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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. I lowever
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.
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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. 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 distress 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 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 field, 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.
KHWAJA SHAMS-UD-DEEN AZEEMI
In the current information age, the very question of what Man
is, and to what extent his abilities
go, has gained prominence. Metaphysical knowledge tells us
that Man is not just a mass of muscles and bones but in fact is a living
universe or microcosm (a'lam asghar) itself. His life is primarily relying on
information. As a matter of fact his life is nothing but a collection of
thoughts and imagination. His every movement is influenced by information and
thoughts. Every human achievement is circled around the unseen world of
cognition, imagination and creative thoughts. By giving new meaning to this
idea, Man creates and invents new things out of nothing.