In Sayadaw U Tejaniya’s approach, the technique for "being aware of seeing" is less about looking at things and more about recognizing that the process of seeing is happening. His hallmark instruction is to distinguish between the object (what you see) and the nature of the mind (the fact that seeing is occurring).

The "Seeing is Happening" Technique

Instead of focusing your eyes on a specific point, you keep your eyes open and relaxed. You can use the following steps to practice this:

• Acknowledge the Process: Don't look "out there" at a statue or a tree. Instead, remind yourself: "Seeing is happening" or "Seeing is nature." This shifts the focus from the concept (the object) to the reality (the sensory experience).
• The "Open and Close" Exercise: If you find it hard to feel what "seeing" is, Sayadaw U Tejaniya suggests closing and opening your eyes repeatedly. When they are closed, there is no seeing; when they open, seeing happens automatically. Notice that you don't have to "do" anything to see—it is a natural process of the eye-door.
• Don't Focus or Peer: Avoid "looking" intensely. Looking implies a "self" trying to grab an object. "Seeing" is receptive. Keep a "wide-angle lens" view rather than a "microscope" view.
• Check the Observing Mind: Periodically ask yourself, "Is the mind aware of seeing?" or "What is the attitude of the mind?" The goal is to be aware that the mind is receiving visual data without getting lost in the story of what is being seen.

Key Principles for this Practice

By practicing this, you stop identifying as the "see-er" and start seeing the process as a natural, impersonal phenomenon.