The first five weeks of my Chakra Introduction has been focused more on the physical body but now with our sixth chakra we step firmly into our spiritual body. Ajna chakra is the third eye chakra and is associated with intuition or the sixth sense. It is located in the forehead and is seen as the centre of clarity and wisdom,forming the boundary between human and divine consciousness. The word Ajna translates as servant or command and in this sense relates to spiritual guidance, or maybe even that sixth sense that we all tune in to every now and then. It is the meeting point of the three principle nadi’s and when these unite samadhi or a state of oneness of mind is achieved. The associated colour is indigo, the element light and the endocrine gland the pituitary. The ajna yantra is depicted as having two indigo petals, an inverted triangle, the om mantra, a white shiva lingam and a quarter moon.
– Two petals – the duality that is present in all things
– The Om Matra – creative consciousness
– White Shiva Lingam – represents the blocks that must be dissolved in order for energy to rise
– A Quarter Moon – a vortex of energy
The qualities of an active and balanced ajna chakra are unity, emptiness, truth, consciousness and bliss. This chakra can open the mind to the bigger picture and it is involved in the creation and perception of art. When it is functioning well insight and trust in the inner wisdom is gained. Excessive energy in this chakra can cause headaches, nightmares, hallucinations and difficulty concentrating. An overactive third eye chakra can also, in some cases, lead to severe emotional disturbances such as schizophrenia. Deficiencies show themselves as poor memory, eye problems, difficulty recognising problems and not being able to visualise well. In the modern world we often suffer from these problems due to the busy life we lead. Too much time looking at computer screens, social media and rushing from here to there can lead us to not be able to visualise, focus and switch off. Having time away from these all encompassing technologies and just sitting with yourself can really help to recharge your third eye chakra and in turn help you to sleep, relax and concentrate.
An active asana for ajna chakra is downward dog as it begins to bring the blood flow and prana down towards the third eye chakra. It is also a great preparation pose for inversions which are often linked to our next chakra, the crown chakra. Plough pose is a passive asana, stimulating all the chakras to get energy flowing and giving you time to really focus on the crown chakra. Other asanas good for ajna chakra are sukhasana (easy seated pose), dolphin plank, eagle pose, warrior 3 and supported forward bends.
A fun way to get in touch with the ajna chakra while practising is to practice while blindfolded as being deprived of sight brings a drawing in of the senses. Its not as is easy as it sounds and brings a great body awareness while also engaging your mind and all your senses. Give it a go, just maybe leave off tree pose to start with!
Namaste