BK Gazing (drishti) practice in relation to self
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Someone mailed me privately asking if drishti is related to hypnotism or indoctrination. I am posting my reply here as well. Perhaps others have something to contribute on this topic.
Choosing when to gaze at a person and when to look away is something central to one's personal choices.
A baby spends a lot of time gazing into its caregivers' eyes. The mutual responses (vocalizations, facial expressions, pupil dilation, touching, etc.) are part of the process for a baby to learn about him or herself, actually integral to brain development.
The custom of lengthy eye-contact among the BKs then relates to our sense of self, our ability to choose what to accept, and what to keep at a distance, what is self, what is other. These are major life issues!
BKs can be very careful about their food. Choosing how close to admit others is in my opinion, just as important, if not more important.
For many BKs, drishti is the closest they get to intimacy. They are taught not to hug or touch too much.
I think there is a kind of mind-twist going on. On one side listen to yourself (look at who you want to, as long as you want to, develop your own judgment) on the other side be someone else (world benefactor) whose eyes are like lighthouses. In my opinion, the BK practices tend to confuse one's self identity because they attempt to replace self-feelings with "pure" and "positive" thoughts that actually belong to someone else's philosophy.
For some, becoming a BK is indistinguishable from becoming themselves. For others, cracks between self and ideal begin appearing after some years. Our inner selves are too powerful to suppress, and generally react against overzealous conditioning, intimacy and sleep denial, etc.
Choosing when to gaze at a person and when to look away is something central to one's personal choices.
A baby spends a lot of time gazing into its caregivers' eyes. The mutual responses (vocalizations, facial expressions, pupil dilation, touching, etc.) are part of the process for a baby to learn about him or herself, actually integral to brain development.
The custom of lengthy eye-contact among the BKs then relates to our sense of self, our ability to choose what to accept, and what to keep at a distance, what is self, what is other. These are major life issues!
BKs can be very careful about their food. Choosing how close to admit others is in my opinion, just as important, if not more important.
For many BKs, drishti is the closest they get to intimacy. They are taught not to hug or touch too much.
I think there is a kind of mind-twist going on. On one side listen to yourself (look at who you want to, as long as you want to, develop your own judgment) on the other side be someone else (world benefactor) whose eyes are like lighthouses. In my opinion, the BK practices tend to confuse one's self identity because they attempt to replace self-feelings with "pure" and "positive" thoughts that actually belong to someone else's philosophy.
For some, becoming a BK is indistinguishable from becoming themselves. For others, cracks between self and ideal begin appearing after some years. Our inner selves are too powerful to suppress, and generally react against overzealous conditioning, intimacy and sleep denial, etc.