Name in Sanskrit Anja - perception
Symbol Two Snakes head and Eagles wings
Location Forehead - an inch above the eyebrows
Essence I see, I am connected, I know
Function Liberation - Centre of inner sight and wisdom
Quality Vision
Colour Indigo
Element Light and dark
Sound Aum
Gland Pineal

Third Eye chakra

The Third Eye chakra is indigo in colour and is located between and just above the eyebrows, emanating from the centre of the brain. It is the embodiment of inner wisdom, an invisible yet powerful third eye, a centre of intuition and perception, your deepest connection to the higher self, knowledge and expanded consciousness. The main essence of the third eye is the gift of seeing, allowing us to cut through the illusion and access deep truths enabling clear thought and self reflection.

In Sanskrit, it is known as the Anja, ancient civilisations referred to the Anja as the ‘seat of the soul’ by working with this chakra, you gain access to inner knowledge and development of your sixth sense of psychic intuition. When you have a bad feeling about something, or your gut tells you something isn’t right, it is your intuition working. However our ego tends to override such sensations and smother them with self-doubt and dismissal, creating conflict or congestion within the chakra.

We experience the world through five senses, taste, touch, smell, sound and sight. We attribute our experiences to what we perceive through these senses and therefore learnt to trust them related to those encounters and the knowledge gleaned from them. At one stage, humans had to trust and count on their intuition for their survival, just like animals still do. The sixth sense is intuition – one which we were all born with but as society and cultural practices changed through time and being conditioned, we no longer use it as we once did.

Imbalanced chakra

Physically the Third Eye chakra corresponds to the eyes, intellect and the lower section of the brain and Pineal gland. The mind is a powerful organ; the process of thinking, the intellect and the ego all influence the body greatly. If you are over thinking, and processing too much information or have too much on your plate, your body reacts to the stress caused from such situations you may for example develop anxiety.

Third Eye chakra is where your sense of justice and ethics emanates from, so you may find that you are judging yourself or others actions easily and without empathy. The third eye chakra may also be congested if you feel you don’t know yourself anymore, can’t feel the way forward or are in spiritual crisis.

Related psychological and emotional ailments
Judgemental behaviour, hallucinations, delusions
visions, overwhelming psychic visions, paranoia, mental fog

Related physical ailments
Headaches, seizures, vision problems, insomnia, nausea, sinus issues, anxiety

Is important to remember that when working psychically with the Third Eye chakra, clairvoyant senses become heightened due to free flowing energy within the chakra. Psychic overload occurs when the chakra is too open and psychic information is received continuously and it can become overwhelming, exhausting and in need of protection.

Healing the Third Eye chakra

When the Third Eye chakra is balanced you see things clearly, you are decisive and highly focussed, with a sense of being connected to yourself. Goals and dreams become reality as the chakra is energized, allowing both hemispheres of the brain synchronize. The right hemisphere’s creativity is integrated and balanced with left hemisphere’s logical and analytical thinking.

The Third Eye chakra not only acts as your seat of wisdom but also of your conscience. A balanced and open chakra gives way to:

  • Experiencing a heightened sense of intuition

  • Allowing events to unfold without judgement

  • Developing a sense of “knowing” that a situation is meant to be

  • Seeing things from a detached yet balanced point of view

  • Helping others to see the deeper meaning of their lives and situations

  • Reflecting upon self-limiting beliefs with compassion and moving forward

In opening yourself to spiritual practice you become more attuned to the higher vibrations of the universe. Mediation is a powerful tool with which to expand the Third Eye. It opens the way to illuminating our darkest fears, confusing questions, lack of direction. Many advanced mediation techniques, focus upon this energy centre as it awakens the spiritual knowledge that lies deep within our soul.

From the chaos of self-examination and soul searching comes inner vision and the ability to perceive situations from the point of the observer. You become healthily detached, making way for forgiveness moving on.

Self-limiting beliefs and negative thinking are just thoughts you keep thinking – over and over again until the point where you believe them. Once it gathers momentum a negative thought strengthens its vibration and can then become a thought process that no longer serves you positively. Changing your negative thoughts to positive ones is essential to liberating the ego and taking guidance from the soul.

When asking deeper questions about why am I here? What is my purpose? How can I help others? You initiate your soul within the thinking process. The combination of intellect, ego and soul in this powerful centre, opens the gateway for guidance and ultimately to make decisions that are right for you.

Crystals to support the Third Eye chakra are:

Labradorite, Azurite, Blue Kyanite, Shattuckite, Blue Lace Agate, Amethyst, Atacamite, Blue Tourmaline, Angelite, Quantum Quattro Silica