Third Eye Chakra – Transcend The Illusion Of Life
Published 3 September 2021
Muladhara

The Eye Trough Which We See The Unseen

The Third Eye Chakra is the sixth chakra as described in the traditional chakra system. Located on the forehead, between the eyebrows, it is our centre of intuition and foresight. The function of the Third Eye Chakra is driven by the principle of openness, imagination and visualization. 

The Sanskrit name for the Third Eye Chakra is “Ajna”, which means “command” and “perceiving”. It is the eye that shows us what we can’t see with our physical eyes. This chakra is related to the “supreme element”, which is the combination of all the elements in their pure form. Physically this energy centre is associated with the brain, the eyes, the head and pituitary gland. 

In yogic metaphysics, the third eye or Ajna Chakra, is the centre where we transcend duality – the duality of a personal “I” separate from the rest of the world, of a personality that exists independently from everything else.

If you are unfamiliar with the concept of the Chakras and the five different bodies according to yoga philosophy, you can read my blog The Chakras Explained.

Ajna Chakra Is Our Sixth Sense

Ajna Chakra correlates to our mental abilities, psychological skills, and how we evaluate beliefs and attitudes. As we mentioned above it is physically connected to the brain, pituitary, and pineal glands, hence it is also called the mind chakra. It resonates with the energy of our psyche, as well as our conscious and unconscious psychological tendencies.

This is the chakra of our sixth sense. In Eastern philosophies, it is known as our ‘third eye’ and the spiritual center, which interacts with the rational mind in order to deepen our intuitive insight and help us ‘see’ beyond the veil of illusion. 

Third Eye Chakra Basics

Name in Sanskrit: Ajna meaning “command” and “perceiving“

Location: Between the eyebrows

Element: All elements combined, light

Colour: Indigo

Symbol: Two petal lotus

Corresponding gland: Pituitary & Pineal 

Parts of the body: Eyes, base of skull, brow, pituitary & pineal gland

Pituitary Gland

Balanced Third Eye Chakra

When the sixth energy centre is balanced, we have a beautiful ability to see deeply into our own heart and soul and are easily able to connect to our innate, intuitive wisdom. Likewise, we are able to see how we are all intrinsically connected, and this knowing helps us navigate through life. We trust our intuition and we reap tremendous benefit for tuning in. As a consequence, we have an awareness and understanding that sets the stage for a rich and powerful spiritual foundation.

Other benefits from a balanced Ajna Chakra are clarity of thought and vision, good imagination and intuition. Moreover, we easily remember our dreams and have flexibility in our opinions.

Unbalanced Third Eye Chakra Signs

The main issue with this energy centre is an unwillingness to look within and dig into our fears.

Another problem that results in unbalanced sixth chakra, is the increasing desire for material things which disconnects us from our true Self. There is impatience, expectations, burdens of the past, and many more negative thoughts that block our vision. Most importantly, this distance from spirituality blurs our intuition.

Signs of an unbalanced Third Eye chakra include:

  • Finding yourself often thinking back over and over on situations.
  • Having alcohol or drugs addictions.
  • A tendency to be erratic in your behaviour.
  • Finding it hard to be open-minded.
  • Being overly logical or overly emotional.
  • Not remembering your dreams.
  • Feeling cut off from your internal vision and life purpose.
  • Feeling like you are a victim of your life experience.
  • Need to external stimulants to keep going (i.e. caffeine)
  • Being mistrusting, and easily disliking people.

When the sixth chakra is blocked the imbalance may present itself physically within the brain, eyes, pineal gland, and pituitary gland. It can manifest as headaches, dizziness, poor vision, seizures, and lack of concentration. This also includes brain problems such as difficulty processing information, memory issues, and anxiety.

Balancing The Third Eye Chakra

As usual we will start with various yoga practices that are beneficial for clearing blockages in your Ajna Chakra.  I will suggest certain poses, breathwork and meditation before I move on to all the other methods and possibilities. 

Yoga For Ajna Chakra

The third eye chakra gets activated when we are quiet, present and when we turn inward. Yoga encourages all of these things!

We can say that our sixth chakra is our sixth sence! The gut feeling, that we all have. This extra sense can be used in yoga, to help guide us through sequences, so that our practice includes exactly what our body needs at that particular moment.  So get on your mat, close your eyes, listen and look inward.

Yoga Asana

All of the listed poses, breathing techniques and meditation are part of the Third Eye Chakra Video included further down in this blog.

  • Prasarita Padottanasana (wide legged forward fold)
  • Catur Svanasana (dolphin pose)
  • Balasana (child’s pose)
  • Nadi Shodhana Pranayama (alternate nostril breathing)
  • Bhramari Pranayama (bumble bee breathing)
  • Trataka (candle gazing meditation)

Shambavai Mudra (Eyebrow Centre Gazing)

This is a powerful technique for awakening ajna chakra and a meditation practice in its own right. Complete 5 rounds only and do not hold the final position for too long as the eyes are very sensitive.

Sit in any comfortable meditation asana.
Keep the head and spine upright and straight, and place the hands on the knees. Close the eyes and relax the whole body.

All of the listed poses, breathing techniques and meditation are part of the Third Eye Chakra Video included further down in this blog.

  • Prasarita Padottanasana (wide legged forward fold)
  • Catur Svanasana (dolphin pose)
  • Balasana (child’s pose)
  • Nadi Shodhana Pranayama (alternate nostril breathing)
  • Bhramari Pranayama (bumble bee breathing)
  • Trataka (candle gazing meditation)

Shambavai Mudra (Eyebrow Centre Gazing)

This is a powerful technique for awakening ajna chakra and a meditation practice in its own right. Complete 5 rounds only and do not hold the final position for too long as the eyes are very sensitive.

Sit in any comfortable meditation asana.
Keep the head and spine upright and straight, and place the hands on the knees. Close the eyes and relax the whole body.

Relax all the muscles of the face, including the forehead, the eyes and the space behind the eyes. Slowly open the eyes and look ahead at a fixed point, keeping the head and the whole body absolutely still. Next, look upward and inward, focusing the eyes at the eyebrow centre. The head should not move. When performed correctly the two curved eyebrows will form a V-shaped image at the root of the nose. Hold the gaze for only a few seconds at first. Release at the slightest sensation of strain. Close the eyes and relax them. Try to suspend the thought processes and meditate on the the dark space in front of the closed eyes.

Caution: Do not practice if you suffer from glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy or if you have had cataract surgery, lens implant or other eye operations. If the nerves are weak and there is any strain retinal detachment can take place.

Third Eye Chakra Yoga Sequence

This chakra yoga practice is suitablle for all levels, even for complete beginners as there are less physical postures in favour of breathwork and meditation. Do this sequence when you feel overly concerned with the material world, if you have a decision to make and you would like to reconnect with your inner wisdom. 

A very meditative yoga routine for which you’ll need a candle and maybe a cushion to help keep the spine straight as we’ll spend a long time sitting.

Food Supporting The Third Eye Chakra

As the Third Eye Chakra governs MINDFUL and INTUITIVE eating, any steps that you can take to tune in to what your body needs in a particular moment will also activate the third eye chakra. That being said, there are specific foods you can eat to activate this chakra. Cacao contains beautiful antioxidants that causes a release of serotonin, which improves blood flow to the brain.

As the colour for the third eye chakra is indigo, purple foods can be very helpful.  Grapes, eggplant, purple kale, blueberries, purple sweet potatoes and blackberries can all help. Omega 3 rich foods like salmon, walnuts and avocado can also assist as they give the brain a much-needed boost.

Ample water intake will help to move stagnancy in the body, both physical and energetic.

Foods that balance the Third Eye chakra are usually foods that because of their intensity can create a dramatic physiological response using a small amount, like dizziness or a being ‘high’. 

CAFFEINE

Caffeine feeds the Third Eye chakra and can cause shifts in mood. Depending on the person, foods that contain caffeine, such as coffee, green or black tea, may be useful to stimulate the Third Eye chakra. 

However, be careful not to overload on caffeine as you can experience an overactive Third Eye Chakra. Symptoms  include: difficulty concentrating, headaches, nausea, insomnia, and vision problems.

 

CHOCOLATE

Chocolate is the food that connects to the Third Eye chakra more strongly. A chocolate craving indicates that there is some Third Eye chakra activity going on. For example, someone who overthinks or overuses his psychic skills may drain this energy centre, and as a result, find himself craving chocolate.

Chocolate can also open the Heart chakra as it linked to love and romance. It also feeds the Sacral chakra, as it is often used as an emotional release.

 

CHOCOLATE

Chocolate is the food that connects to the Third Eye chakra more strongly. A chocolate craving indicates that there is some Third Eye chakra activity going on. For example, someone who overthinks or overuses his psychic skills may drain this energy centre, and as a result, find himself craving chocolate.

Chocolate can also open the Heart chakra as it linked to love and romance. It also feeds the Sacral chakra, as it is often used as an emotional release.

 

SPICES

Spices have a strong flavouring effect so only small amounts of them are needed to enhance the flavour of the meals. Many of the spices are so potent that they have medical properties. On an energetic level, spices are great to stimulate and protect the Third Eye chakra. For instance, turmeric, a key ingredient in almost any curry, resonates directly with Ajna chakra.

Cumin is another powerful antioxidant to stimulate the Third Eye chakra due to its distinctive nutty, spicy and warm flavour.

Vegan Cacao Mousse

As usual, I give you my own recipe here – tried, tested and loved by everyone who tried it. The interesting thing about it, is that I was inspired by a friend’s cacao drink that she made for me. She basically put the same ingredients and a lot more milk so the consistency was much more liquid. You can try both and stick to the one you prefer. It is important that you use good quality cacao and coconut cream. I use this organic Peruvian cacao and the Grace coconut milk, and the result is a mind-blowing scrumptious dessert!

INGREDIENTS

(Products for two portions)

6-7 dried dates

6 heaped teaspoons of good quality cacao

a handful of soaked raw nuts (any variety or mixture)

200-250ml of coconut cream

30-50ml of hot water if consistency is too dense

coconut shavings for decoration (optional)

PREPARATION

You will need a food processor or a blender to mix the ingredients. Pit the dates and put in the food processor. Add the drained nuts, cacao powder and coconut cream / milk. If using the Grace milk you will need to add some hot water as it is usually very thick. Add water and blend until you get a fluffy mousses consistency. Spoon into ramekins and sprinkle with coconut shavings. It is best served chilled.

I hope you enjoy and the tingling sensations of cacao give your Third Eye energy centre a little boost.

 

What Else Can I Do To Balance The Third Eye Chakra?

  • Read a book, listen to a podcast or watch a movie that represents a viewpoint exactly opposite to yours. This will encourage you to become more “open-minded”.
  • Get outside into the sunlight. As the Third Eye can govern both light and darkness, it’s so important to make sure that you are getting ample sources of light.
  • Stop messing around with your circadian rhythm. As the third eye chakra is also connected to the pineal gland, you need to respect your natural sleep-wake cycles. This means reducing or eliminating the use of sleep aids and stimulants.
  • Reflect on your life. Keep a completely private journal and use that time as time to connect with yourself.
  • Write down your dreams as soon as you wake up and take a moment to reflect on how they relate to your current life circumstances.
  • Wear indigo coloured clothes
  • Buy indigo flowers such as Iris’s, bellflowers and dessert bluebells.
  • Meditate on a deep indigo light located in the middle of your forehead. 

    Use Affirmations

    • I listen to my inner knowing in the face of uncertainty.
    • My mind is strong, open, and clear.
    • I am mentally strong, healthy, and resilient.
    • I trust my intuition to guide me in making good decisions.
    • My inner knowing always knows the way.
    • My inner wisdom sees past appearances and always knows the truth.
    • I know more than I even realize in this moment.
    • I release all blockages that obscure my inner guidance system.
    • My mind is free of resistance and open to all possibilities.
    • I am open-minded and always seek the truth.
    • In every situation, I choose truth and authenticity.
    • All that I seek I can find within me.
    • I am insightful, intuitive, and imaginative.
    • I am observant, thoughtful, and perceptive.
    • I possess a brilliant, bold, and creative mind.
    • My imagination is vast, expansive, and endless.

    Third Eye Chakra Stones

    Amethyst is often called the Stone of Spirituality because it optimizes the third eye chakra and assists us in our spiritual development. This third eye chakra stone awakens the soul and enhances our intuition and psychic abilities.

    Azurite is called the “stone of heaven” because it aids in developing your psychic awareness, meditation skills and spiritual abilities. This dark blue crystal enhances intuition at the Third Eye chakra, and guides you through your psychic

    Labradorite stone deflects unwanted energies. This crystal makes an excellent tool for those practicing metaphysics and the supernatural. It opens up the Third Eye chakra while protecting you from negative forces.

    Lapis Lazuli is the gemstone of Total Awareness. It helps to opens your visions, intuition, and Third Eye chakra to a sense of deep peace. This crystal helps to release stress and mental disorder to help you focus on your spiritual awakening.

    Sound Healing For The Third Eye Chakra

    Here is the sixth sound healing peace composed by James. Solfeggio frequency 852 Hz is associated with the note “La” and the third eye chakra. This frequency reveals the ability to see through the illusions of your life, restores the original ability to see and communicate with energies from the subtle world, and awakens clairvoyance.

    As we already know, the very term “Ajna,” means “perception.” Namely, solfeggio frequency 852 Hz opens our ability to perceive and communicate with higher consciousness, helps us connect with our inner light, and returns us to the definition of ourselves as spiritual beings.

    THIRD EYE CHAKRA (852 Hz Solfeggio Frequency)

    Original music composed by James Molloy

    Regain Your Intuitive Knowing!

    After so much said about the sixth energy centre I believe the main aspect to take away would be to start to trust our inner knowledge again. Seated deeply in us but very often supressed and ignored, it could help us transcend from the limited realm of logic into the higher dimensions of infinite wisdom. This ‘sixth sense’ of ours sometimes presents itself as an image, a sensation, an unexplained magnetic pull or a deep resistance towards something. One of the many teachers in my life used to say ‘If you feel discomfort and heaviness when entering a certain situation, then you are not acting from your pure infinite potential. If, on the other hand, you feel lightness and ease, then you are connected to your radiant, all knowing soul.’

    Choose your thoughts, words and actions so that they align with the higher consciousness that resides in you. A sure enough method to do so is to always act from a place of love. See beyond the words and the actions of those around you, connect to their radiant soul!

    Love & Light!

    Evelina

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