By Nick Polizzi
Guest writer for Wake Up World
“The eyes are the window to your soul.” — William Shakespeare
I have a little challenge for you today that involves a simple but often cathartic ritual that has been practiced for thousands of years — eye gazing.
Our eyes are highly complex organs, capable of distinguishing the most finite details of our surroundings and interpreting the slightest discrepancy in another’s countenance. And yet, we rarely make direct eye contact with one another for more than a flashing moment.
It can feel awkward to lock eyes for too long during a normal conversation, but what is the source of that discomfort?
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Beyond the various cultural connotations and social dos and don’ts that surround eye contact, there is an opportunity to create true connection with the people who matter to us.
Truly “seeing” another is one more checkpoint on the medicine path—a place to step outside of your ego and into your higher self.
Eye gazing—much different from eye contact—is a way to do just that. You’ll be surprised at what you’ll see and the emotions you’ll feel through the experience. It rarely disappoints.
The beauty of the exercise below is that it’s alarmingly easy, yet so rarely done, even with our most intimate relationships. There’s incredible power to gazing with someone you’re already in close relationship with (friends, lovers, and family), but it’s equally wondrous to do it with complete strangers.
The Eye Gazing Exercise:
This works best when both parties are already relaxed and fully present, so do whatever you need to get in this state. A 15-minute meditation, a yoga asana, a breathing exercise, a walk in nature, aromatherapy, or your favorite hot/cold therapy could work well here.
1) Set a timer for 10 minutes.
2) Sit across from your partner, preferably cross-legged on a soft rug or cushion, arms-length apart.
3) Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths.
4) Open your lids and look into the eyes of the person in front of you. Let the muscles in your face and body respond naturally to whatever is occurring in the gaze. This isn’t a staring contest; blinking is allowed.
5) No talking.
After the ten minutes are complete, it’s up to you whether you want to share your experience with your partner. Sometimes a conversation seems like a natural extension of what you just witnessed, and other times it feels more appropriate to simply thank one another and allow the experience to be what it is.
Buddhist teachings tell us that we are mirrors for one another, living reflections of both the light and the darkness that exist in our inner worlds. With our busy lives, it’s easy to forget to honor that sacred connection. We must open up if we are to help one another in this life.
Stay Curious,
Nick Polizzi
The Sacred Science: An Ancient Healing Path For The Modern World
The new book by Nick Polizzi.
In 2010, Nick Polizzi assembled a group of eight desperately ill patients from around the world and brought them into the heart of the Amazon rainforest to put the mysterious medicines of native shamans to the test. The healing journey that unfolded would change their lives — and his own — forever.
In his new book, ‘The Sacred Science’, Nick explores their primordial traditions further and reveals firsthand what it takes to truly heal ourselves of physical disease and emotional trauma. Part spiritual self-help book and part jungle adventure, ‘The Sacred Science’ is deeply personal and enlightening, and presents us with a bold new way of understanding the health of our mind, body and spirit, and the forgotten ways of a healthier, earth-connected ancestral past.
If you are trying to heal or bring balance to something inside yourself – physical or emotional – this revolutionary new book may be for you. It explains the core pillars of shamanic healing, and more importantly, how we can bring these ancient techniques into our life, right here – right now. You’ll learn practices and principles of native wisdom and gain a new understanding of what it means to heal — all told through a journey of exotic jungle medicines and harrowing rites of passage.
‘The Sacred Science: An Ancient Healing Path For The Modern World’ is available here in digital, paper and audio book formats.
PLUS, for a limited time, it also comes with a bunch of awesome bonuses, including workshops on shamanic dreaming and ancient herbal methods for awakening consciousness.
Recommended articles by Nick Polizzi:
- The Art of Smudging: A Shamanic Cleansing Ritual
- The Science of Ayahuasca
- Sacred Science: A Jungle Healing Technique You Can Use Anywhere
- Wired for Tribe
- 3 Wild Herbs for Lucid Dreaming
- Eye Gazing — An Exercise for Soul Vision
- A Native Smoke Ritual For Renewal and Clarity
- 3 Ancient Medicines That Already Live In Your Home
- A Breathing Exercise to Take You Higher
- The Art of Blessing Your Food
About the author:
Nick Polizzi has spent his career directing and editing feature length documentaries about natural alternatives to conventional medicine. Nick’s current role as director of “The Sacred Science” documentary and author of “The Sacred Science: An Ancient Healing Path For The Modern World” stems from a calling to honor, preserve, and protect the ancient knowledge and rituals of the indigenous peoples of the world.
For more, visit www.thesacredscience.com.
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