Under physical or conscious senses, we see through the physical eye. When our eyes are closed, the information that comes to us through normal vision is suspended, and we are unable to see anything. This is simply how the mechanism of the physical eye works.
It is often stated that we see through our eyes, but if we had paid attention, we would have realized that eyes are not the only thing needed for vision. If the system that transports information from the sight screen to the brain were suspended, then the person would be unable to see even with perfect eyes. This suggests that eyes are only a part of the mechanism of vision—they are not everything.
Occasionally, we observe someone sleeping with their eyes open. In that instance, the person is unaware of what is going on in their surroundings. The eyes and the nervous system that support sight are all there, but the person is unable to see. That proves the brain must be in an attentive state for us to see.
Example
Every day we leave home to go to work (or school), and almost daily, we see various things on our way. Yet if someone asks us to list everything we saw, we would only be able to recall those things we paid attention to. Another similar example is when we find ourselves deep in thought, and the voices or things happening around us do not register in our awareness.
The human mind has a continuous flow of thoughts and imagination. By looking deeper, we find that all the activities and colorfulness of life are related to those thoughts and imaginations. All natural and innate urges emerge from thoughts; not only mundane activities of life, but even arts and science begin with human imagination.
When we look externally, the information from the surrounding environment serves as the axis for our thoughts. However, someone who is sitting unaware of their surroundings can still receive the flow of thoughts and visual images on the screen of their mind. This suggests that when the reflection of the outward world falls on the screen of sight through light, the physical eye sees those outward images.
However, when thoughts and imaginations emerge on the mental screen, the light of the outward world plays no part in it. We feel the reflection of imagination in the same way as we do the reflection of an outward image. The reflection of the imagination may be dim, though it contains the same meaning as the image of the outward. Hence, we can say that the process of vision occurs in both instances.
Often we experience an event that leaves a lasting impression, or a personality with whom we are emotionally attached, so that when the mind focuses deeply on either, the minute details of the event or the image of that person emerge on the screen of the mind. That image appears in such a vivid manner that we perceive it like a pictorial form. No image comes from the outward world—yet we still feel that pictorial image right in front of us, as if it were before our eyes.
In the same way, when we are asleep, our eyes are closed and yet we behold different scenes in dreams. It has happened in our experience that sometimes, when we see an event taking place in a dream or during semi-drowsiness, that same event actually takes place a few days later.
These examples from daily life illustrate the fact that in seeing those images or feeling their reflection, the involvement of the physical eye is absolutely nothing. What we are trying to explain is that human vision is independent of any material elements for its true functioning. In one mode, it works through the means of the physical eye, and in the other, it is entirely free of any need for a physical eye. The style of vision that functions without the physical eye is often referred to as inner vision, esoteric vision, or simply the third eye.
If we were to define man in terms of spiritual sciences, it would simply be as vision. Vision is dependent on information. Information is constantly received in the mind, where it eventually turns into vision.
Any information that comes from the outside is interpreted in its purest form by the sense of vision. The sense of vision is responsible for providing the mind with as much information as possible. When this sense works within the physical body, the physical eye performs the “observation.” However, the same sense can function without the physical eye. When the movement of the physical eye is suspended, but the sight is focused on a given object, the flow of information stops. The sense of sight or vision then starts ascending.
Unless the sense of sight performs its entire function, its role remains incomplete. Under the laws of creation, it is bound to fulfill its function. When the sense of sight ascends, man starts to see the hidden realm with eyes closed. At that moment, vision observes all the different dimensions of the entire Universe. These are the forms and figures that, a step later, manifest as material forms. These figures are called the esoteric or spiritual world. Consistency in Muraqaba forces the sense of vision to detach from the physical world and turn its focus toward the world that cannot be seen with physical eyes.
When we see with our eyes, our eyelids move and the process of blinking happens. Continuously doing so puts pressure on the eyeballs, which move in different directions because of it. Through these movements, the sense of outward light works inside the brain. In addition, the brain receives information about what and where everything is in the environment. These movements occur when a person is focused on the outward world and wants to gather as much information as possible. Involvement in the outward world results in specific movements of the nerves. Eyeballs move, and through blinking, create movement in the nerves. Movements like these are essential for the functioning of physical vision, and due to them, the mechanism of limited vision works.
If we focus our sight on a point or a circle and suspend blinking, it results in higher concentration, and the awareness of the existing environment is lowered. Another aspect of this experiment is that the circle gradually disappears, and a new screen takes its place. The reason for this is that by not blinking, the eyeballs experience distress, and when only one scene remains on the screen of consciousness, this condition arises.
When the mind is under the influence of material (physical) senses, it constantly moves from one thought to another and does not remain on any single thought for long. However, when the opposite occurs, the physical senses become inactive or dormant. This happens when, on the screen of the mind, only one image remains and blinking is suspended. This gazing disrupts the wave flow that operates in consciousness. When blinking stops, physical vision becomes inactive. When this suspension goes beyond a certain threshold, the angle of vision or sight alters, and inner vision comes into motion. When a person practices Muraqaba, all the factors that activate inner sight by suspending outward vision come into play.
Both outward and inward information depends on light. Just as light is the source of outward information, it is also the source of inner information. When the form of light changes, so does the perception of vision and feeling. Just as, when the sun rises, everything in the environment is lit because of it, and the way we feel is evidently different during the day than in the dark hours of night. When we wear blue-colored sunglasses, everything appears bluish; with red-colored lenses, everything looks reddish. Working continuously under intense, high-voltage lights makes the nerves feel weak and fatigued, but when the environment contains natural colors or scenery, the nerves feel soothed. When we look through binoculars, distant objects come closer; with a microscope, even unseen objects become visible. Within the physical (material) world, there are many objects our eyes cannot see. Minute particles, atoms, electrons, protons, and other atomic particles remain outside our sight. The farther the distance, the more we are unable to see the attributes or details of objects. We cannot even see the trees and their leaves clearly from afar. Due to visionary limitations, buildings and their features appear misty and hazy.
According to physics, in an atom, electrons revolve around the nucleus within the boundaries of its orbit. In a liquid, molecules move freely in all directions. In gases, their movements are even more dynamic. There are many things we cannot see, but we know of them through their effects—such as electrical flow, magnetic fields, X-rays, and other various forms of rays.
When we examine any invention using the formulas of physics, many minute details and hidden angles are revealed. When we look through a microscope, even the smallest bacteria, viruses, and other tiny particles become visible. With the help of an electron microscope, even the “ghost” of an electron is visible. With a telescope, distant objects appear near. The type and strength of the lenses determine what becomes visible to the eye.
This is the story of the light that functions in the outward world. When the angle of outward light is altered, our vision changes with it. In the same manner, the inner information that enters the mind is also dependent on the workings of light. By closing the eyes, the mind is focused, and the flow of outward light is stopped. Then, inward light takes its place by infusing into the senses.