1. Core Nature & Essential Guidance for Beginners
A very natural question for beginners is: ‘If I close my eyes, I feel so drowsy my eyelids drop, but if I open them, dust on the floor and cluttered furniture distract my mind—so should I close or open them?’ According to the traditional wisdom of major meditation lineages, the optimal advice for beginners is: HALF-OPEN YOUR EYES (Bán khai bồ đề). Lower your eyelids by about two-thirds, letting your gaze drop naturally to the floor in front of you, about 3 to 5 feet away (creating a 45-degree downward angle). This gaze allows natural light to enter the retina, preventing the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin from taking over, while avoiding direct focus on any single object, keeping visual distractions at bay.
2. Step-by-Step Scientific Practice Guide
- When to close your eyes completely: When meditating in an environment with harsh, blinding light, or when practicing a body scan to deeply attune to internal sensations.
- Handling visual hallucinations when eyes are closed: If closing your eyes triggers flashing lights or bizarre shapes, immediately open your eyes halfway and fixate on a quiet spot on the floor to anchor your consciousness back to the present reality.
- Relaxing the eye muscles: The muscles around the eyes accumulate the most tension. Offer a gentle smile so that the muscles at the corners of your eyes and across your forehead soften and release.
3. Healing Aromatherapy & Sacred Space Cleansing Ritual
When maintaining a 45-degree half-open gaze, a still focal point combined with a whisper-thin smoke helps the mind settle with extraordinary speed. Light a stick of Pure Vietnamese Agarwood Incense Sticks 5 to 10 minutes before your session. Place the incense holder about 3 feet in front of you. The delicate, meandering whisper-thin smoke of these 5.3-inch coreless incense sticks (burning steadily for 45 to 60 minutes) serves as an elegant visual anchor, keeping your gaze relaxed, preventing eye strain, and guiding you effortlessly into deep contemplative stillness.
A Gentle Anchor from Phu Van Huong: Half-closed eyes observe the world with compassion and look inward with mindful presence. True peace begins with an unhurried gaze.
3 Signature Artisan Incense Blends by Phu Van Huong
Double-aged in heritage Bat Trang earthenware vessels to eliminate raw plant odors and lock in deep, grounding sweetness for your mindful rituals.
Natural Herbal Incense Sticks
- Double slow-aged: eliminates acrid pungency, retains sweet herbal depth
- 3-year aged mugwort, aged tangerine peel, honey locust, cinnamon, cypress
- Purifies living spaces, alleviates mental tension, promotes deep sleep
- Approx. 80 sticks (8 inches / 20cm) • 45-60 min burn time
Pure Vietnamese Agarwood Incense
- 100% authentic Vietnamese Agarwood heartwood powder
- Slow-cured twice: eliminates coarse wood notes, awakens pure resin aroma
- Soothing, warm, honeyed-woody notes for meditation & deep presence
- Zero chemical burn accelerants, 100% bamboo-free pure ash
Antique Wild Agarwood (Tram Ruc)
- High-density wild sunken resin from deep ancient Vietnamese jungles
- Bespoke double maturation: deeply sweet, penetrating, non-turbid aroma
- Profound relaxation, clears mental fatigue, spiritual elevation
- Luxury glass cylinder with brass cap • Approx. 80 sticks