Under physical or conscious senses we see through the physical eye. When our eyes are closed, then the information that comes to us through normal vision gets 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 come to realize that eyes are not the only thing needed for vision. If the system that transports the 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 in the mechanism of vision. They are not everything.

Occasionally, we observe someone sleeping with his/her eyes open. In that instance, the person is unaware of what is going on in his/her surrounding. Eyes and the nervous system that supports sight is all there but he is unable to see. That proves that the brain has to 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 to work. Yet if someone asks us to list everything that we saw, we would only be able to list those that we paid attention to. Another similar example would be when we find ourselves in the midst of a deep thought and the voices or things that are happening in our surroundings do not cross our mind.

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 as well, not only mundane activities of life but arts and science begin with human imagination.

When we look externally, the information from the surrounding environment serves as the axis for the thoughts. However, often someone who is sitting, being unaware of the surroundings, is able to receive the flow of thoughts and visual images in the screen of his mind. This suggests that when the reflection of the outward falls on the screen of sight through light, then the physical eye sees the outward images.

However, when thoughts and imaginations emerge on the mental screen then the light of the outward plays no part in it. We feel the reflection of the imagination in the same way as we do for

the reflection of the 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 occurred in both instances.

Often we experience an event that has left us with lasting impressions or a personality with whom we are emotionally attached so that when the mind goes to any of the above and the focus deepens as well, then the minute details of the event or the image of that person emerges on the screen of the mind. That image emerges in such a manner that we feel it like a pictorial form. No image comes from the outward. Nevertheless, we feel that pictorial image right in front of us, as if the image were in front of our eyes.

In the same way when we are asleep, our eyes are closed and yet we behold different scenes in the dream. It has happened in our experience that sometimes when we see an event-taking place in a dream or semi-drowsiness, a few days later the same event actually takes place.

The above examples from daily life illustrate the fact that in seeing those images or feeling the reflection of those images the involvement of our 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 manner, it works through the means of physical eye and in the other style or manner it is entirely free of any need of a physical eye. The style of vision that functions without the means of physical eye is often referred as inner vision, esoteric vision or simply as 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 and there it eventually turns into the vision.

Any information that comes from the outside is elucidated in the cleanest 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 does the ‘observation’. However, the same sense can function without the means of a physical eye. When the movement of the physical eye is suspended but the sight is focused on any given object then the flow of information stops and 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 perform its given function. When the sense of sight ascends, man starts

to see with eyes closed, the hidden realm. At that moment, the vision observes all the different dimensions of the entire Universe. Those 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 hide behind the physical world and turn the focus of the vision toward the world, which could not be seen with the physical eyes.

When we see from our eyes, eyelids move and the process of winking happens. Continuously doing so puts a pressure on eyeballs. They move in different directions because of it. Through these movements of eyeballs, the sense of outward light works inside the brain. In addition, the brain gets the information as to what and where everything lies in the environment. All these movements happen when a person is focused on the outward world and wants to get as much information as possible. Involvement in the outward world evolves into specific movements of the nerves. Eyeballs move and through winking, create movement in the nerves. Movements similar to these are essential for the working of physical vision and due to them, the mechanism of `limited vision works.

If we focus the sight into a point or a circle (chakra) and suspend the process of blinking then this would result in higher concentration and the feelings of the existing environment are lowered. Another aspect of this experiment is that circle (chakra) gradually disappears and a new screen takes it place. The reason for that is by not doing the blinking the eyeballs get distressed and when only one scene stays on the screen of the consciousness, then this condition rises.

When the mind is under the influence of material (physical) senses, it goes from one thought to another constantly and does not stay on any one thought for long. However, when things happen the other way round, the physical senses become inactive or dormant. This happens when on the screen of the mind, only one image stays and blinking is suspended. This gazing creates a bumper in the flow of waves, which works in the consciousness. When blinking stops, the physical vision becomes inactive. When this suspension stays past its limits, the angle of vision or sight alters and inner vision or sight comes into motion. When a person does Muraqaba, all those factors come into motion that activates the inner sight (vision) by suspending the outward vision.

Both outward and inward information depends on light. Just as light is the source of information for the outward it is also the source for the inner information. When the form of light changes so does the perception of the vision and the feelings. 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 during the dark hours of the night. When blue colored sunglasses are worn, everything seems bluish; when it is a red color lens then all we see seems reddish. Working continuously under intense high voltage lights would make the nerves feel weak and fatigued but when the environment contains natural colors or scenery, the nerves then get soothing effects. When we look through binoculars, distant objects come closer and when a microscope is used then even the unseen objects become visible. Inside the circle of the physical (material) world, there are numerous objects, which our eyes could not see. Minute particles, atom, electrons, protons and other atomic particles remain out of our sight. The longer the distance, the more we are unable to see the attributes or the details of objects. We could not even see the trees and its leaves. Due to the visionary limitations, buildings and their features appear to be 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. Inside the gases, their movements exceed even further. There are various things that we could not see but they are known to us because of their qualities or effects, such as electrical flow, magnetic fie ld, x-rays and other various forms of rays.

When we look into any invention with the help of formulas of Physics, many minute details and hidden angles come to the surface. When we see through the lenses of 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 can be seen as near. The type and strength of the lenses determine what could be visible to the eye.

This is the story of the light that works in the outward world. When the angle of the outward light is altered, our vision changes with it. In the same manner the inner information that comes into the mind is also dependent on the workings of light. By closing the eyes, the mind is being focused and the flow of outward light is stopped. Then inward light takes it place by infusing into the senses.