There are several reasons for keeping the eyes open: First, you are less likely to fall asleep. Second, meditation is not a means of running away from the world. Third, it’s not disconnecting from the world and entering a trance-like state of consciousness. Closing the eyes can easily lead to trance and immersion in your own dark state.
On the contrary, meditation is a direct way to help us truly understand ourselves and relate to life and the world. Your eyes are the key to connecting your life to the external world. Therefore, when meditating, keep your eyes open, not closed. Slowly, we learn to open our eyes and look at everything peacefully, without rejection or attachment. Don’t reject life. Stay open-minded and be fine with whatever comes your way. When you see anyone or anything, always be compassionate, and wish them to attain bliss, liberation, and freedom. When you see anyone, you should aspire like this. “You leave all your senses just open, naturally, as they are, without covering them up or grasping after their perceptions.” Whatever you see or hear, don’t chase or dislike it. Practice like this. It’s not easy. Ordinary beings are always attached to what they see or hear, and are constantly disturbed by afflictions. At the beginning, we can only practice with easier objects. This also applies to ears. Listen to any sound naturally. At first, we may get upset over some noises, but we can visualize them as mantras to deal with our afflictions. If we change our mindset, we will find that this visualization can actually help open our energy channels. The key is our mindset.