Chakras

YOGA Chakras

Understanding Yogic Chakras

Muladhara
LAM

Svadhisthana
VAM

Manipuraka
RAM

Surya

Manas

Anahata
YAM

Visuddhi
HAM

Lalana

Bindu
SHIVOHAM

Ajna
OM

Brahmaguha

Sahasrara
OM

Ajna (third eye chakra)

Features

1. English translation - "command", "source of knowing"
2. Also Called - "eye of intuition", "third eye", "triveni", "guru chakra", "eye of wisdom", "eye of Shiva", "divya chakshu" (divine eye), "jnana chakshu" or "jnana netra" (eye of knowledge), Third Eye Chakra or Light Chakra or Insight Chakra
3. Mantra - OM
4. Mudra - Sambhavi mudra
5. Element - light, mind
6. Physical representation - Pineal gland
7. Location - situated slightly above the midpoint of the two eyebrows
8. Human Traits/Attributes - psychic abilities
9. Form - lotus flower with 2 silver petals representing the 2 major nadis, Ida (full moon) and Pingala (glowing sun). The 2 petals also represent the left and right hemispheres of the brain with the pineal gland at the center. In the center is a black lingam and an OM mantra sign
10. Statement - "I am intellectually realized. I have clarity of vision and thinking. My intuition is accurate. I see things without the cobwebs and clutter. I see the world in black and white with a very minimal shade of gray (uncertainty, doubt, indecision). Nothing can touch me, nothing can disturb me. But experientially, I still do not feel the spontaneous ecstasy of life."
11. Blocked by - illusion (the biggest illusion is that we are individual and separate - nothing exists as a separate individual. Everything is connected. We are all one.)
12. Deity - Ardhanarishvara (half man, half woman god, a composite of Shiva and Parvati)
13. Shakti (power) - Hakini (imagination, clairvoyance, intuition and inner knowing toward self-realization and spiritual understanding)

Ajna Chakra resides between the 2 eyebrows

Location Ambiguity
There is no universal agreement in yoga where the Ajna is exactly located. The most popular notion is that the Ajna is located between the eyebrows. In some schools, they say the Ajna is the pineal gland, located deep inside the head between the left and right hemipheres of the brain (more on that below). There is also an obscure notion that the Ajna is the entire shaft beginning between the eyebrows and running all the way to the back of the head.

Yoga has no universal standard and many established gurus give conflicting versions of their yoga. It's confusing when you get into the nuts-and-bolts of it.

My take on it? It doesn't matter exactly where. I simply take a step back and look at the big picture and the general intent. I'm even happy to accept that the Ajna is a collective of all the above.

Ida and Pingala Nadis
At the level of the ajna chakra, ida and pingala become one and end the duality of yin-yang, male-female, sun-moon, etc. From their initial root at the muladhara, winding up and meeting at the chakras (svadisthana, manipuraka, anahata, vishuddhi), they become one with sushumna. These three psychic nadis merge to become part of the sushumna. (It should be noted that in Yoga Makaranda, T Krishnamacharya says that ida and pingala start at the muladhara and end at the opening of the nostril. They do not extend all the way up to the ajna chakra). This is very symbolic. Prana (energy rising up through the sushumna) and consciousness are revealed to be one and the same thing - prana (energy) reaches up beyond the spine, into and beyond the brain stem and into the ajna chakra (consciousness). The principle of ida (moon, female, chandra) merges with the principle of pingala (sun, male, surya) to become one. At this point, the ego no longer exists and duality ends.

Last Stop
Ajna's existence and significance are so important in mind-expansion that no further development of wisdom and unlayering of the self follow unless the ajna is awakened. Ajna is the bridge between man and the infinite, the bridge between source and man. It is through ajna that man sees the supreme and it's also through ajna that the supreme sees man.

Ajna is also the last chakra where man can follow a blueprint in ascending the kundalini power. From the Ajna going up the higher chakras (bindu, sahasrara, bramaguha, etc.), there are no set procedures, no paths to follow - only a leap of faith into the ineffable realm.

Characteristics: The Witnessing Center
This is the center where one becomes an actor on the stage of the world, seeing everything as almost a dream. All actions, thoughts and objects, including one's own body and mind, are observed from the center of one's being. This is the witnessing center - there is no personal identification. You become the objective, non-reactive observer.

Example: Anger
At the muladhara chakra level, the mind and body react to the sensation - the mind becomes agitated, the breath becomes fast and shallow and the body gets ready for a flight or fight response. However, at the ajna chakra level, there is no such mind-body reaction - just observation. The mind simply witnesses the sensation of anger without reacting to it. It observes anger calmly, equanimously, without losing its balance.

Siddhis (Supernatural Powers)
The ajna chakra is pervasive in many cultures because it is powerful. The ajna is so revered that in Hindu tradition, they mark this sacred spot with a vermilion bindi.

Ajna Chakra

1. knowledge and wisdom are attained
2. past karma is forgiven (really? I thought karma must be paid)
3. destruction of karma (past lives)
4. able to be in a continuous state of samadhi (realized non-duality)
5. visions of past, present and future
6. desires come true
7. internal and external changes cease to be a problem
8. seeing all events on the planet without moving

Neti Benefit
There are other reasons for the use of neti (nasal cleansing using a neti pot filled with saline solution) such as the stimulation of various nerve endings in the nose; this leads to improvement in the brain and organs to which these nerves connect and also helps in the stimulation of ajna chakra, the midbrain psychic center.

Satvic
Vishuddhi and ajna, are higher and positive chakras in the satvic realm (above tamasic and rajastic). One tends to follow dharma (eternal and inherent nature of reality), where one's actions and thoughts indicate progress in spiritual life with a progressively more illuminated states of mind.

Rudra Granthis
The granthis are psychic knots or hurdles present in specific chakras. They are hindrances representing ignorance and attachment and prevent ascension to higher levels. There are three granthis - brahma, vishnu and rudra granthis. Rudra Granthis is the third psychic knot in the chakra system.

Rudra granthi resides in the ajna chakra. It is associated with attachment to Siddhis (telepathy, clairaudience), psychic phenomena and the concept of ourselves as individuals. One must dissolve the ego for further ascent, in the same way that a moth leaves the chrysalis to fly away as a butterfly. All these psychic knots prevent the kundalini power to ascend to the sahasrara chakra. However, when the rudra granthi is pierced (transcended), a flute-like sound is perceived - the kundalini is said to be rising.

I think this is where most evolved people (gurus, swamis, sensei, etc) get stuck. When they realize a certain power (miracles, turning water into wine, walking on water, producing ash from thin air, etc.) and can attract a following, it becomes intoxicating - people give you money, women spread their legs, intellectuals abandon critical thinking, zealots beg you to command them. The ego is god-dified and the progression on the path comes to a screeching halt. The kundalini shakti or prana vayu (energy) cannot go beyond the rudya knot and is therefore stuck and stagnates.

Pineal Gland
A noteworthy mention is this pea-sized organ inside the brain whose present-day function is not known to science. It is widely regarded as a vestige of primal man when humanity was in its early stages of evolution. However, on a per-unit count, this has the highest blood flow in the body next only to the kidney. This phenomenon suggests that the pineal gland performs a vital function that is not currently known or quantified.

Ways to Activate the Pineal Gland

1. dim the lights and no more computer or phones 1 hour before sleep time - this primes and transitions our pineal gland for sleep
2. put an eye cover when you sleep - an eye cover creates complete darkness which facilitates the activation of melatonin in putting us to sleep. The pineal works better in complete darkness
3. do eye exercises - pineal gland is closely related to the eyes. Healthy eyes mean healthy pineal gland that can funtion optimally. Eye exercises are looking near and far, eye rotation, look at shoulders, look at tip of nose, look at third eye
4. trataka shatkriya - fixing your gaze on one spot without blinking until tears flow
5. Sambhavi Mudra - after trataka, close your eyes, seated, fingers on gyana mudra, head tilted slightly up, maintain awareness on the space between your eyebrows. Hindus put a bindi on their forehead for this purpose. Where we focus our attention on, that part functions and performs better - this is the nature of the human body. This is not just mental focus but also physical focus - so roll your eyes to look at that space (initially, it will feel uncomfortable, but gets easier with practice). Concentrate on this area for 5 minutes

In yoga however, the pineal gland plays a powerful role as the physical organ translating the subtle levels of the ajna into a human experience. Ajna is the eye of intuition and intellect. Together, they activate telepathy, clairvoyance, psychokinesis, and other siddhis. When ajna is activated, thought (a subtle form of energy), can be transmitted across great distances.

Asanas
Sirsasana takes center stage as it activates the pineal gland and ajna chakra. As a general rule, any inversion asana (forward bend, headstand, handstand, downward dog) causes the energy flow towards the ajna chakra. Additionally, any asana requiring focus and balance (tree, eagle, hand-to-big-toe, etc.) also enhances the activation of the ajna chakra.

The Class

1. Introduction - what is chakra? what is the 3rd eye? what is the pineal gland? benefits?
2. Surya Namaskar A & B - generate heat
3. Inversions - downward dog, dolphin, tripod, headstand, shoulder stand, handstand,
4. One-Legged Asanas - tree, hand to big toe, warrior III, eagle, dancer, standing split, kicks (front, side, back, quad stretch)
5. Kundalini Asanas - seated tortional rotation, arms-up kapalabhati, cat & cow with snap, bent forward chair
6. Eye Exercises - ear look, shoulder look, nose look, 3rd eye look, eye roll, fast light blink, eye orbit massage
7. Trataka - until eyes tear up
8. Sambhavi Mudra - final pose

Ajna Chakra: Full Class

<--#include virtual="/yoga_class/full_ajna.shtml" -->

CHAKRA: AJNA CHAKRA

CHANTING: OM

OM

/yoga_class/chant_om.shtml

Single-pointed focus on Ajna Chakra (third eye) or the Sahasrara Chakra (crown)
a) to start the class, 1 minute composure then 3 mins of OM chanting - ujjayi breathing on the inhale, then OM chanting on the exhale
b) to end the class, 1 minute composure then 3 rounds of OM chanting - ujjayi breathing on the inhale, then OM chanting on the exhale

INTRODUCTION

Class introduction: Ajna chakra (third eye)

<--#include virtual="/yoga_class/intro_ajna.shtml" -->

This class revolves on Ajna Chakra. The mudra (sambhavi), mantra (OM), asana (inversions/balancing), pranayama and everything else will revolve around the Ajna.

FULL LECTURE: Ajna Chakra

Ajna

<--#include virtual="/yoga_class/c_ajna.shtml" -->

Ajna Chakra / OM chanting - explaining Ajna (third eye chakra) together with OM mantra, including features and related topics:

1. Statement - "I am intellectually realized. I have clarity of vision and thinking. My intuition is accurate. I see things without the cobwebs and clutter. I see the world in black and white with a very minimal shade of gray (uncertainty, doubt, indecision). Nothing can touch me, nothing can disturb me. Ego and separation no longer exist. But experientially, I still do not feel the spontaneous ecstasy of life."
2. Features
   
   
   1. Ajna is where the 3 most powerful nadis converge - ida, pingala and sushumna
   2. the 2 lotus petals represent duality merging into one - the left and right hemispheres of the brain, ida and pingala, moon and sun, male and female
   3. from Muladhara to Ajna, there are established ways to ascend. But from Ajna ascending up, it's only a leap of faith
   4. Ajna is the bridge between man and the infinite
   5. you become the objective, non-reactive observer - observing you and all phenomena
3. Famous people - at this level, they don't need to be famous and would rather deepen their practice without calling for attention. They could be walking amongst us
4. Mantra - OM
5. Sitting Pose - no standard, but Padmasana is ideal
6. Asanas - Sirsasana takes center stage but as a general rule, any inversion asana (forward bend, headstand, handstand, downward dog) and balancing asana (tree, eagle, hand-to-big-toe, etc.) activates the ajna chakra
7. Pranayama - nothing standard for ajna, but an Ujjayi inhale with a OM mantra chant on the exhale will do
8. Blockage - illusion (the biggest illusion is that we are individual and separate. Everything is connected.)
9. Activation - chanting OM, using neti pot, no more computer 1 hour before sleep, put eye cover when sleeping, meditation on sambhavi mudra, doing eye exercises, trataka kriya,
10. Element - all elements
11. Mudra - sambhavi mudra
12. Warning/Limitation
    1) attachment to psychic powers such as telepathy, clairaudience and other mind phenomena (Rudra granthi) - and therefore cannot move on
    2) cannot feel (yet) the spontaneous ecstasy of life
13. Body / Physical - third eye, pineal gland
14. Location - slightly above between the 2 eyebrows. Ajna is where the 3 most important nadis converge into one: ida, pingala and sushumna
15. Form / Color - 2-petalled silver lotus representing the 2 major nadis, Ida (moon, chandra, female, restoration) and Pingala (sun, surya, male, fight/flight). The 2 petals also represent the left and right hemispheres of the brain
16. Enhanced Human Qualities
    
    
    1. intellectually realized
    2. clarity of vision and thinking
    3. seeing things without the cobwebs and clutter, seeing the world in black & white
    4. strong and accurate intuition
    5. long life
    6. internal and external changes cannot disturb you
    7. one develops a divine lustre
    8. one is able to see the true essence, the soul
17. Super Human Qualities (Siddhis)
    
    
    1. ego and separation no longer exist From the memoirs of Maha Bua, ego is the last thing that leaves consciousness before enightenment is achieve. So, to say that ego and separation no longer exist, may be too soon, too early
    2. destruction of karmic debts (from past lives) My understanding is that karmic debts are never forgiven - they need to be paid back. I can accept that when you pay back all your karmic debts, you can activate your Ajna chakra - but not the other way around, that when you activate your ajna chakra, all your karmic debts are deleted from the books.
    3. psychic abilities - mental telepathy, clairaudience, clairevoyance, telekinesis, etc.
    4. able to see all the events that are occurring around the world without moving from their position
    5. able to be in a continuous state of samadhi (realized non-duality)
    6. time is a singularity
    7. desires manifest
    8. power to control everybody
18. Ajna perspective vs other chakras
    
    
    1. Muladhara: "I need food clothing and shelter to survive"
    2. Svadhisthana: "sex, drugs and rock & roll"
    3. Manipuraka: "I, me, mine - the world is my oyster"
    4. Anahata: "I have love and compassion"
    5. Visuddhi: "Instead of fighting with life, I begin to flow with the current of life. I perform at a high level of competence. People naturally move towards me because I can do things beyond their understanding and abilities."
    6. Ajna: "My intuition is accurate. I have psychic abilities. I see things without the cobwebs and clutter. I see the world in black and white with a very minimal shade of gray (uncertainty, doubt, indecision). Nothing can touch me, nothing can disturb me. But experientially, I still do not feel the spontaneous ecstasy of life."
    7. Sahasrara: "I am the convergence of energy and consciousness. The self, the universe and God become one"

MUDRA: GYANA (Ajna Chakra)

Gyana Mudra (aka Gyan, Chin, Jnana)

<--#include virtual="/2019/sep/mudra_gyana/gyana.shtml" -->

Finger Position: thumb and index finger touch (concentrate on this point), 3 other fingers are together and straight
Hand Level: shoulder or on lap
Activated Elements: fire and air (combustible)
Benefits: memory retention, increased comprehension and concentration, gaining wisdom
Chakra Affected: Muladhara to Ajna (root to third eye)
Affected Body Part: pituitary and pineal glands, brain
Mantra: Om
Notes: can be done anywhere, anytime, by anybody

ASANA

Hang

<--#include virtual="/yoga_class/hang2.shtml" -->

Timed 3 rounds with twists and full fascia stretching (interspersed with stretching while fingers recover) and compare over time

Stretching

<--#include virtual="/yoga_class/stretching2.shtml" -->

Basic stretching to neck, shoulders, chest, back, side bends, pelvic roll, thigh stretch, knee roll, calf stretch

Surya namaskar A & B

<--#include virtual="/yoga_class/surya2.shtml" -->

3 rounds of Surya Namaskar A, 3 rounds of Surya Namaskar B

Asana: Ajna > Inversion

<--#include virtual="/yoga_class/a_ajna_inversion.shtml" -->

forward bend, downward dog, headstand, tripod, pincha mayurasana, handstand

Asana: Ajna > One-Leg Balance

<--#include virtual="/yoga_class/a_ajna_oneleg.shtml" -->

quad stretch, tree, hand2bigtoe, wIII, half moon, eagle, dancer, pistol squat

ADDHITTANA

Addhitthana: Ajna > Tree

<--#include virtual="/yoga_class/adh_ajna_tree.shtml" -->

tree on right leg, hold with full breathing until out of balance. Other side

PRANAYAMA

Pranayama: Ajna > Anuloma Viloma / Sambhavi

<--#include virtual="/yoga_class/p_ajna_anuloma_sambhavi.shtml" -->

inhale: with empty lungs, close right nostril and inhale left, visualizing breath, energy and divinity are funneled into the 3rd Eye. Keep focus and awareness on the 3rd Eye. Hold as long as possible without straining while remaining completely relaxed (no bandha).

exhale: chant OM slowly as you exhale fully, making sure there is enough air to complete the exhalation without strain. Empty lungs and be aware of the emptiness.

Repeat the cycle until set time is met (min 15 mins).

MEDITATION

Pranayama: Ajna > Sambhavi

<--#include virtual="/yoga_class/m_ajna_sambhavi.shtml" -->

Normal breathing...no pranayama, no breath-hold, no bandhas. Just focus your awareness on the 3rd Eye. Don't create or visualize anything. Just let your awareness remain there. You are observing with no reaction. You are observing without changing anything. You're just a witness on any sensation that might be felt in your 3rd Eye. Remain completely relaxed. When you catch the mind drifting, gently bring it back to focus on the 3rd Eye. (min 15 mins).

CHANTING: OM

OM

/yoga_class/chant_om.shtml

Single-pointed focus on Ajna Chakra (third eye) or the Sahasrara Chakra (crown)
a) to start the class, 1 minute composure then 3 mins of OM chanting - ujjayi breathing on the inhale, then OM chanting on the exhale
b) to end the class, 1 minute composure then 3 rounds of OM chanting - ujjayi breathing on the inhale, then OM chanting on the exhale

---

Ending Thoughts
Ajna Chakra allows us to see the big picture. What big picture? I would liken this to my experience of Burning Man. Before Burning Man, I was a working stiff toiling from 9-5, a boss looking from my back, and my self-worth contingent on the 'job'. Without the job, I'd be lost. It defined me. Food on my table, payment for the mortgage, social standing, self-image - they were all defined by the job. That was the horizon for me.

But with Burning Man, where I marinated under the scorching heat of the desert for a full week, experiencing a utopian reality unimaginable in the default world, I saw the big picture. I saw an infinite horizon that was far more animated, far more colorful, and teeming with endless possibilities, that revealed the illusion of the 'job horizon'.

I was a different man when I came out of the desert. I left my corporate job, followed my bliss and surrendered to the greater forces at play. For 10 years now, I had been traveling homeless with very little money, no job, no property, but I always end up in amazing places, meeting the right people, and stumbling upon opportunities that open up doors.

Metaphorically, I can say that Burning Man gave me a glimpse of how I can architecture my reality when my Ajna Chakra is activated. To the extent that this realization and empowerment were brought about by the third eye, anyone who has experienced this transformation will attest to the Ajna Chakra and all the possibilities that lay ahead. I am not claiming that my Ajna Chakra has opened up. But I will claim that I had been given a rare glimpse of just how powerfully it can transform you and align the universe to manifest your karmic process.

--- Gigit (TheLoneRider)
YOGA by Gigit | Learn English | Travel like a Nomad | Donation Bank

Kundalini Yoga for the Ajna Chakra by Lisa Grail

---

Ajna Chakra Sound Meditation by Transcending Vibrations

---

Ajna Chakra Guided Meditation by Eleonora Cosner

---

Ajna Chakra OM Chanting @ 432 Hz by Meditative Mind

---

Full Restore your Pineal Gland POWER @ 10000Hz 2675Hz 999Hz 45Hz 15Hz - Pineal Gland Activator by Lovemotives Meditation Music

---

Sources:

1. Swami Satyananda Saraswati - Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha
2. Swami Satyananda Saraswati - A Systematic Course in the Ancient Tantric Techniques of Yoga and Kriya
3. Tirumalai Krishnamacharya - Yoga Makaranda 1
4. Sadhguru - Agna and Vairagya

Leave a comment?

Article date:
Name:
Email:
Message:
3 take away 1 equals

Next story:

Movie Review: Searching for Sugar Man (2012)

(Oct 7, 2020) This movie is a true-to-life Cinderella tale of Sixto Rodriguez, an obscure American musician, whose music fueled and inspired the anti-apartheid revolution in South Africa. Meanwhile, in his hometown Detroit, Sixto gave up music and worked as a construction worker, making ends meet, completely oblivious that halfway around the world in South Africa, he was bigger than life...bigger than Elvis Presley...more »»

Next chakra:

Brahmaguha (forehead chakra)

(Jan 23, 2021) The initiate acquires the power to change one's own destiny, to greatness beyond description. This procedure cannot be explained - it can only be learned through experience...more »»

Next Yoga story:

Vinyasa Krama and Ashtanga Yoga with Aida Yoga

(Oct 18, 2020) Aida's yoga classes exude years of dedicated practice and devotion. They are grounded and well-intentioned at the outset, challenging but doable with intelligent sequencing, clearly cued and well paced,, seamless and fluid, and capped by an angelic rendition of Gayatri Mantra.....more »»

»» back to Yoga
»» back to Homepage

ARCHIVE 2024: JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC

1970 | 1973 | 1975 | 1976 | 1979 | 1981 | 1996 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | ALL BLOGS