The Third Eye Chakra: Creativity and Vision
We have covered chakras 1-5 for our blog series, which now brings us to the sixth chakra. The sixth chakra is the mysterious third eye and it’s even more mysterious sixth sense(s) of perceiving.
In Sanskrit, the sixth chakra is known as Ajna chakra. According to longtime chakra student Anodea Judith, ajna means “to command” and “to perceive,” however, she states that ajna didn’t take on the definition of command until much later and ajna originally was specific to perception. And so, we begin with the mysteries of the third eye chakra.
Activation of the sixth chakra activates our intuition, imagination, creativity, vision, wisdom. It’s the shift from seeing with physical eyes which see our self-centered world, to sensing and “seeing” with a spiritual eye which can perceive beyond the physical world and see the unseen. The sixth chakra takes us beyond ignorance — believing that the stories and illusions of so-called “reality” are true — to being able to perceive a profound and mysterious world through higher consciousness.
As Anodea Judith shares “Just as our dreams take us to a world where we can fly, transform, or move from past to future in an instant, Chakra 6 takes us to a dimension of transcendence, illumination, and the light of wisdom [...] We can pierce the veil of illusion and see the ultimate nature of reality that is behind everything. This is the true meaning of clairvoyance, or clear seeing. It is the state of realization, where we have the illumination of what is true. Realization is learning to see with real eyes.”
AFFIRMATION: I RECEIVE INSIGHT
My emotional and spiritual gifts are acts of love and service that benefit myself and our greater community. The visions I receive inspire and guide my path toward Holy Wellness.
MANTRA: Om/Aum
Om, the sound of creation which the ancients say vibrated the world into existence, is the mantra of the third eye chakra. Time meditating with or chanting this mantra is a great and simple practice, but to turn your mantra session into an empowering ritual, consider beginning with a bija mantra to set the energy and intention for your mantra work. You can further experiment with the power of your Om mantra by combining it with Bhramari Breathing (aka the Bee Breath).
GEMSTONES: Amethyst, Ametrine, Azurite, Blue Topaz, Indicolite Tourmaline, Kyanite, Lapis Lazuli, Quartz, Sapphire, Sodalite, and Sugilite.
There are so many crystals with so many different energetic “personalities” and qualities, this list is really intended to get you started. I highly recommend getting a good crystal book like Judy Hall’s Crystal Bible or Robert Simmons’ Pocket Book Of Stones. If you’re interested in crystal grids, read the post on third eye chakra healing from the crystal experts at Energy Muse.
ESSENTIAL OILS: Frankincense, Sandalwood, Rosemary, Helichrysum, Juniper, Clary Sage, Marjoram, and Benzoin
Mindy Green and Kathi Keville — aromatherapists, herbalists, and authors of Aromatherapy: A Complete Guide To The Healing Art — recommend Rosemary for clarity, Helichrysum for enhanced intuition and creativity, Juniper for intuition and promoting the greater good, and they also recommend Clary Sage, Marjoram, and Benzoin. Sandalwood and Frankincense are also sure to be worth exploring given their ancient reputation with holy rituals and sacred temples.
HERBS: Blue Lotus, Celastrus Seed, Holy Basil (Tulsi), Mugwort, Rosemary, Juniper, and Lavender
Blue Lotus, Celastrus Seed, and Holy Basil are herbs recommended for the sixth chakra by shaman-trained certified herbalist Aaron Weis for their energetic properties with expanding upon wellness and consciousness.Master Herbalist Jackie Johnson of Herbal Academy suggests Mugwort, Rosemary, Juniper, Lavender for opening and balancing the third eye.
ELEMENT: Light
We are familiar with the elements of fire, wind, water, and earth — but what is light as an element? The significance is expressed well by Anodea Judith in her book Wheels Of Life.
“As each chakra corresponds to a gland, chakra six is related to the pineal gland, a tiny cone-shaped gland located in the geometric center of the head at approximately eye level [...] The pineal gland, sometimes called the “seat of the soul,” acts as a light meter for the body, 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 influ-enced by exposure to light [...] Since light is also particle-like, we can think of it as discreet packets or photons, each containing information that allows us to see.”
So, what is the significance of the ajna element of light? It is the gift of sight. The more light we have, the more we are able to see and perceive. Even the darkest, most hidden, and most intimidating of spaces can be seen for what they really are when enough light is brought in. And so it is with the third eye. The more light we welcome into ourselves and utilize in a moment or situation, the more we will be able to see. And the more we are able to see, the better we will be able to navigate the journey we call “life.”
MUDRA: Mudra of the Great Hand
This mudra comes recommended by Andrea Rice, a yoga teacher and writer for Mind Body Green. To sink into the intuitive and perceptive powers of your sixth chakra, take a sitting position and raise your right hand while leaving your left hand placed on your thigh. Next, curl your ring finger into the palm. Then you will bring together the end of the thumb, pointer finger, and middle finger, leaving the pinky finger extended up. Now the right hand can be brought towards with forehead so the three joined fingers can unite with your ajna energy center. Breathe into your body in the position it is now in and tune into the subtle changes and energies you can now feel. You may not notice much at first, but awareness is a muscle that gets stronger the more you use it. The energy of your chakras will also strengthen the more you pay attention to them and develop them.
YOGA POSE: Inversions, Child’s Pose, Seated Meditation Poses
Poses that direct energy to the third eye energy center include inversions like shoulder stand and headstand, as well as standing forward fold and child’s pose. You can hold the pose and breathe into it to enhance the opening and expansion of the sixth chakra. If you really want to light the fire of the ajna chakra, create or try a pose series like the third eye yoga sequence from Yoga Journal. Of course, stillness may be the most powerful way to tap into the sixth chakra, so getting comfortable in seated meditation poses like Sukhasana, Virasana, and Lotus (in all their variations) are powerful ways to open and strengthen the energetic pathways of ajna chakra.
As you can see, the third eye chakra is indeed mysterious in what it can do and how it expresses itself, not in a black-and-white yes-or-no manner, but in a way that is unique to us. And the only way to know the unique expression of our own ajna chakra is to welcome in the light and see what unfolds.
The only question is… are you ready to see the new world that awaits you in seeing with an unlimited divine eye?
WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CHAKRAS?
Anodea Judith’s Introduction To The Chakras course on HayHouse.
Eastern Body, Western Mind and Wheels Of Life by Anodea Judith
The Complete Book Of Chakra Healing by Cyndi Dale