This was interesting !
Without my contact lenses , the world is a blur. Myopic ! The only safe way to practice this was within home. You DO NOT want me driving on the road, half blind! I’d be more dangerous than our dear Inspector Clouseau on streets of France, really.
Still the advantage was the familiarity of home. I kinda know where things are for most part or at least I think I do.
So at home, I held on to railing to go down the stairs; i walked slowly. Did I look inept and incompetent in my chores? Probably.
Again reminded me of dear Clouseau who falls down a set of stairs, gets his hand caught in a medieval knight’s gauntlet, then a vase; knocks a witness senseless, destroys a priceless piano! Thankfully I did none of that. ( Fortunately I don’t own a medieval knight’s gauntlet)
Without my contact lenses, I paid more attention to where I was walking as any distraction could have led to stumbling/ falling/bruising …… of this Jiva.
Should not it be the way for us at all times though, with our without our contact lenses/ prescription glasses ? Being mindful, unitasking, focused on activity at hand? The journey we have undertaken to reach Self is like walking on razor’s edge. Any distractions on the way with body, mind and intellect towards articles, beings and circumstances can bring us down.
Reading without my lenses was interesting. I had to hold book about 3–4 inches from my face to read. At functional level my morning reading of Astavakra Gita was still easier physically ( medium sized print and lighter weight book) compared to my night time reading of Haruki Murakami’s 1Q84-a big heavy volume. with 1157 pages in small print. It wasn’t pleasurable when I dozed off and that book fell on my face smothering me for a second.
How much we take our eyes for granted!
Yes, the world for me, was a blur. But it reminded me to look within. To lose the sight and gain the vision.
Philosophically, What’s there to see outside? It’s maya.
I look at the world, which isn’t there.
