Eyes: The Window to the Soul?

[Learning]

What do you think about this saying? What do you see when you look into people's eyes?

[Zilal]

Uh, well, usually they're just eyes, though I'm conscious of not wanting to make too much eye contact since it can be intense. But with a few people in my life I've felt more of a connection with eye contact, sure, like a deeper connection... I suppose it could involve souls, if I thought such a thing existed... but I've never really been sure what to make of it. It leaves me off-balance, as does a lot involving emotions.

[AliciaS2R]

What do you see when you look into people's eyes?
I like to look into people's eyes when I talk to them, I am looking for acknowledgement that they understand and it helps me to read them. However, looking deep into someone's eyes can be a very intense experience. For me it is communicating without words depending how close a persons emotions are to the surface. I have to be prepared for what I see. I also find myself guarding my emotions sometimes when this happens.

[ssfanatic]

THough eyes are key to recognizing and knowing how a person is feeling and what they are thinking, nervous habits are much more beneficial. When i look a person in the eyes (which i always do) when i talk to them, i try to pick out certain little things they do with my peripheral vision. Just to know what they are thinking about what i am saying.
None of that had anything to do with the question but whatever.

I think eyes can say a lot. I dont think you can trust a person who wont look you in the eyes, and you can never trust a person who looks in you eyes all the time. Then they are just good at lying :)

[Hdier]

On a deep(er) level: When I look into peoples eyes, I *think* that what happens is I pick up subtle clues that tell me various bits of information. For example, when I look into peoples eye's, I might 'see' confirmation, pity, agreement, rebellion, defiance, love, etc. However, I do not believe that I am actually seeing these in the eyes themselves, but in the subtle body language that my unconscious perceives.

On a shallow(er) level: I see eye color. I love exotic eye colors, especially a really light blue-grey color. I even saw silver eyes once, they were so gorgeous.

[Antares]

I see a pair of eyeballs... For some people, I will see brilliant and clear eyes (azure, sea-green, emerald, royalblue, navy, silver, gold, amber). For others, I will see warm, murky eyes (close-to-black, honey brown. Yes. Besides silver, I have a fascination with onyx colored eyes). Then I try to tell one color from another, if there are more than one color in the eyes. That's really all I see. I don't see into the 'souls' of people from eyes alone. I generally take in their usual expressions etc.

I really don't know about this, but when I look into people's eyes, even though I might be seeing eyeballs all the same, we seem be silently communicating or something. In my experience, looking into someone's eyes - even if you don't like that person, is never a light ordeal. Often times it changes the way I view that person. Sometimes I find it unsettling and would want to look away, but just looking into a special someone's eyes... :lovestruck:

[Santana28]

absolutely - i can see how intelligent they are, sometimes where their priorities are, how they are feeling, what they are thinking, level of self confidence, and mental illness or health.

i usually dont like looking into people's eyes because what i see isn't good. but the people who i know and love i will stare endlessly into their eyes....

[muguly]

Yes. Not only can you tell how a person is feeling by their eyes, you can also tell if they are in good physical health by certian factors in their eyes. If you don't pay attention enough you miss out on subtle cues given by the eyes in every situation. But, when you do, you begin to realize that the eyes can say more than words sometimes.

[Learning]

absolutely - i can see how intelligent they are, sometimes where their priorities are, how they are feeling, what they are thinking, level of self confidence, and mental illness or health.

i usually dont like looking into people's eyes because what i see isn't good. but the people who i know and love i will stare endlessly into their eyes....

Yes. ..you can also tell if they are in good physical health by certian factors in their eyes. If you don't pay attention enough you miss out on subtle cues given by the eyes in every situation.
This is likely attributed to "N", yes? I like to look into people's eyes especially when I first meet them to see what I can pick up on. Do you also believe in irodology, the natural study of the eyes for health?
Very interesting what we can learn by looking at the eyes. Feelings & health definitely contribute to the person.
What else can we learn from people's eyes?

[Santana28]

This is likely attributed to "N", yes? I like to look into people's eyes especially when I first meet them to see what I can pick up. Do you also believe in irodology, the natural study of the eyes for health?
Very interesting what we can learn by looking at the eyes. Feelings & health definitely contribute to the person. What else can we learn from people's eyes?

irodology...thats a new one. i remember reading a study a year or two back which mentioned that certain types of mental illness could be diagnosed by irregularities in the alignment of the patient's eyes...

i've noticed that a LOT of the people i've eventually concluded to have some sort of mental issues have eyes that aren't completely lined up, or point ever so slightly "out" rather than straight forward. differences so slight that you have to actively look for them in order to see them.

[MintNut]

I don't believe in eyes being the window to the soul - I've had really down days before and felt positive that anyone who saw my eyes that day would just see the sadness within, but people don't. Eyes are just eyes unless they look different or if they're doing something of interest that might lead us to another conclusion about the person. I think it's the 'reader' that has the ability to pick up on facial/eye cues not the eyes themselves.

[Mr Zip]

irodology...thats a new one. i remember reading a study a year or two back which mentioned that certain types of mental illness could be diagnosed by irregularities in the alignment of the patient's eyes...

i've noticed that a LOT of the people i've eventually concluded to have some sort of mental issues have eyes that aren't completely lined up, or point ever so slightly "out" rather than straight forward. differences so slight that you have to actively look for them in order to see them.

Theres something to iridology. I had a guy who used to do that in the office besides mine, and showed me what types of patterns of nutrient deficiencies show up in the eyes. It may sound new age and hokie, but I believe theres some patterns to it.

[muguly]

I don't believe in eyes being the window to the soul - I've had really down days before and felt positive that anyone who saw my eyes that day would just see the sadness within, but people don't. Eyes are just eyes unless they look different or if they're doing something of interest that might lead us to another conclusion about the person. I think it's the 'reader' that has the ability to pick up on facial/eye cues not the eyes themselves.

I can understand how you would feel that way. However, keep in mind that most people we have daily contact with don't really care about our well being. So even if they saw something in your eyes, they were too selfish to ask "what's wrong"? It's all about what we choose to perceive in others and ourselves. If I were to come across you and see pain, hurt, anger, sorrow, anything other than happiness in your eyes, I would care.

[Learning]

irodology...thats a new one. i remember reading a study a year or two back which mentioned that certain types of mental illness could be diagnosed by irregularities in the alignment of the patient's eyes... i've noticed that a LOT of the people i've eventually concluded to have some sort of mental issues have eyes that aren't completely lined up, or point ever so slightly "out" rather than straight forward. differences so slight that you have to actively look for them in order to see them.
Really? When you say "lined up", do you mean symmetrically?

...I think it's the 'reader' that has the ability to pick up on facial/eye cues not the eyes themselves.
Do you think "N"s are better at picking up on those cues?

Theres something to iridology. I had a guy who used to do that in the office besides mine, and showed me what types of patterns of nutrient deficiencies show up in the eyes. It may sound new age and hokie, but I believe theres some patterns to it.
I actually went to one... well she was a naturapath/nutritionist who used iridology. I kept the chart she gave me, but it's filed away somewhere. It explains how spots in the eyes, as well as rings, etc. can reveal what may be going on in the body (i.e.-bowel problems, etc). I don't tend to believe everything I hear; I mostly went there to explore natural health alternatives. She did check my eyes though, and I have to say it was pretty interesting but I've never done any more research on it.

I can understand how you would feel that way. However, keep in mind that most people we have daily contact with don't really care about our well being. So even if they saw something in your eyes, they were too selfish to ask "what's wrong"?
Sad but true.
Do you think it's the eyes themselves, then? or the cues they give that enable others to read them? or a combination of both?

[Santana28]

like, not aligned properly - one will be slightly off center as compared to the other - they just aren't oriented exactly the same way. the most difficult to see are eyes which are ever so slightly aligned outward of the face <---o V o---->

[Learning]

... from what I've read symmetry is not common. (One of the things sought out even in modeling). Then again, there may just be something wrong with everybody psychologically to even the smallest degree, and that would explain the rarity of symmetrical eyes ;).

[muguly]

Do you think it's the eyes themselves, then? or the cues they give that enable others to read them? or a combination of both?

It's a combination of both. For instance: if someone has just finished crying, usually their eyes are slightly puffy and red. However, when someone is tired, their eyes are droopy and red. When someone wants to smile but is trying to hold it in, usually the outside corners of their eyes move towards the sky. When someone is nervous, most peoples eyes tend to twitch every so slightly. When they are sad, there seems to be no life in the eyes, like looking into a dolls eyes. It's interesting.

[Cookabara]

When I look in peoples' eyes, I can tell if they lie or not.

[Br3nti5]

Yes I believe your looking into someones soul if they let you - i know from personal experience you can hide/bury almost anything within you if you try hard enough.

On another note - have any of you ever starred deep into the eyes of any of animals? I know they say you shouldn't do that as its a form of intimidation, but I would rather be looking at a potential threat then acting like its not there; But back on topic you can almost tell immediately whether its time to run for the hills or play it chill and relaxed.

Its the same with people our unconscious notices so much more then we do because it takes in the world AS IS - without all the complexities of "controlled" thought. An Example of this is when your looking into the eyes of someone you deeply care about you can feel there love through there eyes or better yet how about when someone is yelling and screaming at you for whatever reason, you can see the anger in there eyes.


I'm not saying its an end all be all type of situation, but if you take that PIECE of the situation you have the potential to see a deeper into it.

[AgentofGaming]

hmm...
If you know someone:
and you stare into their eyes for a while and smile, they will smile/laugh too.
If you don't know someone:
and you stare into their eyes for a while and smile, they will feel uncomfortable and wonder if you're mad.

I felt more uncomfortable with the concept of looking into someone's eyes than doing it.