The third eye chakra acts as our direct connection to higher consciousness, ushering in amazing, soul-fulfilling jolts of creative inspiration. Think of it as the space where self-awareness, imagination and intuitive guidance meet, enabling us to focus and create something in alignment with the truth of who we are at our core.
As the “virtual” eye between our two physical ones, the third eye chakra reaches beyond physical seeing and invites us to step into inner knowing; into the light of are our unique creative self. In fact, our physical eyes are often interpreted as the “wings” to the third eye, serving as tools to support what we intuit by providing a means to create it in the physical world.
We can also think of this “configuration” as the two sides of the brain working in harmony (right and left) or (creative and rational), in order to support our intuition. When the third eye chakra is tuned in and open to receiving, we can quickly sense creative insights – and have the confidence to follow them without needing “proof”.
The real power of a balanced third eye chakra is how it enables us to listen and trust ourselves unconditionally, especially when it comes to our creativity and vision.
Please note this post is part of the series 7 Core Chakras and How They Influence Creative Expression. I’ve covered the root, sacral, solar plexus, heart and throat chakras so far.
Undoing the Muscle Memory Patterns of the Mind
The sense of inner trust we develop in our heart (4th chakra) can often be challenged by an overactive or overly logical mind that’s always looking for reasons and “evidence” to back up everything we see and do. When the mind takes over, it can get “stuck”, literally forcing our third eye closed to our intuition and those powerful creative hunches.
As a result, we get cemented in the rational mind, forcing ourselves to meet the expectations we mentally perceive and completely miss the creative and intuitive insights shared through our “inner-viewfinder”, the third eye chakra.
This is how the mind exerts the ego’s desire for control and completely shuts down the power of our inner wisdom. How many times have you “seen” the truth but tried to force events in another direction? Or, do you notice when the ego tries to forge ahead on a path without taking the time and space to truly listen and allow in the creative energy present in the moment?
Maintaining a balance between what the mind sees and rationalizes as “real”, and the “inner vision” we hold in the truth of our heart is what inspires our desire to transform and strive for a simpler, more intrinsic way of life led by creative joy and intuition.
The real invitation of this dynamic is to allow the duality between what you “see” and “know”, then trusting what the 3rd eye is trying to show you, rather than always looking for clear, rational evidence.
Trust your Inner Light First for True Understanding , Mantra of the Third Eye Chakra
The third eye chakra helps us harness our creative light and learn how to trust ourselves completely. Our creative voice isn’t supposed to echo someone else’s to be valuable, and it’s essential for each of us to honor a regular practice of tuning in through meditation, exercise, creative projects or other means to allow the higher self a chance to share its knowledge and wisdom.
Calling on the insights from the 5th chakra (throat) that allowed us to refine and truly hear/express our own unique creative voice, the 6th chakra enables us to practice listening to it, moment to moment, in all we do. It’s a muscle that allows us to build more self-trust, confidence and a stronger connection to the higher self – all of which contribute to living a more creative life in the flow.
The more we practice listening to ourselves first, the easier it is to know what’s right without second-guessing or searching for external validation of our creative expression. It also helps us cut through the illusions of life, enabling us to act as an observer without getting emotionally invested in seeing things as “good” or “bad”.
Think of the creative freedom we can all experience when we view our self-expression and the expression of others in a neutral way!
Mindful Care of your Inner Creative Portal
It’s not always easy to separate what you know to be true from the clutter of old thoughts, patterns and fears. Given that our third eye is located in the same space we do our “thinking”, it’s important to be mindful of simple ways to care for your inner creative portal.
For me personally, the third chakra often needs a little extra TLC as I have a natural tendency to over-think when I’m stressed. I’ve set up a simple personal practice that enables my creative side to flow with more ease and helps build self-trust, while allowing me to release the need to control.
I take a walk every morning, then clear the energy in my chakras with simple energy chord cutting techniques. After that, I do a short meditation to recenter, relax my third eye and get out of my own head. I also add in yoga throughout the week as an extra support tool. Getting grounded in this way each day helps me to practice getting “unstuck” and get more familiar the the sensation of “stuckness”, so I can do something to release it more quickly.
An out of balance chakra can be moving too quickly or too slowly. This is what can happen when the third eye chakra is imbalanced, according to The Book of Chakra Healing by Liz Simpson:
Too open: Highly logical, authoritarian or arrogant
Blocked: Undisciplined, fear of success, setting sights too low
Balanced: Charismatic, highly intuitive, release attachment to material things
For extra support in balancing the third eye chakra, here are some suggestions for yoga poses and tips on how to work with crystals or stones. Doing some color visualizations as part of a meditation practice can also help expand the vision of the third eye chakra in creative ways.
You can also practice working with a specific mantra to expand and strengthen a connection through the third eye chakra:
“Imagination is the life-blood of my creativity.”
Can you live into your creative path and expression without forcing, pushing or turning away what you know to be true moment to moment? Build a regular practice to connect with your third eye chakra and create trust that your inner wisdom is spot on!
This post is part of a series on creative expression and the 7 chakras. To check out previous posts on similar topics, read Listen to your Creative Calling, Even if it Feels Like you are Standing Alone and Creativity and Little White Lies:Which Ones Are you Telling Yourself?
Next in the series: Crown Chakra
For a little extra support on how you can tune into your intuitive creative voice, check out my creativity coaching and intuitive guidance services. Looking for tips to tap into your inner wisdom and love to listen to podcasts? Check out my podcast, Flirting With Enlightenment.
Photo credit: sea turtle – enlightenment, Baba Gozum – muscle flexing angel Alice Popkorn – trust