Look into unlimited space

What the method is

This meditation method, closely related to the practice of “Simply by looking into the blue sky beyond clouds, the serenity,” involves directing one’s gaze into boundless void to induce a state of inner peace and awareness. The core instruction for the similar technique is: “Simply by looking into the blue sky beyond clouds, the serenity”.

How it is done

To practice this method, you should:

  • Look into the blue sky beyond clouds: The technique involves gazing into the expansive, clear blue sky, going past any clouds, which are considered objects.
  • Maintain a non-thinking, innocent look: It is crucial not to engage in thoughts while looking. This means not thinking about the sky’s beauty, its color, or verbalizing anything about it. The goal is a “pure, innocent look” without any mental chatter.
  • Avoid words and verbalization: Words become barriers, preventing the eyes from truly moving into the infinite blue. Do not even mentally name it “blue sky”.
Commentaries and Insights
  • Purpose and Outcome: The aim of this practice is to achieve serenity and inner silence. By looking into the infinite sky, the mind, which is accustomed to processing objects, stops functioning because there is no object to focus on. This cessation of mental activity leads to a feeling of peace and fulfillment. When the mind disappears, serenity results.
  • Nature of the Sky: The sky is selected as the object of contemplation because it is infinite and has no boundaries; it is not an object that begins and ends. It is pure emptiness, a vacuum in which all other objects exist. You are meant to look into it, not at it, signifying a boundless experience.
  • Dissolution of Desire: When one looks into emptiness, no desires arise, as there is nothing to possess or engage with. Desire is seen as the “seed of madness” and a source of disturbance. The non-arising of desire brings serenity and allows you to “become like the sky” yourself.
  • Transformation through Contemplation: Osho explains that “whatsoever you contemplate, you become like it”. By deeply observing the empty, blue sky, you will begin to experience the same vastness, blueness, and emptiness within yourself.
  • Simplicity vs. Ego: The technique is profoundly simple and does not require going to a special place or spending money, as the sky is always available. However, its very simplicity can be a hindrance, as the ego tends to be attracted only to difficult challenges that offer a sense of conquest and fulfillment. Simple methods often lack appeal to the ego, yet “that which appeals to the ego cannot help your spiritual growth”.
  • Readiness for Sudden Enlightenment: These simple techniques are not designed to gradually bring enlightenment, but rather to gradually prepare the practitioner for a sudden spiritual happening or explosion (samadhi). Enlightenment is akin to death: it is sudden, not a gradual process. The techniques foster alertness, bringing you out of your “dreaming state” and back to your true, ever-present nature. An alert state of mind is nirvana, while a non-alert state is the world.
  • Warnings: It is crucial to resist imagination during this practice. Do not try to imagine the light or the opening of the third eye, as this will only result in a “beautiful, spiritual dream” rather than a genuine experience. The practice requires patience and waiting for the natural unfolding of the experience. Postponing practice, often a trick of the mind, will hinder this sudden shift.