Welcome to the Third Eye Chakra

There are only 2 petals compared to the increasing number of petals per chakra. There are many possible interpretations; the two worlds of reality and manifest, the intertwining nadis - ida and pingala (which meet at this point), the two physical eyes that surround the 3rd eye, wings - the ability to transcend time and space, allowing the spirit to fly.

Another is that the wings represent the whites of the eye around the Iris. I also think it could look like ears - of the elephant (Jaya Ganesha is the deity that represents clearer the path ahead), and the ears are perhaps the other sense that helps us to ‘perceive’ a situation. Especially as those who are blind can be even more perceptive but in different ways. For me, it’s about learning to tune in and out of our different senses, including our insight and 3rd eye

● The element is light; through sensory interpretation of light we obtain information about the world around us. It’s said that in our earlier species it might have been closer to the crown because in some reptilians it is still used as a light meter for the body. For us, it too still regulates our bodies translating variations in light to hormonal messages relayed to the body through the autonomic nervous system

● Over 100 body functions have daily rhythms which are influenced by exposure to light. The pineal reaches the height of its development at the age of 7 and has been thought to influence the maturation of the sex glands

● Melatonin, a hormone relevant to pigment cells have been isolated from the pineal

● It is suggested that the production of melatonin is triggered by exposure of the eye to light/ melatonin now widely researched as a sleeping aid are believed to strengthen our immune system, reduce stress and slow aging. Can we influence the aging process? Melatonin decreases with age and low doses are found in depression and higher level are in manic states

● The Pituitary gland is also up there which is often said to be the master gland, controlling all others and relates more to the crown

● At the 5th chakra (Throat) we experienced vibration as an underlying manifestation of form. At the 6th chakra we encounter a higher, faster vibration than that of sound, though a fundamentally different characte

● Here we embrace the part of the electromagnetic spectrum that we perceive as visible light

● Ultraviolet radiation, radio waves, x-rays, and microwaves are just a few of the many wave forms within this spectrum that are not visible to the eye. Light is a far finer vibrational energy, produced by radiative emission from atomic and molecular systems as they undergo energy-level transitions

● Light is the voice of atoms and molecules, whereas sound is the voice of larger structures

● Light travels the fastest of any of the elements discussed so far with 186,000 miles per second -the fastest known speed of any phenomenon. We step further out of the physical limitations of time and space with each new dimension. If one were to travel at the speed of light, time would cease to pass. We see a star in the sky, thousands of light years away, which may have gone nova and disappeared - but the light has not yet reached our eyes

● Colour is the form through which we perceive light. Vivid in experience, rich in depth, colour is the very fabric of our seeing. It is produced by different frequencies in the wavelength. The ‘hot’ colours such as ‘red’ ‘oranges’ and ‘yellows’ are of a lower frequency than ‘cooler’ colours such as blue and violet and therefore the photons have less energy.

Hot and cold are our own subjective associations but do not reflect the actual heat or coolness of the colour. In turn the combination of the frequency of the colour and the association can create very real psychological effects. Red physiologically represents the heart, the blood as well as ‘blood boiling’ anger and redness from that anger or embarrassment. Sky blue might bring feelings of peace, coolness, calm like water. Even wavelengths beyond the visible spectrum such as fluorescent which do not contain the invisible ultra violet rays, have a negative impact on health. Whereas the sun in ti’s full spectrum can have a healing effect when in balance

● Therefore, if we a large amount of information comes from light, and that visual information is in patterns of colour, the subtle changes in the frequency must have a large impact on the mind/ body

● For this reason, as well as sound healing, colour has been used for healing. This art was used in the early part of the century before being scoffed at by the medical society. Yet it had remarkable results

● Bring this into the modern day and the recommendation now that is coming on the negative blue light on computer screens. See also now how this would in turn impact the pineal gland and sleep patterns.You will notice how the colours of the chakras correlate

● It has been said that certain clairvoyants have noted that the colours of the chakras might also be slightly different. This could mean that when all chakras are blending and merging together that they are all intertwined and could be also impacted from various perspective and subjectives

● One of the greatest gifts of consciousness - the ability to see. To witness the wonders of the universe, whether light years away in the twinkling dome of stars, or blossoming in the flowers of our garden, the gift of sight allows us to behold the beauty of creation

● We have the ability to absorb enormous amounts of information about our surroundings. From our dreams, images connect our conscious and subconscious, the mind and the soul (NLP talks about this)

● With intuition we see our way through situations, developing wisdom through various experiences, raising awareness and therefore being able to ‘see’ things differently and even encourage ourselves to see something from another perspective

● We have the means to internalise the outer world, and at the same time manifest our outer world

● In the centre of your forehead between your eyes is the 3rd Eye (Ajna). It’s where we look beyond ordinary vision and towards transcendence, divine purpose and spiritual awareness

● It is associated with an etheric organ of psychic perception as well as the physical connection with the brain, and the pineal gland, and when in balance can exhibit extraordinary clarity of thought, combining logical reasoning with intuition and inspiration

● It strives for completeness in terms of self an inner harmony between body, mind and spirit and the creator or the whole of creation itself

● Ajna means both perception and command; not just perception of others and the world but self realisation - the ability to see yourself with honesty and insight the observation standpoint of the spiritual or divine

● As with any development, opening the brow/ 3rd eye requires a level of intense honesty with both yourself and others. Such honesty can make you and others uncomfortable at times but when the 3rd Eye is balanced it accepts no excuses. So however difficult the choice may be if it knows it’s the right one, you are compelled to follow it. This honestly can be as a result of working on the Throat with the aid of the Heart

● Responding with ‘I can’t’, or absolving yourself from responsibility by blaming your past or other people simply won’t work anymore here. The chakra has the ability to command you

● Because it can make life and things more uncomfortable, by following your path and making those choices, most people find it easier to close it down

● On the surface this makes life easier, a lot less testing, you don’t need to worry about the path you’re taking in life or about the effects of your words and actions on others. Yet it is a state of being that is the very opposite of the buddhist concept of mindfulness (examining the motivation behind thought, word and deed)

● Closing down this chakra doesn’t actually bring peace and freedom from worry or bother, it means an end to perception. When you close it you become a poor judge of character and situations, finding yourself in a series of muddles and poor choices or worse. This can come in and out until you reach your trust in yourself. You can lose a sense of purpose, become so self absorbed that your relationships become dysfunctional

● So it may be hard work to allow it to flower, but is clearly worth it. This is definitely true for those looking for spiritual development. The spark is within all of us so if it is blocked then inspiration can be subverted into fantasy or into activity such a television all day

When it is too open such as from taking mind expanding drugs or belonging to misguided cult, or addictions - you can have nightmares, disturbed uncontrollable thought patterns and even hallucinations

● When it’s strong, inspiration takes many positive forms; from flashes of intuition about how to solve a problem, from a sense of divine, to moments of pure clairvoyance

● The trick here is to manage yourself and not to be swayed by others suggestions or recommendations as such. Go with your gut but also manage your energy or giving and receiving

● The concept of perception and command means that we can manifest the life we want, the world we want. To hold an image in our mind increases the possibility that it will materialise. This image becomes like a stained glass window through which the light of consciousness shines on its way to manifestation

● If there is no interference, the form on the manifested plane in just what we visualised. One reason our visualisation don’t always manifest is because so often we do encounter interference along the descent to manifestation. It could be someone else’s circumstances, fears from the unconscious, or simply lack of clarity in our visualisation

● Visualisation techniques and affirmations can help to draw out your perception and affirm what you want. It has been estimated that in the sighted person 90% of our information comes through our eyes more than through any other organs are sensory means

● It follows then that a large portion of our memory and thought processes are also coded with visual information of course this varies from person to person as some people are more visual and some people are more kinesthetic or audio. Visual information can be defined as a pattern it communicates spatial relationships reaching us without the necessity of contact. It’s relationships describe form, as in size and shape, colour, intensity, location, movement and behaviour

●No actual light enters the brain. Impulses through the nerves are sent along the optic chiasm to the cerebral cortex of the brain in the form of electrical impulses. Light enters the retina it is not really our eyes that see but our minds. Eye are lenses are transcribing information about world to the inner, and the brain to interpret the electrical impulses into patterns

● Remember it is not ‘matter’ that we perceive but light that we see. What we are really seeing is light reflected, we see what they are not, we see the spaces between them, the spaces around them, but we cannot see into the actual object. We cannot feel the object but only the edge of the object. What it feels is a textured boundaries of the empty space

● Clairvoyance - this is the most significant aspect of the consciousness at the level of the 6th chakra in the development of psychic abilities. Psychic perception is not always visual, as in clairaudience (chakra 5 - Throat), and auditory - rhythm, music, voices, or clairsentience (chakra 2 - Sacral) which means clear sensing

● So we must be able to see into the spaces that are clear, to look at the fields of energy, not at the objects themselves; to look at relationships, not things; to see the world as a whole, and to reach with our minds directly and clearly for the information we want

● The more clarity we have within ourselves, the better we are able to see the subtle properties of the world around us. Looking and not seeing is the same as hearing but not listening. Think of the typical expression ‘I see’, it generally mens someone has been able to take a small part of information and fit into a scheme of the whole. How? According to Pribram our mind/brain acts as a kind of stage upon which our visual images play. We can think of the 3rd eye as a mental screen; when you close your eyes and remember your first home or another home you can see it, feel it, maybe even smell it. Yet it’s not real. In hypnotherapy and NLP this is a very powerful tool as we can develop a new vision and embed and drive that at a very subconscious level to detach from previous negative emotions and yet at the same time, take the learning and move forward.

● We can also project the future about what and where and how we want to be

● The 3rd Eye has a strong urge toward a sense of completion and being at one with the rest of creation Healing/ Opening the 3rd Eye

Good ways to open and balance the 3rd Eye is finding a place of quiet solitude within nature, contemplating natural beauty or practicing meditation, yoga or chi gong outdoors in a beautiful place. If you can’t be in natural surroundings easily you could even play and audio of nature such as bird songs or other natural sounds. Fill your home with plants or scented flowers (hyacinths have particular stimulating effect), or use incense or fragrances that stimulate such as rose or geranium

● Affirmations can help for positive statements of intent; they help keep you focused on what you want to achieve in life. Over time they can help you to change old negative ways of thinking into positive ones. They work more so when the mind and heart combine = a belief (the subconscious and conscious combined). Blending the two can come through activities such as meditation and hypnotherapy and other ways including vision boards when engaging the heart. Balancing the 3rd Eye has the ability to change the way you view your life and purpose. You just have to overcomes the fear of success to allow the affirmations to succeed

● They can be repeated either verbally or in your mind. Think or say them slowly and firmly 20 times or write them out. We need to have a mind and emotional connection for affirmations to be powerful. A great read is the book ‘The Spontaneous Healing of Belief’ by Gregg Braden. Louise Hays also write powerful healing books and focuses on affirmations. For example, if you lead a hectic life that seems to leave no time for peace or meditation your affirmation could be ‘i allow stillness and silence into my life’. You can also log onto Louise Hays website for affirmations and even buy her CD to play in the car, which I found very useful

● If you have a problem that you just can’t see a solution too you can say ‘only good will come from situations, everything is solved easily and smoothly for the greatest highest good of all, all is well and I am safe, and so it is.’ Have you ever had a problem that hasn’t in one way or the other been resolved? If you feel confused you can say ‘my inner wisdom guides me to my true path’. The purpose is that we remove those negative barriers that allows our creativity to flow and our true selves to shine

● Accept your intuition - not just long term surrounding your spiritual path but also with the sudden and profound insights, moments of intuition and inspiration when you suddenly see things clearly and realise what you must do. Unfortunately in our materialistic times, this capacity for insight is often mistrusted and underrated and as a consequence the chakra becomes dormant or closed. However as you work on this chakra you may start to intuit answers to your lifes questions on every level, from spiritual to changing your job

● In the tibetan buddhist tradition these intuitions are known as realisations. You can spend weeks, months or years grappling with a problem or concept but there is a moment when you suddenly KNOW. Sometimes walking down the street, talking with a friend are all examples of these ‘aha’ moments. Others can be when watching a film and stepping into someone elses shoes, or reading and something hits you, or through therapy, or when you experience a trauma and a new perspective comes at various stages. Don’t ignore these, they are the voice of your 3rd Eye

● Taking time away can help - retreats and wellness retreats can help gain perspective. Either by yourself or in a guided group. It may seem like a huge commitment but there are many different kinds of retreats; some are for a day, weekend or some 3-4 weeks. You can take it even slower than that, for example spending time in a library such as the beautiful Gladstones in Hawarden, or another of your favourite quiet spaces, or take time out on a walk, or meditation, all of which are free

● There are various kinds of concentration (Dharana) which leads to meditation (Dhyana) which all aim for ultimate peace and bliss (Samadhi) which is the union of the divine. See my blog on tips for meditation https://www.inspire-rewire.com/blog-main/tips-and-benefits-of-meditation

● Gazing at an object like a candle without blinking and is also one of the 6 cleaning techniques of yoga it also stimulates the brain and improves the eyesight. Eye circles and conscious eye exercises too

● Another element to note in this chakra is dreams. I love the process of decoding my dreams and hearing about dreams of others to help them. Dream analysis is subjective; although there are various books that support the analysis, with some typical suggestions such as a house/ building representing the mind, other elements are not so general. For example seeing a cat in a dream. This really depends on how you feel about cats and how you interpret them. Try the following to interpret:

○ Analyse how you felt in the dream (establish a theme - scary, loving, frustration or guilt etc.)

○ Try to determine why

○ Look at the characters and what element was about their character

○ Look at the actions of the characters and yourself and how it made you feel ○ Link back to either an event from the past, something going on now or something coming up

● Remember although some dreams are straight forward; you are afraid of your driving test and you dream of your driving test. But most ‘bizarre’ dreams are not really bizarre when you look deeper. Your dreams are metaphors and symbols, they are not necessarily as straightforward as they look. Dreams give us clues to the subconscious.

Other ways to work with this chakra are:

● Yogic Eye Exercise - take the eyes up to the top right corner, then the bottom left hand corner x 2, then the top left corner, to the bottom right x 2. Up and down x2, then clockwise, as though counting the clock through the numbers - nice and wide, and anticlockwise.

● Colour meditation (see attachment on the 3rd eye email)

● Palm the eyes (rub hands together to generate heat and then hold over the closed eyes)

● Soul connection meditation (looking into eyes of another)

● Vision board

● Stepping back and having non-attachment to a situation and seeing it different

● meditation/ contemplation as though from another person’s point of view (go inside what their mind might be like)

Aromatherapy Support: Angelica Root, Bay Laurel, Clary Sage, Cypress, Elemi, Frankincense, Helichrysum, Juniper, Marjoram, Patchouli, Rosemary, Sandalwood, Vetiver