Fluttering eyelids

[Euclid]

Does anybody else have an issue with their eyelids fluttering when they sit? It seems that no matter how much I try to relax them, they flutter all about and boy is it frustrating and distracting. I never knew something as mundane as my eyelids fluttering could frustrate me so much - I felt like punching myself in the face just to see if it would settle them down! Of course, I just noted this impulse and watched it pass away, but it really is a problem for me and I find it difficult to focus on the sensation of the breath when I keep on going half-in and half-out of vision.

Does anybody have any advice?

[mlswe]

retract post

[bodom]

Does anybody else have an issue with their eyelids fluttering when they sit? It seems that no matter how much I try to relax them, they flutter all about and boy is it frustrating and distracting. I never knew something as mundane as my eyelids fluttering could frustrate me so much - I felt like punching myself in the face just to see if it would settle them down! Of course, I just noted this impulse and watched it pass away, but it really is a problem for me and I find it difficult to focus on the sensation of the breath when I keep on going half-in and half-out of vision.

Does anybody have any advice?

I went through this for a bit in my sitting meditation. My eyes felt like they wanted to open so that's just what I did. I sat with eyes open. No need to struggle against it. If you sit through it long enough it will pass.

[robertk]

the fluttering is a sure sign of attaining sotapanna level:

nibs:
One sure way to see if you have had a cessation moment; Roll your eyes upwards and flicker your eye-lids. Observe the sensations of the eye-lids as they flicker. Watch for the last flickering sensation as it ends. Observe the very ending of that sensation. Post-pathers all generally get the same thing happen------> cessation moment/fruition/phala. If nothing happens, I still reckon you are primed. Tilt!

[nibs]

No it's not!
nibs

[cooran]

the fluttering is a sure sign of attaining sotapanna level:

nibs:
One sure way to see if you have had a cessation moment; Roll your eyes upwards and flicker your eye-lids. Observe the sensations of the eye-lids as they flicker. Watch for the last flickering sensation as it ends. Observe the very ending of that sensation. Post-pathers all generally get the same thing happen------> cessation moment/fruition/phala. If nothing happens, I still reckon you are primed. Tilt!

very naughty of you Rob!

Ingram, et al - "Hard Core Dharma" & claims of attainment
http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.ph ... 148#p86110" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[retrofuturist]

Greetings Euclid,

It depends what you mean by fluttering. If you mean 'twitching', that could be a byproduct of stress... to that end, not a result of meditation, but the fact that you're actually aware of it could be a result of stronger mindfulness of vedana on the cushion than off it.

Metta,
Retro.

[Goofaholix]

I think it's pretty common, I certainly had it at times.

It's only a problem because you think it's not part of your meditation, if it's the strongest sensation then that's your meditation object. Don't worry about the breath we don't meditate to find out about the breath we meditate to find out about the mind, noticing the fluttering and your reaction to it is going to give you some insights into the mind.

[Euclid]

Thanks for your advice everybody, I'll try out your advice the next time I encounter it - which I'm thinking is going to be later tonight

Re sotapatti fruition, I think the urge to gouge out my eyes with bamboo skewers to stop the damn lids fluttering about the place rules that out

[lojong1]

Happens to me sometimes when I first sit down, and trying to relax them as a first step has never worked for me. It kinda hurts after a while.

The first step in breath meditation is just to understand that you breath in when you breath in and breath out when you breath out. keep it simple.

I don't try to separate eye fluttering from the breath. By the time my overall breath attention steadies, the fluttering has always passed.

[lojong1]

It's good for you, let it be.
http://ezinearticles.com/?Shaking---the ... id=4777615" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[unspoken]

One last comment,

Sorry for my poor understanding on some English word

If you meant flutter as something like beating or pumping, I gotta tell you. It is really beneficial.

It happened to me back when I stared out meditation on watching the breathing, without having knowing what is the in-depth way of vipassana meditation. My eye lids started to "flutter" and by then, I am able to predict what will happen, good or bad.
Up till recently, I think is 6 months ago, when I go deeper into vipassana meditation. I noticed when I realize a Dhamma, maybe a higher Dhamma, my eye lid flutter. By that, I know that it's a result, or you can say a bonus from vipassana/samatha. When I am unsure with a statement on dhamma, and I figured it out, it flutters. And what had been figured out is align with the text and the Dhamma expounded by the Buddha.

So if the flutter as something like eye lid wanna flip it up or something. Never had such experience before in this life.

With Metta

[robertk]

If you meant flutter as something like beating or pumping, I gotta tell you. It is really beneficial.

It happened to me back when I stared out meditation on watching the breathing, without having knowing what is the in-depth way of vipassana meditation. My eye lids started to "flutter" and by then, I am able to predict what will happen, good or bad.
Up till recently, I think is 6 months ago, when I go deeper into vipassana meditation. I noticed when I realize a Dhamma, maybe a higher Dhamma, my eye lid flutter. By that, I know that it's a result, or you can say a bonus from vipassana/samatha. When I am unsure with a statement on dhamma, and I figured it out, it flutters. And what had been figured out is align with the text and the Dhamma expounded by the Buddha.


With Metta

Yep, you see nibs, it's all about the fluttering of the eyelids

[rowyourboat]

At least the man is doing some meditation..

[unspoken]

Yep, you see nibs, it's all about the fluttering of the eyelids

Sorry, I don't quite get your meaning. Can you explain it?