I recently started practicing Soto Zen Buddhism and one problem I have run into is that I cannot keep my eyes open during mediation. When I try one of two things happens. Either my eyes begin to twitch, making it essentially impossible to concentrate on the meditation itself or they close and I constantly have to remember to opening them again. Sometimes I also notice that when I try to keep them open I have to blink. Right now the entire meditation seems to be a never-ending practice of controlling my body. My teacher insists that the eyes stay slightly open as we "do not shut out the world." I have yet to figure out how to do that. Any ideas? I'm about ready to just shut them and be done with it so I can actually concentrate on my thoughts.

Harry