Sources of inspiration: The Fear of Success by Leon Tec; Power of Now discussion group
Sounds pretty ominous, doesn’t it? The fear of EYES! Could be the name of the next Indiana Jones movie.
How about the fear of eyeballs…I love that word, “eyeballs.”
On Monday in our Power of Now discussion group, my friend Jim reminded me of a practice I used to do but stopped a while back: Making eye contact with and saying hello to everyone (yes, everyone) you pass on the street. I did this yesterday and identified it as a high-value action in my spiritual practice. So I will continue with it today.
Why is it such a powerful exercise?
Leon Tec has written about how we have a primal fear of eyes (in other words, a fear of being seen) because before we can be attacked, we must be seen. So, to a degree, we equate safety with not being seen and danger with being seen. This eye contact exercise shows us that it is, in fact, safe to be seen.
Second, when you look into someone’s eyes, you’re less likely to seem them as some label (white, black, liberal, conservative), and more likely to see them as human. There is a felt sense of commonality and kinship in the eyes, a oneness.
So this exercise helps one feel safe and connected. It is powerful, especially when you’re feeling unsafe and alone. I can say that from experience.