Glasses

[Dojin]

For all of you who wear glasses.

do you sit with your glasses on or off?
and for Jundo and Taigu, is there any (official treeleaf) suggestions for sitting with or without glasses?

Gassho, Dojin.

[Ryumon]

Re: Glasses

Off. I find that it allows my eyes to blur a bit more, so I don't see anything too clearly. And if I left them on, I'd certainly feel them and be annoyed.

[Seona]

Re: Glasses

I sit with my glasses on. I do this because the very first Zen priest I learned Zazen from also wore glasses and I once posed this same question to him. I don't know if I will explain his answer properly, but he thought that if one wore glasses all the time, they should be worn during Zazen as well because it doesn't really benefit you to make sitting easier by compromising your sight.

[BrianL]

Re: Glasses

I sit with them off, but recently I've wondered why. If I'm supposed to be experiencing each moment as it is, and I usually wear them...

[threethirty]

Re: Glasses

I sit with them on. I get headaches if i dont wear them.

[Rich]

Re: Glasses

I wear glasses for nearsightedness and reading. They have a progressive bifocal built in. I am more comfortable sitting with glasses off but do wear them occasionally. Not too much difference just a little more comfort.

[disastermouse]

Re: Glasses

I keep them on...mostly because it's the most natural thing. I started out just doing spontaneous meditation and leaving them on reminds me that even though I sit in a funny posture, I'm not really doing anything special.

Chet

[Jundo]

Re: Glasses

Hi,

Sometimes I sit with them on, sometimes I sit with them off. The vital part is to not give them any thought ("don't give 'em no nevermind" in that Americanism slang). That is how to really See Clearly! 8)

I have seen teachers sit with them on or take them off. Like Homeless Kodo Sawaki here ...





Sometimes it is said that searching for one's Buddha Nature is like searching for the eyeglasses perched right on one's nose! Or the eye searching for the eye! 8)

Gassho, J (the baby hid my glasses yesterday, been looking all over for them!)

[Neika]

Re: Glasses

I always sit with them on. I have tried, in the past, to sit without them, but since I wear glasses all of the time I found that it just added a distraction to my practice.

[Hoyu]

Re: Glasses

I usually sit with them on and have only tried sitting without as an experiment. Usually when I sit my focus relaxes so much that afterwards I have this noticable side effect of my vision being somewhat blurry! I thought that if I didn't wear my glasses it might make a difference with this issue. Didn't work so I just keep them on to avoid the hassle.

Gassho,
Hoyu

[Ekai]

Re: Glasses

I am usually wearing my contacts or glasses when I sit. My eyesight is too blurry without anything.

Gassho,
Ekai

[Taigu]

Re: Glasses

On and off.


gassho


T.

[Undo]

Re: Glasses

On. I found things would get a little blurry without them and a little drowsy.
Not so keen on contact lenses though, I found them quite drying.

[Dosho]

Re: Glasses

Usually on, but occasionally off if I'm particularly tense. I tend to find the blurriness distracting when they are off.

Gassho,
Dosho

[Daijo]

Re: Glasses

I do not wear glasses, so maybe this will help. I certainly would never put them on to do zazen.