Dear BM's.

Looking for your advice on meditation.

I've been practicing on and off for some years now.

My technique is the culmination of my direct experience, teachers and a variety of literature.

I practice with my eyes gently closed.

One of my early teachers explained that the body assumes a relaxed state when one is in deep meditation.

When in this state ones eye lids naturally adopt a position which is slightly opened with eyes no longer focusing, even though they were closed at the beginning.

Most of my practice has been alone.

I sought out and tried a Buddhist Group, sometime ago, in order to accelerate my experience.

Their Japanese Master teaches open eye meditation and I was told my practice was incorrect.

Is my technique wrong, or is it optional?

Dear BM's.

Looking for your advice on meditation.

I've been practicing on and off for some years now.

My technique is the culmination of my direct experience, teachers and a variety of literature.

I practice with my eyes gently closed.

One of my early teachers explained that the body assumes a relaxed state when one is in deep meditation.

When in this state ones eye lids naturally adopt a position which is slightly opened with eyes no longer focusing, even though they were closed at the beginning.

Most of my practice has been alone.

I sought out and tried a Buddhist Group, sometime ago, in order to accelerate my experience.

Their Japanese Master teaches open eye meditation and I was told my practice was incorrect.

Is my technique wrong, or is it optional?

It's optional, most teachers encourage you to meditate with your eyes closed or slightly opened as you say. Some encourage you to meditate with your eyes open if sleepiness is a problem.

I've never heard of anyone say that eyes open is the only way and you're doing it wrong if you close them, but if that's the way they teach it then when you're practicing with them you do it their way.

It's optional, most teachers encourage you to meditate with your eyes closed or slightly opened as you say. Some encourage you to meditate with your eyes open if sleepiness is a problem.

I've never heard of anyone say that eyes open is the only way and you're doing it wrong if you close them, but if that's the way they teach it then when you're practicing with them you do it their way.

One of the reasons I'm not with them.

I find open eyes allow too much information in which feed on random thoughts.

I suppose everyone has their own traditions when it comes to technique.