Ajna a.k.a the third eye chakra is the 6th of the seven major chakras. It is located between our eyebrows, in front of where the pituitary gland is located. Ajna means "inexhaustible", "limitless" or "beyond wisdom". It is the seat of the internal observer which supports our intuition.
Element - Light
Colour association - Indigo (represents wisdom and impartiality)
Essential Oils - Clary sage, frankincense, sandalwood, geranium, chamomile, rosemary, vetiver.
Corresponding Mantra - AUM (OM)
This chakra reminds of us our limitless potential, seeing far beyond the limitations we may set on ourselves. When our third eye chakra is open and balanced we can see things for what they are. This chakra guides us to our inner knowing when we begin to lift conditional beliefs that have been passed down through lineage, eduction, parents, and society. This chakra allows us to acquire wisdom beyond our self-inflicted perceptions. It is breaking down stereotypes, seeing beyond the illusion of the media, and achieving detachment from societal realities. When we are balanced in the third eye chakra, we begin to view our world without judgement. It's said we can access states of lucid dreaming, expand our imagination and activate clairvoyance.
It's through our 5 senses that we activate our 6th sense. When we are in tune with our body and the signals we have learned to interpret from it, we begin to recognize messages that our intuition is constantly delivering to us. If we pay attention to our intuition we receive information that may otherwise have gone unnoticed.
Since before we were born we have relied on our senses to help us interpret our outer world. Before we were brought into this world we could hear voices, smell, touch, and see light. While our senses guide us through life, keeping us safe from danger and allowing us to discern what we find pleasurable, it limits us when it comes to spiritual expansion if we reply to heavily on JUST the things we can tangibly experience. We have all had times when we have had to rely on our intuition. Much like animals, it's an inner knowing, however, unlike instinct our intuition doesn't always have facts or experiences to back it up - sometimes we "just know". Our physical senses give us clues on how to tap into our intuition, but ultimately it's tapping into something we cannot tangibly experience.
For example, say you were looking at starting up a new business and seeking out a business partner to collaborate with on a project. You interview a few candidates, and after a couple meetings you narrow it down to the one you think fits the job. Conversation is great, credentials look good, everything seems to be flowing nicely. You make a deal, stand up to shake hands with your new found business partner, and as you're shaking their hand you get a "bad vibe". The energy had shifted, and all of a sudden you get a sinking feeling in your gut. A few months down the road, they turn out to be a rotten apple, and the project goes south. THAT'S what intuition can feel like. Trusting our inner knowing and going with our gut feeling.
We all have intuition, many of us have just forgotten how to listen to it!
We all have preconceived, conditioned beliefs that have been passed down to us from our environment and those we include in it. These beliefs may ring true for us at some point in our lives, but as we shift and start to understand ourselves on a deeper level the things that once rang true may not resonate for us any longer. It's learning to trust our inner knowing and not ignoring it when we recognize it's trying to tell us something. Part of our work is reestablishing trust within ourselves and knowing when to listen.
So, how do we know when we might have an imbalance in this chakra?
Third eye chakra imbalances can present themselves through emotional, behavioural and physical ailments. Some physical impediments can show up within the brain, eyes, nervous system, ears, nose, pituitary gland and pineal gland.
We can recognize an imbalance when we have an unwillingness to look within and unearth our fears. If we have been invalidated, especially as a child, or if we have continuously experienced situations where what you see doesn't match what you're told. Ignoring signs and messages. Sometimes we fear acknowledging the truth and our reasoning becomes clouded. We start to justify, cover up and ignore what the truths really are. Ever heard the saying "ignorance is bliss?", that saying is applicable here and one we often listen to as a result of taking the easy route versus the uncomfortable road. We know that sometimes the harder paths will leads us to the greatest rewards, however we choose the easy way because its what known and its what is comfortable. We fear criticism and other people’s thoughts about us, and we fear our shadow side and its attributes.
Remember, unbalanced can refer to either direction on the spectrum, feeling a lack of something or feeling an overabundance of something.
If the third eye chakra is lacking energy, we have a tendency to ignore what our gut tells us. Some examples of an under active third eye chakra may be:
- poor vision/memory
- narrow minded
- lack of imagination
- difficulty planning or setting goals
- Can't remember dreams
- mono-polarized (one true and right way)
On the other end of the spectrum, when we have an over active amount of energy pooling in this chakra we can be excessively paranoid. Additional examples of what an over active third eye chakra may exhibit are listed below;
- difficulty concentrating
- hallucinations
- delusions
- nightmares
- feeling "spacey"
- headaches
A balanced sixth chakra is having a spiritual awareness. We accept the movement and flow of life and understand the constant flux and change within ourselves, as well as our outer world.You thoughts and actions align and are expressed as honestly, speaking kindly, living simply, and offering compassion. It's knowing that there is an appropriate time for endings as well as beginnings. With a balanced Ajna, we have the strength to release old thought patterns and embrace the new. When we fully connect with our inner knowing we retain mental clarity and are able to see beyond the mind and all its desires, longings, worries, fears and judgment. We then enter into the realms of knowledge, wisdom, and intuition.
Our chakra's respond to intention. By surrounding yourself with as many associations to this chakra as possible you'll increase the connection and the capacity to heal. Have a clear intention and state your goal. Our third eye chakra is associated with the colour indigo, so surrounding yourself with as many blue associations can help alleviate anything blocking you. Some examples of things that will help create harmony in the third eye chakra are;
- MEDITATION. Entering into some form of meditation. Meditation doesn't always mean sitting in an empty room full of silence and having no thoughts. It's natural to have thoughts. Allow them to come and go. Acknowledge the thoughts that come in, and allowing them to slip away. Refocus your mind on a mantra or affirmation with intention. We are humans with long to-do lists and having thoughts is normal! Meditating is about getting better at life, it's not about getting better at meditation.
- Repeat daily affirmations out loud and in front of the mirror.
- Keep crystals that resonate with this chakra, close to you or on you during the day. Crystals for the third eye chakra are amethyst, purple fluorite, labradorite, moldavite, lapis lazuli, and moonstone.
- Create a calm space to retreat to when you feel the need to relax or wind down. A so called ZEN DEN filled with all things comforting (pillows, blankets, candles, music etc.
- Drinking and eating foods nourishing foods correlating to the chakra such as blackberries, plums, purple grapes.
- Yoga or any form of energy movement. Poses that can be exercised to balance the third eye: child's pose, rabbit pose, supported wide leg standing forward bend.
- Focus on BREATHING techniques. Breathe is vital for us to flow in life.
Sending you all so much love, and in case no body has told you today,
You Are Worthy.
We have a beautiful meditation available for balancing the throat chakra with some breath work included which Is lead by the beautiful Alaynne West-Tweten, see Link below;