Chakras are focal points of our energetic body that vibrate at specific frequencies and are constantly in flux bringing in and putting out energy into our auric field. For this reason, they are referred to as vortexes of energy.
We are familiar with the fact we have a physical body but as energetic beings we go far beyond which can only be experienced with the 5 senses, experiencing emotional range is proof of this. The state of our chakras are a window into the emotional body and the link between emotional, spiritual and physical wellbeing.
The observation, healing and opening of the chakras are part of what is called, Tantric practice. Tantric practices in the most general sense are ways of opening to spiritual self-healing. They are theories based around attaining physical and spiritual awareness with an aim towards enlightenment. They involve esoteric practice (practice not understood by all) and sacred ritual (valued uniquely by the person participating in it).
Ajna: The Third Eye Chakra
The naming of the chakra system is Sanskrit, an ancient Indian language which migrated to different parts of the world finding itself across several different ancient teachings including Hinduism and Buddhism. Every chakra has a respectable Sanskrit name and symbol associated with it. It also has a color and sound frequency it vibrates at and other unique qualities that are not defined to limit the complexity of the energy. Ajna translates to ‘command’ in Sanskrit.
Location: Indentation directly above the brow in the center of the forehead, Carotid Plexus
Element: Light
Seed-Mantra: OM
(Seed Mantras also known as Bija (seed in Sanskrit) Mantras are one syllable phrases chanted to cleanse the specific energetic point for healing.)
Mudra: Put hands in shape of a heart towards you thumbs touching, lift middle fingers out of the heart touching each other.
(Mudra in Sanskrit means ‘gesture’, they are specific hand positions that bring intentional energy to a particular energy vortex/chakra during meditation.)
Endocrine Gland: Pineal and Pituitary Glands
Each of the chakras interact with a gland from the endocrine system, this is the communication with the physical body. Messages are passed through hormones secreted by the glands and communication with the nervous system.
Sacred Symbol: Indigo 2 pedal lotus with an inverted triangle
The two pedals represent the two psychic channels in Sanskrit also depicted as the Sun and Moon. The inverted triangle symbolizes bringing expansion into being and indigo is a color characterizing wisdom, mystery, spiritual understanding and magic.
The Third Eye Chakra is a spiritual awareness center referenced commonly by its relation to psychic gifts like precognition and seeing chakras. It rules the celestial layer and sixth layer of the aura which contains the subconscious mind and all experiences of connecting to spirit realms. It is the second spiritual chakra- where at the throat we expressed an authentic truth here we express a spiritual truth and transcend the mind. This chakra is brought into balance through shadow work for it is our own unique fears, memories, societal grooming, emotional imprints, prejudices, patterned psychology, and beliefs that become projected onto what we perceive as reality. It is opened by seeing beyond the limits of your individual experience and requires an immense amount of maturity and trust, other chakra health would be necessary to comprehend this level of awareness that is nothing short of divine wisdom.
Approaching this energy center, we go from the actor in the movie to the watcher, detached from what the events really mean for our being, seeing all outcomes and weighing them as one in the same. There is a transcendence of duality here as the bittersweet reality is set, all life will decay, and all death will resurrect into new life for energy is only ever changing. Life itself becomes the experience and change the only constant. This challenge to the identity is where the projection of fear in opening this chakra comes from, I’m sure you can see the irony. The only way to integrate the shadow is through, as a shadow dissipates when shown light. The element for the Third Eye Chakra is light. It is cogoverned by the pineal gland that functions in melatonin production through light exposure and assist us in any out of body experience we may have including the one commonly known as…sleep.
Detachment and Response to Change
Life is about reinventing yourself, allowing yourself to grow. It will always be an environment for change. How do we survive being pummeled by the waves of change? Surrender and purpose. Purpose enables you to return to a homeostasis once again, where suffering is not permanent. Surrender allows you to detach from outcome by embodying trust. Do difficult things often so you are adjusted to adjusting to life. Let go often so you gain trust in your higher self. Allowing yourself to be moved without the need to make a move is divine trust. The third eye is feminine in energy and developing and operating in a predominately masculine (control, structure, cause and effect) world makes learning to let go a skill that needs to be acquired even if its potential already exists within. This is also how intuition is accessed and a bond with it solidified. Invite movement into your life because real death is the standstill when we’ve held on so tight to the fear of losing that life itself it is lost.
Seeing Beyond Illusion
The Third Eye is blocked by delusion. Success is a big one today. Success is merely a construct but whose construct is it? The ‘outside’ of the observer does not get to decide what success looks and feels like. Depression is constantly pressed in western society, not that it is not real, but it is more than being unable to feel good enough to appreciate where you are or what you have; it is the feeling that these things are not filling your soul. Why would they if they are not yours to begin with? Projected standards, expectations, and judgements will never fill your soul, but we are taught they do and if they don’t, something is wrong with us. We’ve been disillusioned. Can we celebrate a success that is only visible to ourselves? Honestly ask yourself this, if others cannot see my success does it still count to me? That is the thing with spiritual awakening, you can look absolutely insane to those around you for turning down a job promotion and ending a secure relationship, but what if that is what you had to do to be successful in your journey back home to yourself? When we step outside of that journey is when we become depressed and into the great illusion something with me must be wrong.
Fear of suffering is the other delusion. The making of a hero is someone who has learned from being in battle. Be aware rising from any ashes in your life may result in misunderstanding or bitterness from those who cannot understand their own strength to stand again. If the hero allowed the disillusioned defeats of others to stand in their way they would have never risen. The hero has seen past illusion and into the respect coming from within and around others he/she now inspires. Once this respect is felt, there is absolutely no going back and there is no suffering, a hero dies a hero. This is why when the third eye is opened life changes and an aspect of the past is closed. Be your own hero you will not suffer for doing so.
Imbalance
When the third eye is imbalanced, we are close minded and unwilling to look within to face fears. We cannot detach from our emotions enough to gain awareness from them. We can fall into psychological denial and the thoughts and judgments of others override our self-awareness as we refuse to integrate our shadow. We may even project it onto those around us. Negative thought loops, being victim to circumstance, headaches, sinus issues, memory problems, depression, mental fog, and lack of trust in one’s abilities can all be signs of blockage. The past limits us from seeing how we can be new and how we are truly everything in existence.
Balance
When the third eye is open there is an awareness of the necessity in change and redirection. We self-reflect often but without detriment and are detached from emotional pain in the sense it has no access to our spirit. We have mental clarity. Illusions are seen through and truth becomes a concrete knowing. Our intuition is our guide. Life can be viewed from all sides and perceived through the eyes of oneness. Visualization is easy and psychic perception is understood. Wisdom is acquired through lifes’ griefs and changing seasons. We also have a unique celestial relationship with life.
