According to Osho, ‘science’ has levels: physical science worries about ocular strain, but spiritual science knows the third eye. If the practice is done with deep inner resolve to awaken that energy, even four hours’ open-eyed meditation causes no harm and may strengthen vision as a by-product. Without such resolve, strain can harm—but then the eyes usually close before forty minutes.
With strong spiritual intention, open-eyed meditation won’t hurt your eyes and may help; without it, you’ll strain them or they’ll just close.
From the Discourses
Passages where Osho speaks to this question — each links to the complete discourse.
It has also been asked: In this experiment, the strain placed on the eyes for forty minutes—is that in accord with science?
There are many sciences. Physical science may perhaps not agree. But spiritual science has always agreed—and it is with spiritual science that I am speaking here. The approval of physical science carries little weight, because it knows only these two eyes. From working with these two eyes, one discovers that a third eye, between them, can be activated; of this physical science knows nothing. Therefore, naturally, if a father is digging the earth and sowing seeds, his son may ask, “Why are you spoiling these seeds by throwing them into the soil?” Because he knows nothing—that these seeds can sprout. He also does not know that when one seed breaks, a thousand seeds will be born. He knows nothing of what will happen by planting a seed in the ground. Physical science is, in many ways, a child—very new. Its understanding is not that deep. It is extensive, yes; not…
A friend has asked, Osho, isn’t the night-meditation experiment simply an exercise in concentration? And what will be the results of this experiment, and what are its foundations?
Keeping the eyes open, fixed, without a blink, is first of all an experiment in resolve: not allowing the eyes to close. To not let the eyes close is an experiment in resolve, in will-power. And if you can keep the eyes open for forty minutes, there will be very broad results. Forty minutes is the span of the human mind’s capacity; that is why in school and college we keep a forty-minute period. Whatever can be done for forty minutes can then be carried much further. If you can keep the eyes open for forty minutes—if this small resolve can be fulfilled—it will have many consequences. First, the result of keeping the eyes open for forty minutes will be that if the eyes have remained open and you have continued to keep them open for that long, your mind’s susceptibility to hypnosis will end at once. You will no…
Someone has asked: What are the signs that the third eye has opened?
Now first close your eyes for two minutes. With folded hands, make a resolve before the Lord. Today is the fourth day; we have to put our full energy into it. With the Lord as witness, I resolve that I will put my whole energy into meditation—one hundred percent, total! With the Lord as witness, I resolve that I will put my whole energy into meditation—one hundred percent, total! With the Lord as witness, I resolve that I will put my whole energy into meditation—one hundred percent, total! Do not save even a bit of yourself; you must be totally immersed. Now open your eyes. For forty minutes, without blinking, look toward me. Energy will awaken within; let it awaken. I will not speak to you; I will signal with my hand. When your energy rises, you have to take it upward. And when your energy rises so high that…
A friend has asked: Osho, monks, renunciates, yogis have attained meditation by sitting in caves for years. And you say that meditation is possible even in forty minutes. Is meditation really that simple?
After the three stages, the last ten minutes are only waiting. We can do nothing more. A man can only leave himself open for the divine. Can we drag “Him” in? How? Can we grasp “Him” in our fist? At most we can send an invitation and wait. The sun rises outside the door; we can leave our door open and say, “Come in”—we cannot bring the sun in. If the door is open, the sun comes. Note a strange fact. We cannot bring the sun in—but we can keep it out. Close the door. Not only that; we carry a small pair of doors in our pocket—our eyelids. The door may be open, but if we close our eyes, what can the sun do? Close these tiny shutters and the sun is helpless. Negativity we have in abundance. Negatively, we can block the divine; positively, we cannot compel it.…
You mentioned that rapid eye movements indicate mental processes and that if eye movements are stopped the mental processes will also stop. But this physiological control of the mental processes, this stopping of eye movements, seems to create psychic tensions such as happens when we keep our eyes closed under a blindfold for a long time.
If you close your eyes, sometimes you may feel a certain tension gathering there, or an uneasiness. Then there are certain things you can do. One, when you close your eyes do not become tense about it, let them be relaxed. You can close your eyes forcibly -- then you will get tense. Then your eyes will get tired and inside you will feel uneasiness. Relax the face, relax the eyes, and let them be closed. I say, let them be closed; do not close them. Relax! Feel relaxed. Drop the eyelids and let the eyes be closed. Do not force them! If you force them, that is not good. If you cannot feel the difference, then do this: first force them to close. Let your whole face become tense, strained, and then close your eyes forcibly. For a few moments remain strained, then relax. Then again close your eyes…