How To Balance the Third Eye (or the 6th Chakra)
From the root or base to the throat chakra, each month we’ve looked at attributes of the first five chakras as well as ways to bring balance to each of them. Today, we will look into how to balance the Third Eye or the 6th chakra.
As goes the rainbow, so go the chakras up the body—red, orange, yellow, green, blue. Depending on where and from whom you learned, the sixth or third eye chakra is either purple (red/blue blend) or indigo (purple/blue looking more deep blue). If purple, the crown chakra is white; if indigo the crown chakra is purple. The way I was taught, this chakra is purple.
The third eye is located between your eyebrows. The color is purple (or indigo) and its Sanskrit name is “Ajna” meaning “to perceive.”
About the Third Eye
Much has been written about our third eye. It is closely tied to the pineal gland which can be found in the middle of your brain, behind your eyes. The pineal gland is pea-sized and recently some researchers claim that biologically it is made up of many of the same components as our eyes. This gland has a long history that spans continents and religions and is most often represented as a pinecone held by many different gods. French philosopher Rene Descartes (1596-1650) referred to this gland as the “seat of the soul” and believed it is where the soul and the body interacted.
The third eye is the chakra of wisdom—enough to see, and the intellect to understand both sides of every event or story. Here we find our mystical selves—intuition, inner vision, a deeper perception of life than before. This is the place of shamans and wisdom keepers, those whose introspection open the doors of past lives, subconscious pattern recognition, astral travel, and extrasensory perception.
This is the chakra of dreams that provide information to guide us, and that of remembering them when we wake. The pineal gland secretes serotonin which regulates sleep patterns and melatonin which may be responsible for our circadian rhythms.
When you balance the third eye chakra, you experience clarity of thought and vision, you are imaginative, intuitive, and see the events in your life as symbolic and lessons to be learned. You will remember your dreams and contemplate their meanings. You are flexible in your opinions. Those who balance the third eye often become visionaries, often telepathic, and are not afraid of death because, to them, it is merely an extension of life in a different realm.
As with the other chakras, however, imbalances occur and come in either excess or as deficiencies. When out of balance, you might experience headaches, problems with the eyes and/or ears, sleep disorders or anxiety related issues. Those who are in balance, or nearly there, cannot tolerate negative or violent environments, or what they see that does not correspond with what they have heard about a situation.
If one is out of balance to the excess, you might find the following:
- Lack of concentration, the mind flitting here and there
- Obsessiveness
- Nightmares
- Spending far too much time in self-evaluation with no results
- Narrow focus with a lack of flexibility
- Often religious but self-righteously so to the point of becoming tyrannical
- Over analytical but missing main factors
- Delusional or have hallucinations
When the third eye chakra is deficient:
- No imagination or visualization skills
- Non-assertive
- Bad or repressed memories
- Difficulty changing their minds—they only see one side of a story which is their way
- Generally, they cannot see the outcomes or ramifications of their actions
- They don’t learn from their mistakes and are doomed to keep repeating them
- Undisciplined, weak-willed, and afraid of success
- Unable to set goals, or when set, their goals are very low
If you see any of these in yourself, you might want to try to balance the third eye chakra. As with the others, this can be accomplished in a variety of ways.
How To Balance the Third Eye (or the 6th Chakra)
Meditation
Meditation, especially with an open third eye, is always a good place to start and a critical component to balance the third eye. Meditating under natural light is most beneficial and a good place to start, either sunlight or moonlight. (During the winter you can substitute with full spectrum light.)
Concentrate on breathing. With your eyes closed “look” at the area between your eyebrows. This may take several to many attempts, especially if you’ve never attempted to open your third eye. You might try thinking of the color purple and trying to “see” it between your eyebrows (your third eye). Be patient, with enough time and work, your third eye will open.
When I want to balance all my chakras, I start trying to “see” red, then orange, yellow, green, blue, purple and finally white. If you have trouble, think of Santa Claus for red, and orange to eat, a yellow flower, etc. as you go through them.
Sleep
Sleep is another critical component of third eye balance. Be sure you get enough sleep at night which should be seven to eight hours. The time between 1:00 and 4:00 a.m. are important for this chakra; the ancients felt this was the when we connected with our higher beings. If you have sleep problems, try breathing exercises or a CD with a guided meditation. Put your “screens” away at least an hour before you go to bed. If you like to read, you’ll need to put the Kindle or Nook away and read an actual paper book! Try not eating for at least two or three hours before bedtime. Art therapy is another way to induce sleep, or self-hypnosis if you are able.
Aromatherapy
The following are essential oils to consider as aromatherapy. These essential oils can be diluted to 3% in a carrier oil on your pulse points, or on a cotton ball or in a diffuser for inhalation.
Aromatherapy to balance the Third Eye:
- Frankincense (Boswellia carteri)
- Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
- Neroli (Citrus x aurantium)
- Juniper (Juniperus communis)
Diffusing lavender at bedtime is helpful and calming.
Diet
Foods to nourish the third eye are the purple and blue foods like red onion, red cabbage, blueberries, red grapes, blackberries and raspberries, raisins, and eggplant.
Consider the pineal gland when choosing food. The largest problem with the pineal is that is it prone to calcification, especially as the result of too much sodium fluoride, which is in much of the tap water in the country. Seaweed (rich in iodine) may help, as may kale, spinach, broccoli, almonds, oranges, flax and sesame seeds, and any chlorophyll rich food.
Caffeine and organic chocolate are good for the third eye (although not right before bed). I found a delicious way to use both. I fill jar about ½ full of coffee beans and organic cocoa nibs. I then fill the rest with a white balsamic vinegar. After a few weeks (up to six), I strain it and use it on beef and fruits. It is delicious. I use about 3/4 cocoa nibs for the mixture and 1/4 coffee beans. You might like to try a different ratio.
Red wines, grape juice, and herbal teas, especially mint, star anise, and Gotu kola are recommended as are are healthy fats (omega 3’s) and proteins (nuts, eggs, beans, and meat). Organic apple cider vinegar is also helpful.
Herbs
Herbs to consider in your planning:
Others to use are those associated with the eyes such as eyebright. Eyebright is good for this as an herb and carrots as a food.
I make mugwort room spray (tincturing the mugwort and then diluting it with distilled water) and use it when meditating or for clearing negativity in my spaces.
Check with your health care provider about possible supplementation with a vitamin B complex, vitamin B12, lutein, and/or vitamin D3.
Affirmations to Balance The Third Eye
- I recognize wisdom comes from within.
- I see all situations with clarity and objectivity.
- I am open to inner guidance.
- The knowledge of the universe is within me.
Yoga
If you like yoga, you might like to try the downward facing dog and plough poses, or a headstand.
I hope I’ve given you some insight into this important chakra. There are many good books and articles that will help you on your chakra journey as well as some classes to guide you further.
Next month, we’ll finish up our chakra series with the Crown or 7th chakra.
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