Vision with Inner Eyes ... By Mr. John Kunnathu

With our outer eyes, we see the immediate world in front of us. But
with the inner eyes, we see a much larger world. The inner eyes see
things that are invisible to the outer eyes. Although they are real
to the inner eyes, they will be unreal to someone who can see only
with the outer eyes. The outer eyes can see people, animals, trees,
the sun, moon, stars, colors, and other visible things, but they
cannot see how they are all related to each other as parts of one
whole. God, heaven, angels, and spirit will be visible only to the
inner eyes.

Besides the inner eye, the mind also has an information-processing
part. This part of the mind processes information from both inner and
outer eyes to create an understanding of life.

We often equate the inner eyes with the mind because both the inner
eye and the information-processing part stay within us, and we don't
see either. But we know that they are different because they perform
different functions. The inner eyes just see a bigger world that the
outer eyes fail to see, but the other part processes information.

If we manage to keep our thoughts still for some time, we can suspend
the information processing for some time, and we slowly become aware
of our inner eye, and it gets more active. Keeping the thoughts still
is the primary function of meditation. Chanting, singing, and praying
also may be used to keep the thoughts still.

There are numerous references in the Bible about the inner eyes.

Genesis 3:5
"For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and
you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
Numbers 22:31
Then the LORD opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD
standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell
facedown.
2 Kings 6:17
And Elisha prayed, "O LORD, open his eyes so he may see." Then the
LORD opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full
of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
Luke 24:31
Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he
disappeared from their sight.

In these contexts, the reference is not to the outer eyes, but to the
inner eyes.

Those with the inner eyes open are called wise in the Bible, and
those with the inner eyes closed are called fools. They are like the
foolish man who built a house on sand. Their life built on a
superficial view of life won't withstand powerful hurricanes in life.
The fools say there is no God. Ps. 53:1.

They say, "The LORD does not see; the God of Jacob pays no heed."
Take heed, you senseless ones among the people; you fools, when will
you become wise? Does he who implanted the ear not hear? Does he who
formed the eye not see? Ps. 94: 7-9

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the
Holy One is understanding. Proverbs 9:10

Jesus claimed that only the pure in heart will be able to see God.
Mat 5: 8. He also complained that a lot of people couldn't see even
if they had eyes, or couldn't hear even if they had ears to hear.
What Jesus meant was that although they had outer eyes, their inner
eyes were blind. He ended his parables with the affirmation: "He who
has ears, let him hear."! Mat 13: 9

In the parable of the sower, some seeds fell among the thorns. Jesus
explains it further as: The one who received the seed that fell among
the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this
life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.
Mt. 13:22.

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat
or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more
important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Mat 6:
25

In all these places, Jesus affirms that if worries and other such
negative feelings fill one's mind, he/she cannot hope to have the
inner eyes opened. This was the advice Jesus had to give to
Martha. "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and
upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has
chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." Luke
10:41

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and
pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to
your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the
time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the
plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove
the speck from your brother's eye. Mat 7: 3-5

"The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole
body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body
will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness,
how great is that darkness! Mat 6:22-23

Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the
blind will see and those who see will become blind." Some Pharisees
who were with him heard him say this and asked, "What? Are we blind
too?" Jesus said, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of
sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains. John 9:
39-41

In conclusion, it seems that the inner eye is the basis of
spirituality. The inner eye will remain blind unless we make a
conscious effort to clear the mind by removing anxieties, guilt-
feelings, fears and worries. As the mind gets clearer of all such
dark feelings and thoughts, the inner eye will begin to see.

Source: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GregorianStudyCircle/message/3699