Close all the openings of your head

What the Method Is

The core instruction for this meditation technique is: “Closing the seven openings of the head with your hands, a space between your eyes becomes all inclusive”. This method aims to stop the outward flow of consciousness by blocking the head’s sense organs, thereby concentrating awareness internally at the third eye.

How It Is Done

To practice this method, follow these steps:

  • Close the openings: Close all the openings of your head – your eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. You can do this by using your hands to press over the openings, or by using earplugs and an eye mask.
  • Avoid artificial plugs for nose/mouth: Do not use any plugs for the nose or mouth, as this can be fatal. Instead, use your hands to close them, as this provides a built-in security: if you are about to fall unconscious, your hands will naturally loosen, allowing breathing to resume.
  • Relax, don’t force: When closing your eyes, do not force them to close; instead, relax your face and let the eyelids gently drop. Forcing creates tension and uneasiness.
  • Embrace darkness: Once eyes are closed, imagine a deep, velvety darkness around and within you. This helps the eyes to stop their natural movements.
  • Attempt suddenly: This is a method that is most helpful when done suddenly, rather than practiced habitually. It’s about creating a “jerk” that breaks old associations and patterns of consciousness. Therefore, you can try it whenever you have time, for a few moments or seconds.
  • Persist through discomfort: You may experience a feeling of suffocation or tension/uneasiness. The instruction is to persist unless it becomes absolutely unbearable. The inner force will automatically open the channels if truly necessary. If a strong “hammering” sensation (like a bullet) at the third eye is felt, stop immediately and move your eyes around to release the energy.
Commentaries and Insights
  • Purpose of Centering: This is one of the oldest and simplest techniques for centering. Man often lives on the circumference of his being, always moving outwards; this method helps to reverse that flow and find the inner center. All centering methods, regardless of the specific point of focus, ultimately aim to bring consciousness to the navel, the existential root.
  • The Third Eye: When all head openings are closed, your consciousness, which normally flows outwards, is suddenly stopped and becomes concentrated between your two ordinary eyes, at the spot known as the third eye. This third eye, or pineal gland, is described as the source of consciousness.
  • “All Inclusive” Space: In this state, the inner space (the third eye) becomes “all inclusive”. This means that experiencing this space allows one to feel the whole existence within themselves. While ordinary eyes see the finite and material, the third eye perceives the infinite, immaterial, and energy itself.
  • Mind and Breath Connection: Mind and breath are deeply connected; even stopping your breath for a moment can cause the mind to stop, as mind’s movement is conditioned by breathing. This technique leverages this connection to achieve a thoughtless state of consciousness, which is defined as meditation.
  • Transformation and Inner Light: If you persist through the initial feeling of suffocation and near-death, everything will become illumined within. The inner space will feel as if it is spreading, encompassing everything. As psychic energy starts “hammering” at the third eye, you may feel warmth and a flowing fire, followed by a profound coldness once the energy is released. This signifies a complete inner rebirth and liberation, where the self is identified as light and becomes omnipresent.
  • No Death, Just Awareness: Osho reassures that one cannot die from simply closing the openings, despite the sensation of being on the verge of death. This intense moment of perceived death, where the mind’s normal functioning is interrupted, creates a flash of alertness, a glimpse of samadhi (spiritual health).
  • Not for Practice: This is a “sudden jerk” method. If routinely practiced, it can become a mechanical habit and lose its transformative power. It’s meant to be a spontaneous interruption of the usual flow of consciousness.
  • Role of the Master: While these are generalized methods you can try, for deeper and safer results, initiation by a living master is emphasized. A master can personalize the technique, ensure it suits your unique being, and provide guidance during potential intense experiences. A master can also create situations to induce these sudden “stop” moments to aid the disciple.
  • Tantra’s Approach: Tantra values the body as a vehicle for the spirit, recognizing the intimate link between physiological and psychological states. It teaches acceptance of what is, including the body and its processes, as a framework for transformation. Tantra is a science that provides techniques to go beyond the mind, enabling direct experience rather than just intellectual understanding.