Let us open our eyes! All 3 of them. See the world and all the beauty that it holds.
CRYSTALS
I am always drawn to Third Eye resonating crystals. I actually feel completely naked if I am not wearing amethyst. A friend of mine, @parcel23, made me a custom amethyst ring with a beautiful occlusion to one side. I wear the ring allowing this occlusion to sit in the east, the direction my love, my light, lives, making me feel like I am dreaming of our connection.
Amethyst is associated with both the third eye and crown chakras. It can calm the mind and ease anxiety. Working with the emotional, spiritual, and physical planes provides calmness, balance, patience, and peace. It can help aid in meditation and sleep, bringing about stability and calming harsh emotions. It can also increase concentration and confidence by bringing clarity to the conscious and unconscious mind.
Fluorite is another go-to favorite of mine. This stone works well to quiet the mind. It strengthens insight and awareness. Are you finding yourself in chaos? This stone can bring calmness to chaotic situations. It symbolizes responsibility and obedience. It is known as the "home of rainbows" or "the rainbow keeper," working well with all chakras but best with the third eye. It can awaken suppressed feelings and can help narrow-mindedness.
Intention Wands are also a great tool to use. They are handmade and filled with crystals and herbs to help with manifesting. Everyone should have a magic wand. These are perfect and great for traveling. I use mine in meditation, holding it in my hands and speaking my intentions out loud to the Universe. I infused them all with Reiki energy bringing love and light. Booked with fluorite crystals, the layers of dried herbs and flowers call upon the Universe's attention. When speaking your intentions out loud, know that you are protected by the selenite flakes that sit in the center of our wands.
YOGA
There are quite a few asanas that you can do to open and activate this chakra, downward facing dog is a good one, transitioning from that into dolphin or even puppy pose. Child's pose is one of my favorites. However, we already covered that pose in a previous asana, so we will work on some others to expand our practice.
Humble Warrior
Start by standing in Tadasana (mountain pose) at the top of your mat. Toes together, heels together. Knee caps are lifted, and thighs are engaged. You are strong like a mountain. Lift your abdomen (don't suck it in, try to elongate your torso. Roll your shoulders back and down with your hands by your side. On your next exhale, take a giant step with your left foot and turn your back foot at a 45-degree angle, toes facing outward. Front foot toes should be facing forward, and the back foot should be perpendicular with a heel-to-heel alignment (if your feet were to touch). Keep your hips turned towards the front of your mat. Interlock your hands behind your back, bringing the palms of your hands together. On your next exhale, bend your front leg 90 degrees, bending at the waist and lifting the arms towards the sky. Feel the deep stretch in the heart space, bringing your third eye towards the ground. Focus on your breath, hang out here for at least five breaths, Inhaling, standing back erect, exhaling, bringing the feet back together, repeating on the other side.
Forward Fold/Bend
Start by standing in Tadasana (mountain pose). Toes together, heels together. Knee caps are lifted, and thighs are engaged. You are strong like a mountain. Lift your abdomen (don't suck it in, try to elongate your torso. Roll your shoulders back and down with your hands by your side. As you inhale, raise your arms over your head as you exhale, swan dive bending at the waist, allowing your hands to meet the ground, bringing your head to touch your shins. It is helpful if you can roll forward, allowing your weight to be more on the balls of your feet; reaching your heels back towards the mat will engage the legs and activate a deeper stretch. It is best to keep your knees locked; however, be mindful of your lower back. If you have tightness in the lower back, try bending your knees as you are bending forward and then straightening the legs once you are folded forward. Try to tilt the hips towards the sky.
Dolphin Pose (Ardha Pincha Mayurasana)
This pose is very similar to downward-facing dog. To enter this pose, begin by lying on your stomach or in a tabletop position. Your feet should be about hip-width distance apart. Bring your hands and lower arm to your mat. Elbows are bent at a 90-degree angle, keeping them in line with your shoulders. Fingers should be spread and pointing towards the front of your mat. Focus on your breath; curl your toes as you exhale, and raise your upper body from the ground, while keeping your arms on the ground. Walk your feet slightly towards your hands, letting your pelvis tilt towards the sky. Your heart should be trying to melt into the mat. You will feel this asana really trying to open the heart space. Try to open your heart and melt your heart at the same time. Hold this pose for at least a few breaths.
FOOD
One of my favorite ways to activate and open my third eye is by eating purple grapes and blueberries with intention. Indulging in a bowl before my meditation is sometimes a lot more fun. They have a way of enhancing my experience and journey.
ESSENTIAL OILS
My super simple third eye blend is a friendly reminder that it does not take much to activate this chakra, and it is possible to over-activate.
MUSIC MEDICINE AND MANTRAS
Aum or ("Om") is the most elemental sound, representing the infinite universal consciousness. Aum symbolizes the Universe and the ultimate reality. It is the most sacred sound in which all other sounds are encompassed, all the words that can emanate from the human throat. This mantra is so unique that it deserves a blog dedicated just to this topic, so stay tuned for this to come in the coming weeks. We can start with this simple explanation.
A represents Brahma, Generator, and the Body. The process of creation.
U represents Vishnu, Operator, and Breath represents preservation.
M represents Mahesh or Shiva, Destroyer, and Mind represents sacrifice or destruction. This AAA sound comes from the throat, with vibrations emerging from the abdomen. Next, the UUU rolls off of the tongue and creates a vibrating in the chest. Finally, the MMM ends on the lips with vibrations felt in the head.
Listening to medicine music is a great way to incorporate many tools into one practice. My partner Salah has recently released a frequency medicine music album available on all digital media download services. His youtube page is full of medicine also. This is one of my favorite pieces of music that he has composed. I suggest chanting AUM along with the track, focusing on your breath. There is timing to all the things.