Ch / 7 Third Eye Chakra—Ajna
The Third Eye Chakra is the seat of intuition and the clarities intuition brings. When your Third Eye is open and activated, you become an energy peacock: You have many “eyes” that see the world in full, vibrant color, and all of your senses are available to you as sources of wisdom and information. When your Third Eye is blocked, however, you feel the opposite: unclear, unfocused, and unable to sense what is happening around you.
It is possible to learn, live, and thrive either way; in fact, many people function quite well without an active, open Third Eye Chakra. So, what might lead someone to work on her intuition and actively seek to open and activate the Third Eye? Often, a sense of despair and dissatisfaction. The most common question people ask when they reach their thirties, forties, and fifties is, “Is this all there is to life?” When you begin to seek to understand the depths of life, death, consciousness, and reality in this way, you will know you are ready to work closely with the Third Eye Chakra, through which you can develop enhanced vision and insight. Here, there are no boundaries. Here, wisdom can and does come to you from all directions. Here, you can see clearly and vividly. Thus, the question becomes: What will you do with what you learn?
Embodiment Exercise: Third Eye Chakra Induction
The purpose of this induction is to help you distinguish your spirit sight from your physical sight. Intuition can be tricky, because many people have not yet learned to fully trust what they cannot see with their human eyes. But intuition is not so much about seeing as it is about sensing. So, to help you connect with your Third Eye Chakra, I will ask you to close your seeing, human eyes, because they will not always be accurate guides while exploring the deeper terrain of consciousness and awareness. Take your time here: This is the final frontier of metaphysical and spiritual development. Once you trust that you can receive and retrieve wisdom from non-local sources not bound by the constraints of space and time, the entire experience of your life can become more “magical” or inspired.
1/ First, imagine closing your human, seeing eyes and opening your one, sensing eye. To do this, imagine a blank screen—like a movie screen—behind your seeing eyes, upon which your soul can project images for you to explore and experience on a multidimensional level. Now, project an image of yourself during the happiest time of your life onto that screen—a time in which you were laughing, open, and unafraid.
2/ Then, clear the image from your mental screen and project an image of yourself during the most confident time in your life—a time in which you were glowing, radiant, and empowered. How did you feel in that moment? Can you recall where you were or what you were wearing? Finer details like these help you crystallize your vision during visualization exercises.
3/ Now, clear that image and project an image of yourself today. Where can you love yourself more fully right now, and how can you support yourself more deeply in this moment? What do you need in order to feel happy, loved, and seen? You have activated your Third Eye Chakra now in service of your Highest Good and your needs in this moment.
4/ Imagine the possibilities if you could do the same for others, and for our planet: For instance, if our planet could engage this broader love frequency, perhaps we would see an end to global conflicts. In this way, our Third Eye Chakra becomes a healing tool for all beings: Once we can “see” ourselves clearly, we can “see” others clearly, too. May your vision be of service to you and the entire Collective. And may you and others be healed by what you see with all of your eyes, always.
5/ When you feel connected to your deepest inner knowing and inner channel to the divine, and when you feel that your vision has been fully activated, close your induction with the universal blessing: Amen, A’ho, So it is.
Reflection Questions for the Third Eye Chakra
As you ponder the English name for this chakra—the “third” eye—consider how having another channel for sight could assist you in your life as a healer, as an empath, and then as a sister, a partner, a child, a parent. After all, you possess it in order to be of service to others. As you consider these reflection questions, anoint yourself with an essential oil or perfume blend to activate this additional point of sight. Cypress, mugwort, and blue lotus essential oils are powerful tools to enhance your physical and etheric sight. Diffuse one or all of them, or blend them into a sacred perfume to activate the awareness each tree, herb, and flower offers. You could also drink a tea infused with mugwort and blue lotus to soften your central nervous system and enhance your clairvoyance, or clear sight, as you ponder and respond to the following questions:
1/ Where in your life does your inner vision feel the most accurate? Have you been able to accurately anticipate events and situations before—even if doing so made you uncomfortable or uneasy? If so, what was the outcome?
2/ Where in your life could you use additional insight right now? Imagine a deep indigo light of energy, the sacred Indigo Ray, surrounding your head from the space between your eyes around to the back of your head. See it opening and expanding your ability to see in all directions, before and after you, ahead of and behind you. Give yourself the gift of time to explore what you see. Without judgment, write down key words, phrases, and sentences that describe what comes through.
3/ When you think of yourself as a sacred counselor or visionary, how do you feel? What gifts do you have around sight or vision that could help you or someone you know or love? What gifts of perception or sight do you have that could help someone you have never met, and how can you communicate your vision to those who have no access to it? How will you explain what you see?
When you are ready to close your reflective writing, thank your spirit guides and higher self for attending you while you write, and blow out your candles. Store any gems you’ve used and other writing tools together in a special place so that you’ll have them handy when you want to do more reflective writing in the future.
CORRESPONDENCES FOR THE THIRD EYE CHAKRA
goddesses
PYTHIA, CIRCE, HECATE
gemstones
AZURITE, BLUE AVENTURINE, LABRADORITE, LAPIS LAZULI, SODALITE, TANZANITE
tarot card
MAJOR ARCANA: THE HIGH PRIESTESS
rune
LAGUZ
essential oils/herbs
BETEL LEAF, BLUE LOTUS, CYPRESS, EYEBRIGHT, JUNIPER, MANDRAKE ROOT, MUGWORT, OPOPONAX, POPPY
planet
MOON
Goddesses of the Third Eye Chakra
PYTHIA
Interestingly, in the domain of intuition and the Third Eye Chakra, only three goddesses emerge as our guides on this sacred journey: Pythia, Circe, and Hecate. They are considered goddesses of the threshold, or the doorway between the words of the living and the dead. In many cultures and traditions, healers, curanderas, shaman, and other figures of transformational healing are thought to live on the periphery of consciousness and space. From these spaces they see, work, and gaze upon us, but leave us to our own mortal devices to find the cures and mechanisms of healing that align with human modalities and western models of what can cure or “fix” all that ails us.
Pythia is the goddess of the Third Eye, who can connect you to ancestral wisdom, channeled visions, and inner understanding. She is the high priestess of what might be, and is able to sit between the “now” of your current existence and the “then” of what may unfold in the future. Circe is the goddess of magic in the Greek pantheon, but like all goddesses, she carries the magic of light and shadow, love and darkness. She is capable of showing you your own magic—or poisoning your waters, killing all creation. Hecate is the Greek goddess of transformation. She is the goddess of all crossroads: between life and death, between the past and the future, between your goddess self and your human self. The goddesses of intuition show you the many ways you can work with energy, and then it is up to you to find ways to channel their energy productively.
Ask yourself today how you can work more powerfully and intentionally with sight, creation, vision, and manifestation. Seek the companionship of these goddesses who have navigated this complex terrain before you with ease and grace. Seek their counsel with care and diligence, for they have much to teach you. To call upon them, say aloud, “Oracle Goddesses and Goddesses of Third Sight, illuminate me with your wisdom and your visions. I give thanks for your guidance. Amen, A’ho, So it is.”
GEMSTONES, ESSENTIAL OILS, AND HERBS OF THE THIRD EYE CHAKRA
Third Eye Chakra Gemstones
AZURITE is the most powerful of all of the Third Eye gemstones, facilitating psychic visions for famed prophets and seers such as Edgar Cayce, who considered it a stone of psychic mastery.
BLUE AVENTURINE heightens intuitive capacity and brings visions of future events, while TANZANITE is a healing gem thought to contain teachings in other dimensions. Blue aventurine foretells what will be, while tanzanite reminds you of what has been. Both can be used to improve your experience of the present moment and to guide clients toward their personal Highest Good.
LABRADORITE holds the energy of new possibilities. It contains flashes of rainbow light that ignite the imagination and help you kindle your inner fire. Work with labradorite at the New Moon—or whenever you set intentions for new beginnings—to envision your deepest passions and ignite your inner desires.
LAPIS LAZULI brings confidence and self-esteem to the bearer. In ancient Egypt, it was considered the Queen’s Stone of Power. Cleopatra herself quarantined its use and dedicated its power to her own empire-building purposes: She believed it brought her immortality, intuition, and victory.
SODALITE often referred to as the Dreamcatcher Stone, is believed to prevent nightmares and night terrors. It actively helps you release fears of what might be to help you stay present and focused in the moment.
To work with these gems of vision and new beginnings, consider setting up a sacred space or altar for intuition somewhere in your home. This can be done very simply, with just a few crystals and a deep blue or indigo candle.
Placing items on your altar that represent the four elements keeps your sacred space balanced and aligned, which will increase the sense of peace and balance you experience when you spend time there. A chalice of water, an abalone shell, or a vase of fresh flowers invokes the magic of the water element, which enhances intuition and foresight (and adds color and beauty, too). Your chosen gemstones represent the grounding and stabilizing earth element on your altar, while a feather or smudge bundle represents air. The fire element is best represented by a candle in a color aligned to the purpose for the altar.
Once you have your elemental tools in place, begin a routine or practice of sitting before this space for a few minutes each day, saying a brief prayer and calling upon your spirit guides to be with you. If you like, you can beautify the space with an indigo table covering—the color of the Third Eye Chakra—and place your stones in a sacred spiral shape to reflect the energy of intuition, which begins within and then unfolds without.
Enjoy the process of adorning your altar and setting up your sacred space. Add personal touches, such as photographs, if you are called until it feels uniquely and beautifully yours. Then, spend time enjoying them in the moment, without focusing on the past or future. Your altar or sacred space is a gift you give to your soul. May it bless you.
“…MANDRAKE ROOT ENHANCES INTUITION IN MATTERS OF LOVE, WHILE BLUE LOTUS SOFTENS AND RTVELAXES THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM, MAKING IT EASIER TO CONNECT WITH SPIRIT GUIDES.
Third Eye Chakra Herbs and Essential Oils
Eyebright brings mental clarity and enhances vision, both human and psychic. Juniper offers healing via purification and protection from evil spirits. Mugwort, known as the Witch’s Herb, has a mild sedative effect and thus has been thought to facilitate deep states of meditation and powerful prophetic visions. Poppy calms the mind and prepares you for ceremonial work. Mandrake Root enhances intuition in matters of love, while Blue Lotus softens and relaxes the central nervous system, making it easier to connect with spirit guides. (Blue lotus was sacred in ancient Egypt and often buried with bodies to ensure safe passage to the afterlife and the soul’s final resting place.)
Cypress is considered to be a tree of the dead in many cultures, but in ancient Greece, a ring of Cypress trees circled the famed Oracle at Delphi, and has become known in Greece as a tree of wisdom and intuition. Opoponax is an ancient resin that brings protection and transmutation, helping purify and clear stuck or stored energy. Betel Leaf has a lengthy history as a sacred plant: It is used in prayer ceremonies and can be burned or used in essential oil form to raise energy frequencies for peace, healing, and intuitive development.
Many of these herbs can be used in various ways to enhance mood and increase psychic awareness. Mugwort and blue lotus, when blended and taken as a tea, help to calm the nerves and open the mind to new possibilities. You can use sprigs of juniper as décor around your home, especially at the holidays, to enhance a deeper level of spiritual engagement and energy. Hang wreaths made of juniper on the doorway(s) to your home to protect it from intruders. Burn opoponax resin to open sacred space and create an environment suitable for spiritual work and divination. Finally, use the recipe shown here to make a powerful Oracle Anointing Blend, which combines the medicines of Third Eye herbs with the gemstones of intuition. Use this blend every time you do a reading for a client or for yourself to open the Third Eye and activate your intuitive gifts.
Oracle Anointing Blend
Ingredients
• 10 drops cypress essential oil
• 10 drops blue lotus essential oil
• 5 drops opoponax essential oil
• 5 drops juniper essential oil
• 2 ounces jojoba carrier oil
• 4 chip stones: 1 each of lapis lazuli, tanzanite, blue aventurine, and sodalite
Blend your essential oils together, blessing each oil as you add it to the mixture. Then, place your essential oil blend into a perfume bottle. Fill it to the top with jojoba carrier oil, then add your chip stones. Swirl gently to blend. Set the intention that each time you work with this sacred blend, your intuition will be enhanced and you will see clearly what is needed—for yourself or for your client. Amen, A’ho, So it is.
Tarot Card, Rune, and Planet of the Third Eye Chakra
Major Arcana: The High Priestess
The High Priestess is a figure of mystery and wisdom, and is associated with the Third Eye Chakra. In the Major Arcana of the Tarot, she represents advanced learning and integration of different traditions in service of a comprehensive unifying vision of magic. She honors the sacred texts and prioritizes learning from the past in order to inform her judgment in the present. In this way, she is an open invitation to you to further your own education and improve your understanding of ancient concepts and civilizations, including their traditions and sacred ceremonies. She asks the question: How might you deepen your wisdom in order to connect with the lineages of your ancestral line?
The High Priestess is your most powerful conduit to your past, your present, and your future. Call upon her to access the broader wisdom of your ancestors by asking, “What do I need to know that I do not know today, and how can I integrate that wisdom into the deepest levels of my being?”
Rune: Laguz
Laguz is the rune of the psyche and all that is unseen. As such, it is the primary rune of intuition. Laguz means “lake,” and so its watery essence offers the gift of life through wisdom. Water is also the element of prosperity and wealth, so it is also the rune of understanding your personal path to prosperity. This truth will be revealed to you over time as you work with laguz, activating the deepest wisdom once you are ready to receive it. Call upon its energy to help you dive within and excavate the innermost channels of your wisdom. Trust that it is safe to explore your soul’s sacred caverns this way.
Planet: Moon
It should come as no surprise that the Moon is the planet of intuition; in so many ways, the moon governs our cycles and our connection to magic. At the New Moon, try to seek wisdom about new ventures, new beginnings, and new possibilities; at the Full Moon, seek gratitude and blessings for intentions that have manifested in the last lunar cycle. Both are occasions for deep connection to intuition and inner wisdom.
Archetypes of the Third Eye Chakra
When you think of intuition, the word “oracle” often comes to mind. Historically, oracles were figures with powers of precognition, who would intuit events before they happened and offer guidance or counsel on the basis of their visions. Thus, the archetype of The Oracle presents itself as one face of your own psyche that has unique powers of prophecy and the ability to channel wisdom from outside the self. Like the wise oracles of ancient Greece, the oracle within you is a bringer of wisdom and truth, with a keen ability to envision and foretell the future and to gain clarity and perspective on the past. The Oracle sees all, knows all, and embodies all. She is an open channel of wisdom and understanding that defies human comprehension.
Mantra of the Third Eye Chakra
In Sanskrit, Wah yantee is loosely translated as “wisdom of infinity” and is a mantra you can use to connect to your deepest knowing. The wisdom of infinity knows no beginning or ending; it simply is, and has always been. When you connect to universal wisdom in this way, you are able to let go of anxiety, stress, and fear, since within universal wisdom are energies of peace, alignment, enlightenment, and connection. Recite this mantra when you feel anxious or fearful, which are often signs that you are disconnected from your intuition. When you come back to your deepest wisdom, you will realize that love surrounds you in every way. You are walking the beauty path.
Embodiment Exercise: Third Eye Chakra Activation
When working with any chakra, activation is key. Here, you are activating—or giving permission to—your Seeing Eye to receive and transmit its wisdom via your intuition or inner knowing. Your intuition is your ally in this life, walking the long road of humanity with you as a guide and source of wisdom, truth, and inspiration. All humans are born with innate faith in it, but over time many are taught to trust only facts, science, and what can be seen with their waking eyes. Ironically, many spend the later decades of life trying to return to the state of innocent, open knowing that children so naturally enjoy.
As you develop your intuition, you are by extension engaging your child self, a facet of what Buddhists refer to as the Beginner’s Mind, or the ability to meet life with an open mindset. You are silencing the (sometimes very loud) voice of the inner critic and inner skeptic—your adult self—to allow the voice of your inner child and inner oracle to speak from a place of trust and accelerated awareness. Let this meditation guide you.
1/ Close your eyes and imagine yourself as a child, when you were open to new ideas and embraced a freedom of thought that made anything possible. Feel a sense of natural curiosity and warm safety envelop you as you return to that place of trust and understanding. What did you know to be true back then? How can recalling that truth assist you now in trusting the universe to be a safe, welcoming home to your maturing spirit?
2/ Now, imagine a deep indigo—almost violet—ray of light emerging from between your eyebrows. This is the Blue or Indigo Ray of your intuition. Send that beam of light out to the universe and set the intention that it may gather any wisdom, insight, or information you need to access right now in order to live in vibrational harmony with your soul’s path. Feel the pulsing indigo beam pushing past our atmosphere, spreading out into the far beyond, gathering information and codes—energy “keys” to unlock health, well-being, peace, or prosperity—for you to use in your life right now.
3/ Ask the beam to collect only information for your highest good that can be used and integrated now (later, if you wish, you can send another beam and ask for long-term guidance or guidance about a specific issue). Say aloud, “Beam of Indigo Light, gather only the wisdom I need to serve my highest good and the highest good of those around me. Amen, A’ho, So it is.”
4/ Imagine that Indigo Ray returning to you now, bringing back to you all that you need to know in this moment. Receive the Indigo Ray back at the point of its departure—between your brows. Bless the receipt of the guidance, and give thanks for the gift of wisdom.
May the information you gather bless you, and may the codes you receive heal you. Amen, A’ho, So it is. And on we go.