not here, where we emphasize find the posture(s) that feel balanced, stable, comfortable for extended sitting for your body.

Gassho, Jundo

STLah

[Nengyoku]

In general good post with lots of good stuff, but in this case I infact was just curious about one specific thing...anyways, thanks so far

Gassho
Chris
Sat today

Apologies, I misunderstood your concern. Hopefully something I said helps someone though.

Personally I do not have issue with my eyes becoming blurry while sitting. Jundo said somewhere once something that helped me a lot that was to the effect of "Don't hold your gaze too hard on nothing or anything. If your eyes wander a certain amount, just be with that too."
I think of it like following the breath. I am not trying to control my breath, just paying attention to where it goes. I do not pick a chip in the plaster to stare at, or an invisible spot in mid air. If my eyes glance at my Buddha statue or at a speckle in the wall, all is well. I think this sort of lackadaisical meandering of the eyes is why I don't feel blurry.
Hopefully that helps more.

Gassho,
William
Sat

[Zrebna]

Apologies, I misunderstood your concern. Hopefully something I said helps someone though.

Personally I do not have issue with my eyes becoming blurry while sitting. Jundo said somewhere once something that helped me a lot that was to the effect of "Don't hold your gaze too hard on nothing or anything. If your eyes wander a certain amount, just be with that too."
I think of it like following the breath. I am not trying to control my breath, just paying attention to where it goes. I do not pick a chip in the plaster to stare at, or an invisible spot in mid air. If my eyes glance at my Buddha statue or at a speckle in the wall, all is well. I think this sort of lackadaisical meandering of the eyes is why I don't feel blurry.
Hopefully that helps more.

Gassho,
William
Sat

Nah, obviously nothing to apologize - all good. Your previous post was helpful, too in a general sense, which is anyways the the higher sense, so to speak. Thanks also for this post - cleared some things up.

Also thanks to Bion, Koushi and Jundo for sharing and practical advice

Gassho
Chris
Sat today