Question: Is it better to keep your eyes open or closed when you meditate?

Sri Chinmoy: It is better to keep the eyes open. Otherwise, when you keep the eyes closed, very often you go to the other world, the world of sleep. You may think you have had the highest, deepest meditation, but you have only been unconscious. But if you keep your eyes half open, a little open, then you are conscious of the outer world and, at the same time, you are conscious of the inner world. In order to be alert and aware of both worlds, it is always good to keep the eyes a little open. Sometimes if you feel that for two minutes or five minutes you want to keep your eyes closed, there is nothing wrong with that. But if you want to meditate for an hour or two hours while keeping your eyes closed, then I am sorry, but you will only fool yourself.