The third eye chakra

The third eye chakra is connected to insight and intuition. It is the viewfinder for us to have another perspective (and see into other spiritual planes) and helps us to visualize our dreams. If you are looking to learn how to connect with your intuition or connect with the power that comes with spiritual development, look no further than than the third eye chakra.

The lower chakras must go through their “purification” before life force energy can rise upwards towards the crown. This upward energy travels towards enlightenment as universal truth streams down through the crown chakra at the top of the head.

A balanced sixth chakra is able to clearly perceive a situation, sees through illusions and recognizes patterns beyond what meets the physical eye. It is common to hear about the opening of the third eye during spiritual awakenings. A time which initiates psychic abilities like clairvoyance and is a call for further spiritual development.

third eye chakra symbol

ajna

The sanskrit name for the third eye chakra, ajna, means “to perceive and command” and is represented by the colour indigo. It is located between the two eyebrows, in the centre of the forehead. It is connected to intuition and the right of this chakra is to see.

development of the sixth chakra

Age: 13 years – 19 years (connected to adolescence)
Includes: Learning to perceive situations through accurate interpretation by perceiving patterns and signs (archetypes)
Theme: Learning to open to the imagination and connect with psychic perceptions to see through illusions

Each energy centre has a physical rulership that correlates to its location in the body, the pituitary gland, sinuses, vision and memory are all connected to this energy centre. The sixth chakra, or third eye chakra, begins its development during adolescence. At this stage in life, teens are beginning to discover and visualize their desires in life. They have established a foundation for their self-perception and have a sense of identity which comes from the earlier development of the lower chakras. Teens begin experimenting further with self-expression and receive lessons on personal growth while navigating their own personal relationships. As they are given more opportunities for independence, they continue to be tested on individuation through making decisions on who they believe they are. As the development of the third eye chakra unfolds, they begin to see and visualize the bigger picture–there’s an expansion with their worldview. This motivates their forward actions from being something that is instinctual to being purposeful and soul driven to achieving a greater plan or vision.

Another sign of an opening third eye chakra is the increasing ability to recognize patterns, particularly in conversation and relationship dynamics. For instance, during the teenage years there might be a new type of recognition that happens within interactions with others. An ability to recognize how depending on the person, certain topics consistently lead to misunderstandings or conflicts–like picking up on someone’s unhealthy behaviours or reoccurring toxic cycles. With self-reflection as the development theme for this chakra, the ability to see these patterns allows for greater insight and understanding to further personal development and growth.

common issues

difficulty with dreams

poor dream recollection
inability to visually recall dreams
nightmares, sleep issues or anxiety

denial

perception is filtered resulting with a block from seeing the truth
avoidance or refusal to see issues in a situation

poor vision or memory

difficulty seeing or planning the future, lack of imagination
frequent eye issues or memory recall, difficulty concentrating

traumas or abuse

The third eye chakra can be compromised during development due to environmental factors and traumatic personal relationships. If a child grew up in an unhealthy environment where they coped through disassociation, it would disrupt their development. This is why environmental factors, especially the extreme of being filled with war or violence, has the potential to severely impact a child’s life, years into the future. Constant exposure to fear and chaos prevents the calm reflection necessary for intuitive growth and also stunts the opening of the lower chakras.

Alternatively, as a child gets into their adolescent years and their awareness expands, if their caregivers or personal relationships invalidate any signs brought forward by their intuition, undermines their trust from their inner wisdom. For example, if a child frequently hears, “What you see isn’t real” or “You’re imagining things,” their confidence in their perceptions can be deeply shaken. This may even block the opening of this energy centre altogether, which would lead to a buildup of energy that would circulate anxious thoughts instead.

As a result, individuals who have experienced compromising events may struggle with self-reflection and pattern recognition in adulthood. This leads to difficulties in making decisions, understanding personal motives, and trusting one’s intuition. Unfortunately, without use of the sixth chakra it would stop any possibility of spiritual development or ability to continue the journey towards expanding self-awareness.

Unlike traumas to the third eye which are usually a result of environmental factors, substance use is seen as an abuse to this energy centre. Although addiction is connected to the sacral chakra, the frequent use of psychedelics (specifically hallucinogens) overly activate the pineal gland and triggers an imbalance within its energy. It stimulates so much activity in the higher chakras and takes away the balance from the lower centres and can make the person very ungrounded.

signs of disharmony

As you may know already, the chakras are “spinning wheels” of energy, meaning that they need to maintain a certain charge to function. Sometimes (depending on the lifestyle) there is too much “charge” provided to that energy centre, so it enables it to operate in an excessive energetic state. At other times due to lack of connection, it may be blocked or underactive. If the sixth chakra is in a state of being underactive, this would mean there is not enough energy to be converted to encourage it’s development.

You can learn to see the physical signs of an underactive or excessive chakra (in others) simply through observation. As the energy body acts as a magnet, you can receive insight by hearing about the experiences someone attracts or by observing that person’s emotional state.

This chakra corresponds to the theme of self-reflection, emphasizing their is personal development in perception and awareness. A healthy, balanced sixth chakra will be seen in someone who experiences clear thoughts (not conflicting), has inner vision, a connection to their intuition and innate wisdom.

shadows of the third eye chakra

“We don’t see things as they are. We see things as we are.” – anaïs nin

Illusion is a shadow of the third eye chakra. If this energy centre is open and balanced, it can provide gifts of insight, clarity, and expanded awareness, allowing one to see beyond the surface and understand deeper truths. However, because of its significant role in shaping psychic perception, there is also a risk of succumbing to illusions to the extreme where it becomes an obsessive focus or grows to become a detrimental delusion.

The distinction between open-minded perception and static illusion is what identifies this shadow. Open-minded perception embraces fluidity and the evolving nature of reality, while illusion fixates on a static image of how things should be. This fixation is stuck energy and is often on an idealized vision of the future or on a rigid expectation. The attachment on this fixed image of the future perpetuates illusion, since energy needs to be continually invested to maintain it. This means excess psychic energy is brought to the third eye chakra (and away from the lower centres) which stops any physical movement or growth.

An example would be when you envision your life being a certain way and act accordingly, but in truth there is a denial happening of what is actually taking place–keeping you stuck in an illusion. Unfortunately this denial is hard to change. It only often comes to awareness after a major awakening like an unforeseen event that takes place and shines light on the undeniable truth.

On an energetic level when the shadow of illusion is given power it is because there is excess energy circulating without being grounded by the body. This ungrounded energy is able to continue to fuel the thoughts and fantasies that provide no real forward motion, and eventually trap the person into a state of delusion. An example of this would be when someone is constantly envisioning an ideal career or relationship, but takes no practical steps to get there and only shares their stagnation and frustration.

Below shares examples of how an energy imbalance in the sixth chakra may manifest, caused by either underactive or excessive energy.

underactive vs. excessive

underactive

Inward energy is retracted and does not flow with such a strong boundary. No opportunity for sixth chakra development and no connection to their internal guidance. This can manifest as someone who is egotistical. Other signs of a deficient third eye chakra are:

difficulty practicing visualization exercises
denial, refusal to see things for what they are
stubborn, only one way to do things

excessive

Lack of a strong boundary that creates an influx of energy towards the chakra centre. This results with poor discernment and an overload of psychic information. Some other signs of an excessive third eye chakra are:

cycle of illusions or frequent hallucinations
difficulty concentrating, especially on one task at a time
night mares or extremely vivid dreams
delusional with an unwillingness to learn the truth

healing work

To start, the higher chakras are more about spiritual development than a focus on purification unlike the lower chakras. If there is an abundant of energy flowing through the higher chakras, it requires grounding and a practice with utilizing discernment for the actual development to take place.

To begin the development of the third eye chakra you first have to release any skepticism surrounding psychic awareness. If you don’t believe in that potential, the third eye will never open. If you are accepting of psychic perception, look at what your relationship is already like with your intuition. Most often growing up we are not taught to trust in the ability to rely on trusting what is not seen, or even felt from our emotional awareness. If you are someone who is emotionally sensitive, how can you trust that everything you feel is your own? Once you decide what your avenue for growth is, focus and practice utilizing your discernment for any new information that comes into your awareness. As well, if you are someone who has never experienced listening to your intuition before, start with a simply mindfulness practice instead.

Below are some ideas to guide you on how to strengthen your intuitive connection and third eye chakra.

meditation

guided visualizations can help to strengthen the connection to your intuition
development of mindfulness practice to improve ability to be and stay present

regressive therapy

hypnosis techniques promote visualization exercises and improve memory recall
bring forward old memories that can provide clues to imbalances in the energy body

visual art

surpasses the critical mind and opens up the connection for creativity
promotes use of imagination and the ability to see or think symbolically

support for healing

The higher chakras become a bit more complex their healing process because they are relying on the clearing and balancing of the lower chakras to operate. Since traumas and abuse to the higher chakras usually effect the lower centres, healing may need to be done on several levels. Due to the nature of power and the sensitivity that comes with the higher chakras, poor lifestyle choices can easily blocks or shift them off balance. For instance, something like substance abuse can disrupt healthy thought patterns and promote disruptive or poor sleep hygiene–promoting excessive energy and interrupting development. Beyond traumas or abuse there are also environmental triggers (toxins) that can disrupt the physical function of areas governed by the sixth chakra (head, sinuses etc.) and so healing should be focused directly on bringing it back into balance.

To assist you with achieving this, each chakra centre has a related food (or drink), aromatherapy scent, preferred form of exercise, healing crystal, Sanskrit chant, and affirmation (mantra) that helps to re-align the chakra to its resonant frequency. Here are some suggestions:

Daily Affirmation: I trust my intuition and I act accordingly

Chant: OHM
Vowel Sound: Mmmm

Solfeggio Frequency: 852 Hz

Sound Bowl Frequency: 432-440 Hz
Music Note: A

Aromatherapy: Lavender, Pepperment, Palo Santo

Food: Fermented Foods, Purple grapes

Exercise: Yoga, Martial Arts (promote meditation, singular focus)
Yoga Pose: Locust Pose

Healing Crystals: Blue sapphire, Amethyst

Please note that above does not include suggestions for doing the emotional or mental healing work that could be the underlying cause for present day challenges with the third eye chakra. As mentioned, the third eye chakra holds the shadow of illusion, which can keep you stuck in denial from seeing the actual truth. While the modalities listed above are extremely beneficial, they can trigger memories of traumatic past experiences. For healing to fully occur, please seek the appropriate professional help to assist you with clearing any unresolved feelings or emotions that still may have you tied to these events.

Coach’s Note: A coach is useful for applying accountability to make the necessary changes for self-improvement. They can help you to find where you are struggling and get to the root of the issue so you can release mental, emotional or spiritual blockages. However, coaching is not a replacement for medical attention or professional psychotherapy.