The Third Eye or Brow Chakra

Location: Mid forehead in the front, occipital region of the head in back.

Spinal Nerve Plexus: Carotid plexus

Glands: Pineal (some sources say Pituitary, with Pineal at Crown)

Body Parts: Eyes, Brain

Sanskrit Name: Ajna

Element: Light

Color Vibration: Indigo, or varyingly, Purple

Keynote Vibration: A

Focus: Sight, insight, intuition, vision, focus, sense of humor

Stones: lapis lazuli, quartz, sodalite, azurite

Incense: jasmine, mint, mugwort, star anise

Foods: mind altering substances of plant origin

Affirmations: I see. My vision is clear. I perceive. I use my imagination for positive, creative purposes.

Disorders: Visual distortions and disorders, mental illness, hysteria, poor sense of humor,
lack of imagination or conversely overimagination, Attention Deficit Disorder, Attention
Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, hypochondriasis

In order to keep the brow chakra functioning well, it is a good habit to practice "childlike
thinking", opening the self to the beauty of detail as well as the magical aspects of all
things. Appreciation of art, especially the aspects of symbols, form, texture, color and
shape is one way to open the third eye; utilization of an object for contemplative meditation
has ancient roots. Look for the humor in self and the surrounding world; our sense of humor
is related to our natural response to the unexpected, insightful truths and a way to let go
of anxiety related to fear (it is hard to be afraid of something we can laugh at!) Practice
creating a dream journal to define personal symbols and issues. Explore activities that have
a hypnotic effect on you, such as reading, watching an object spin, blink or swing, or a
nature video with the sound turned off (replace it with classical music or appropriate nature
sounds instead of verbal narration).

The brow deals with higher goals and idealism; when the brow is out of balance it can cause a hyperfocus on ideals, resulting in pendantic or fanatic behavior, or conversely, confusion and a tendency to grasp at a multitude of ideas without commitment.

For physical disorders of the eyes, there are Ayurvedic eye exercises to change the shape of the eye
itself (useful for nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism). Eating foods that are
rich in beta carotene and other antioxidants are supportive of the eyes. Schizophrenia is a
problem with filtering input and poor grounding. ADD and ADHD are problems with focus. In
both cases, structuring a personal schedule and learning to express and accept input that
may be inexplicable (such as "hallucinations" or "visions") is useful, along with developing
a good regular practice of healthy grounding. Cataracts represent "clouding of vision" and
meditative work with the affirmation "my vision is clear" as well as visualizing the clouding
of the eye dispersing can help improve the disorder. Deeper work might include meditating on
what the eye is trying to protect the self from seeing. Glaucoma represents "pressure to see",
and it is interesting that one of the plant-based hallucinogens, cannabis, reduces the pressure
in the eyes in Glaucoma. The affirmation "soft eyes see" is helpful here. Some disorders in
this area have to do with the imagination... such as hypochondriasis and hysteria. While it
is useful to have an active and healthy imagination, like the ego, there should be some natural
boundaries to it since we have to function healthily in society. Hallucinations, delusions,
paranoia, and to a lesser degree overactive imagination can be destructive if not examined
and only given the amount of energy they deserve in attention. For a person whose mind tends
to "run away" with them, escalating into colorful scenarios of destruction and disease or
conversely, fantastical and unrealistic plans, grounding is useful to keep them "on track"
as these behaviors are distracting and may prevent the person from accomplishing anything
at all. Offer positive reinforcement for completing goals, no matter how small, to help
them reorient and refocus.

Animal associated with the brow chakra in East Indian tradition is the owl.

I'm adding a little song you may remember for the Brow: (Lyrics by D. Pomeranz)

IT'S IN EVERY ONE OF US

It's in every one of us to be wise,
Find your heart, open up both your eyes
We can all know everything,
without ever knowing why.
It's in every one of us, by and by.

It's in every one of us to be free.
Find your Self, open your eyes and see.
We can all have everything,
without ever knowing how.
It's in every one of us, here and now.

Take good care!

These materials copyright Caroline Gutierrez Abreu, 2000

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