Anyone else have the sensation of seeing through their eyelids?

It happens to me either when I'm falling asleep or waking up. I've had sleep paralysis and other weird dream things for awhile so I feel generally familiar with shifts in consciousness. When I can see through my eyelids I feel like I'm stuck in between the mostly awake and mostly asleep state, like a purgatory of sorts. I've been able to remember enough details about what I saw to confirm that it was accurate. It's only happened a handful of times but most recently three days ago.

I was laying in bed and I was in between the states but I didn't realize it. I thought I was awake at the time. So I opened my eyes and saw my window and my headboard with my phone and some books on it. Right after I saw it I realized two things, everything was in black and white and I didn't feel my eyes open. I realized that I didn't 'tell' my eyes to open I rather just thought about seeing or looking.

My next thought was jarring, it hit me like a ton of bricks. I was still able to see for a sec (the whole view lasted maybe 3 or 4 seconds) but assumed or knew that I wasn't in my body. In that moment part of me realized, or accepted, that this life and consciousness and this physical world aren't as real as I think. It was as if I have been watching a movie my entire life and was so engrossed that I forgot I was there. That few seconds was like someone tapping me on the shoulder and breaking the illusion. I've always thought the world was like that and had tons of weird conscious experiences but for some unknown reason that moment was like believing in UFO's your whole life and finally seeing one. Having the confirmation of experience to solidify (or the opposite in my case) your thoughts or self.

I wanted to know if others had similar experiences with sleep or mediation. Thanks for your help and time.

I've had similar experiences. It was like I was looking at something but then realized my eyes weren't even open, and when I did open them, the image transformed.

The state of mind at the edge of sleep is a very interesting one.

I think I had one last night, I was just thinking about stuff, then I must've fallen asleep, unless I was seeing through my eyelids. Basically I thought I opened my eyes and there was a face looking back at me, but leaning over the bed slightly, I got so scared I opened my eyes. I was looking at the exact same spot I thought I was, but there was nothing there. It was only then that I realised my eyes never opened until after I saw it.

I feel this too, right before falling asleep or waking up. I try to focus with my hand in front of me, and it can be seen as clear as day, but I know my eyelids are closed.

I think it might have to do with the thinning out of the eyelids, when they're spread over your eyes, when they're closed. When they're closed, light can easily enter through your eye lids, because they are much thinner, which allows us to see through them easier.

I hate to admit it, but sometimes I can't tell if my eye lids are closed or open unless I turn on the light.

This happens to quite a few people too Seeing with closed eyes

Originally posted by DJMessiah
I hate to admit it, but sometimes I can't tell if my eye lids are closed or open unless I turn on the light.

Ahh for me, I have to 'grrr' at myself, scrunch my eyelids up and it usually stops bothering me.

Oh, I have, once. Recently I was placed on nitrous oxide for a dental procedure and I SAW. I could see them working and wondered If it was a hallucination.

Yep, I've had it also.. 5 times. It's a really funny sensation. But at that state you're really close to having an out of body experience.

I too get this fealing almost every night as I lay in bed.

I have also had this happen many times in different situations. Where I consciously worked with the technique was sitting on the beach in ca. I would go down to the sand and sit meditating, I soon realized that i could see the people walking or running up the beach. To confirm at first I would open my eyes often then once it was scientifically repeatable, I just enjoyed doing it for the centering it helped me to feel. I would be very grounded and clear after this "Meditation". My suggestion is to go to a crowded place and sit with your eyes closed and hone in on your ability.

Many many many times, in fact if happens at least 4 to 5 times a week. I can even choose a time when I want to do it now. You can actually use this as a stepping stone for OBE's.

Ive also had it, I think its one of the sings before you go to sleep or have an obe

I've heard from others that this is usually the first stage of an OOBE, I suggest you try to get out completely the next time this happens, try and move your arm, some experience that they can move their hand through their bed (or whatever they are lying on).
I must say I'm quite jealous, I haven't been able to achieve anything like an OOBE. Can you tell me how u usually achieve this ( as in what do you think about/focus on)?

Yes

When I close my eyes, now it explodes with energy waves and filament colors of purple, blue, red, teal, white almost like a grid pattern.

Cool that is what I get a lot of time, that same grid pattern.

I wonder what it actually is?

Originally posted by endrna
Yes

When I close my eyes, now it explodes with energy waves and filament colors of purple, blue, red, teal, white almost like a grid pattern.

I was thinking about the grid pattern last night. I think that's just part of our vision and how our eyes work. Same with the colors you see when you stare for awhile, like the ones that you get when you press your eyes. Do you get the feeling that you can focus your eyes or perception to a different place if you concentrate just right. Not mediation or anything, it's a very quick shift when I do it, I just couldn't explain the internal sensation of doing it. But it feels like instead of thinking i'm in my brain and looking at the back of my eyelids I'm just sort of ... there. I imagine that there is some concavity to my perception when I'm conscious of my eye location, but when I reach the other focus it feels like everything flattens out. Maybe it's my eyes relaxing, who knows.

parabol, i understand what ya mean, i sometimes get that feeling when i close my eyes at night...another strange feeling i get when i close my eyes sometimes is...well i really cant explain it in words...but ill try my best...its like looking with 4th dimensions...idk..you see an object in your mind..and it has no shape, length, width, hight or anything..its like seeing somthing and its big and small at the exact same time...it contracts to your perception to be what ever you choose it to be..and when you think of that..its kinda like the world...we can shape it to be what we want it to be...but we have to stop looking out of our two eyes. what we see is in 3d..but what we really are..goes further then what our human minds can believe, percieve..and even imagine...the things i saw...are unimaginable.
.:Kiliker:.

anyone else has the sensation......


yes! well in fact I had such an experience this thursday, I awoke, and stayed in bed, as I was layin on my back, I started to see, eyes closed, I felt myself and experienced myself in some situations where I acted out of myself, without fear, this was neither a new experience nor an old one, but it was so conscious, so aware I never felt these sensations before, it really opened my eyes.

Woah, I thought it was just me. I have had that all my life, including night time paralysis. The paralysis has waned with age, but I still get the eyelid thing. Man that is wierd.

I did that once and saw a picture of God. He looked like the image in the Sistine Chapel, but He was in another dimension or universe or something. He was talking to other beings, but it was obvious he was in charge. He turned to look at me and just before I saw His eyes, I understood that I couldn't look into His eyes because I wouldn't be able to handle it. He was at the seventh level of dimension, or heaven. Then a ball of red light entered the center of my mind and spread through my body in a wave of warmth and love. After about a minute, I opened my eyes. I had been crying.

Yep, me too. Very interesting thing. Sometimes when I'm waking up it happens, and if I can catch it happening without fully waking up, I've learned to remain in that inbetween state and watch "the scene" going on. Its not like I'm looking through MY eyelids, its like I'm watching something going on somewhere else remotely. Its never a perfectly framed scene though, which is interesting, its an off center view of somewhere random, like the bottom of some chairs and peoples feet walking by. Things like that.

Cool