Anja—Brow Chakra Meditation

Visualizations used in this meditation explained.  You will need to know the definition and location of the Sushumna (Sukshumna) nadi, which closely correlates with the spinal cord.  The website listed below has several articles on the sushumna nadi.  However, all the articles give more information than is really required for this meditation, but it is always good to understand what the Nadis are.  You also need to understand what a vortex is.

Sushumna Nadi

A vortex is similar to the action that you find when you drain the water from the bathtub.  It moves in a circular motion and is shaped like a cone.  A vortex draws things down into it.  The chakra vortex draws energy from things from the outside such as people, animals, plants and the universe.  Have you ever noticed how some people just seem to suck the life out of you?  Well this is how the energy is being drawn away from you.  So when visualizing this vortex, the action is one of a vortex like the water, with the large end exiting your forehead, and the small end connected into the sushumna (spinal cord).

Intuition Building

As with any type of meditation try to perform this meditation when you won’t be disturbed.  Turn the phone off or down, make sure the children are occupied or in bed.  Find a comfortable position either sitting in lotus position, lying on the floor or bed, or in a reclining chair.  Play soft soothing music.  Use the aroma therapy recommendations for this chakra, or burn incense of the appropriate variety to match the aroma therapy recommendations.

Begin relaxation by tensing each muscle group, starting with the feet, then the calf of the leg, moving up to the head.  Relaxing, releasing each muscle goup completely.  Feel it relax into the surface that it is touching.  

Visualize the two wing symbol of this chakra.  See the indigo color.  Visualize this chakra in the middle of your forehead in the area of the third-eye…………..  Feel the color slowly spread and fill the chakra……..  Feel the vortex of the chakra fill with the color as it spins steadily.  Feel the indigo color completely fill your head, and connect with sushumna…  Feel the violet from the crown chakra flow down the sushumna, and the blue from the throat chakra rise up to meet in the indigo of the third-eye………  Feel the pulsing of the chakra as it spins………..

Know that the third-eye chakra is there for vision the same as your other two eyes.  The difference is that this eye looks inward.  This is the source of your intuition, you inner knowing.  This is a method of connection with that which is eternal in you. This is your connection to your higher self.  You use it to look deep inside yourself for the answers that are surely there.  It is there to offer insight, clairvoyance, and answers to the questions of the universe.

Do this or other meditation regularly.  Keep the third-eye sharp as an eagle’s eye.

It's All Perception-Friday

Perception is everything and colors everything we look at. People will have different perceptions of the same event. Which ones are right?? They are all right, because our perception of the world is what is true for us. However, you can change your perception from one that is negative and painful, to one that is positive and blessed.

The most difficult change of perception came for me when my mother passed. My immediate reaction was pain and grief. I felt abandon by God, how could he take her from me. However, the nurse in the room with us said, "you know your mother was a saint, and you know she is in good hands." My whole world shifted at that stage. Yes, she is in a good place. She has only shifted out of a form that no longer served her.

Many people find my attitude disrespectful. They feel that I should grieve for the rest of my life for her, but how could I wish her back to her body. What would ever possess me to make me think that she would be better off here? The reason I was grieving was strictly my own selfishness, as I really do miss her, but certainly not enough to wish her back to this life. On All Hallows Eve we celebrate her life, and remember the good time, and bad times, but it is always a positive perception. I sometime think I hear her speak to me, and it is always a happy thought. I know we will meet again.

Namaste

Ajna-Brow Chakra Practices

I did link the poses to the Yoga Journal description. I linked the exercises to the Holistic Online explanations. Those links are mine, and considered safe by me. Other links are not mine.

Yoga Poses for AJNA

Before you begin any practice program consult your doctor. It is not imperative that you perform these poses, other activities will suffice. Read the contraindications for the poses at the link provided. Avoid those that would not be of benefit to you.

Corpse Pose

Head to knee pose—Janu Sirasana

The downward dog pose—Adho Mukha Svanasana

Bridge Pose—Setu Bandha Sarvangasana

Mountain Pose—Tadasana

Tree Pose—Vrksasana

Half Lord of the Fishes Pose—Ardha Matsyendrasana

Eagle Pose—Garudasana

Before you begin any exercise program consult your doctor. It is not imperative that you perform these poses, other activities will suffice. Read the contraindications for the poses at the link provided. Avoid those that would not be of benefit to you.

Activity for AJNA

Eye Exercises

Alt. Nostril Breathing

Aromatherapy

Essential Oils

Cajeput

Lemongrass

Violet

Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus)

Jasmine (Jasminum officinale or J. Grandiflorum)

Lemon (Citrus Limonum)

Rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis, R. coronarium)

Remember to buy oils that appeal to you, use your intuition to choose the one that is right for you.

Methods for dispersing

Hot melted candle wax (unscented candle of course).  Don’t get oil in flame, just drop on top of melted wax.

In simmering (not boiling) water

Candle Diffuser

For a luxurious bath add 8 drops violet oil and 4 oz of cream to the bath water.  Do this a couple times a week mix cajeput and violet oil with a teaspoon of almond or jojoba oil.  Use your index finger and middle finger to massage this into your forehead/third-eye area.  Do not use any of the other oils for this.

Warning—Do not use if you have allergies.  This is a nice thing to do, but not imperative

Quick Meditation

This practice is called Trataka which means steady gazing. It is a very simple and beautiful meditation technique.  If you are epileptic do not use the candle or other lighted object for this method.  Find a nice star chart and use that.

Method

Use a candle or any other object of choice can be used. For the candle or other light the room should be completely dark.  If you are using another object make sure it is light up.  Set the candle or other object at 3 foot distance, and at a level with the eyes.  Make sure you are sitting comfortably, spine straight, relaxed, legs crossed or in lotus position, place the hands on the knees palms up. If you are in a chair do not cross your legs.

Start with your eyes shut.  I like to have the room darkened except for the candle flame. Take 4 deep breaths. Open your eyes.  Steadily gaze at the candle/object with the eyes open, you may blink when necessary. When your eyes get tired, close them.  With the eyes closed look up at the brow chakra.  See the flame and the colors.  The after image in the mind is used for gazing. Try not to move through out the practice. Relax your breath, let it lengthen, deepen. After about 10-20 minutes or longer if possible, open your eyes.  Rub your hands together vigorously to create a warm sensation. Place the heels of your hands over your eye sockets, and rest your fingers on your forehead over your third eye.  Hold this position while you hands cool down.

Benefits of the Practice

• It improves the optic function, both external and internal, such as poor eyesight and visualization abilities
• It helps develop concentration and mental resolve
• Develops the ability to maintain single-pointedness in amongst the noise and distractions of daily life
• Develops the ability to connect with that which is eternal in all of us. The watcher will awaken, and provide you with the ability to "see" or understand what and who you really are, and connect you with the power of creation.

Other Fun Things

Go to the library and check out a Magic Eye book by Magic Eye, Inc., Mark Grossman.  Look for images.

Ajna-Brow Chakra Correspondences

6.2 Ajna-Brow Chakra Correspondences-2014

Colors—Indigo

Element—Light/Telepathic, Energy, the Cosmos

Function—Seeing, Intuition, Conceptualization, Creative Visualization

Power—Wisdom

Basic Rights—To See

Demon—Illusion

Power—Wisdom

Strength—Intellectual Skills, Evaluation of insight, receiving inspiration, generating wisdom from experience

Shadow—defining the truth in self-serving ways

Life lessons—Emotional intelligence

Main Issues—Intuition, Knowledge

Area of body governed—Eyes, base of skull

Associated Spinal—First cervical vertebra

Location of ANJA 

Life Issues—emotional intelligence, clairvoyance, understanding, reality check point, detachment, open mind

Gland—Pituitary

Physical Ailments—Headache especially migraines, poor vision, eye problems, neurological problems

Crystals—Lapis Lazuli, Calcite, sapphire, fluorite

Shape—Five pointed star

Plant—Almond blossom

Musical Note—A

Seed Sound—OM

Ruling Planet—Moon

Incense/Aromatherapy—Hyacinth, camphor, Violet, Sweet Pea

Tarot Card—The World, The Moon, The Fool, The High Priestess

Tree of Life Sephiroth—Chokmah and Binah

Hindu Deities—Shakti Hakini, Paramasiva, Krishna

Other Deities—Themis, Hecate, Tara, Isis, Iris, Morpheus, Belenos, Apollo

Astrological—Sagittarius & Pisces

Archangel—Shekhina the female face of God (Azna)

Litany of I AM for AJNA

·       I AM Silence

·       I AM Protection

·       I AM a feeling

·       I AM a Son of God

·       I AM Wisdom

·       I AM the divine plan manifesting itself

·       I AM pure clarity

·       I Manifest what I visualize

·       I AM the watcher wisdom

Exploring AJNA

Consider the Answers to these questions

• How much silence is there in you life for the whispers of intuition to be heard?  Meditate & spend time in quiet contemplation
• Have you ever acted on intuition?  When you have a strong urge go with it.  Look for the strange incidence which may have something for you to learn.
• Close your eyes, now do you know what is around you?  Open your eyes and really look, notice the shapes, colors, general configuration.  Take time to notice details.
• Have you ever considered why people come into your life?   Do you look outside yourself for answers?  Note insights in the form of images, colors, words and phrases.
• How do you discern who and what are for your greatest good?
• Do you honor your personal truth?
• Do you tune into your body, your feelings, and your spirit to know what your truth is?
• Do you know the importance of personal integrity?
• Where do you channel your creative energy?

Create an Energy Center for AJNA

Using things around the house create a focal point, like a table top, to help balance this chakra.  Remember the correspondences.  Use indigo pieces and crystals if you have them handy, otherwise pieces of clothing, towels, scarves, pictures, candles all have a place in the display.  Whatever reminds you of the areas want to work through AJNA can be placed in the display. You may want to use just a little TV tray, night stand or patio table for this.  You may be using this set up for a while, and you may not want to set it up each time.  This will also allow you to stop on the way by and just do a quick visualization exercise.

Now that you have put together the display, it is time to do a quick 5 minute visualization to ask for balance of the chakra.  One of the things I enjoy is using my visualization of the chakra in motion.  I use my hand to tell me how it is moving.  Visualize the chakra motion.  Visualize pleasure and joy stemming from this area.  Feel that indigo energy and pleasure rise up the sushumna to the crown.  Feel the shiver of pleasure and energy as it passes through the crown and flows over your body in an aura of the indigo color of AJNA.

Ajna-Third-eye Chakra Introduction

What & Where

The third eye is located between the eyebrows and is the vortex of intuition, imagination, visualization, clairvoyance and vision. Many believe that this chakra is connected with the pineal gland and is the "seat of the soul". It vibrates at a higher frequency than sound. The third eye's vibration is that of light.

It is called Ajna which means to perceive, to know, and to control.  We see the physical world with our eyeballs, while the third-eye lets us see things for which there is no tangible evidence.

This is the area from which we envision our reality, and, thus, manifest our world.

Main Function

Our eyes are what we see the world with; the brow chakra often called the third-eye is how we see the psychic, intuitive world.  It is how we sense things that we have no concrete evidence for.  This is also area of concept which is where our mind visions are brought into a concept that is eventually produced into something we can see.  You can see how important our third eye is to manifesting our desires.  We also form our perception of reality here, and it becomes the filter through which we view the world. This filter is what creates our reality, and the world in which we live. The true seat of our manifestations is within the purview of the third eye Ajna.

The third-eye is responsible for those little niggling feelings that we sometimes choose to ignore.  It is also what allows us to connect those dots when we make a breakthrough in our mental and psychic selves.  Do you ever find yourself slapping yourself in the forehead and saying; “Of course, that’s it, why didn’t I see that before.”  This is what I call a third-eye thumper, and the third-eye energy is what is largely responsible for those EUREKA moments.

This center is our native intelligence and thrives on the distilled wisdom gained from living our lives; the good times and the bad times, and those times we thought we just couldn’t go on.  These are the things that make us what we are, and this is what develops the third eye. How we learn to cope with these things is what gives us the tools to manifest the world in which we live.

When it is open and functioning well, we can discern our highest good as well as profound awareness and intuition. The center seeks meaning, truth, and freedom. These are the building blocks of the world which we build for ourselves.

1. This chakra allows us to realize our consciousness of self. So it helps us understand our own interpretations and thoughts.
2. The brow chakra is the center of our inner vision. It helps us obtain good insight and intuition by allowing us to see beyond the obvious.
3. It uses symbols and pictures through dreams, daydreams, imagination, meditation....etc, to give us messages.
4. It also helps us obtain knowledge.

Controlled by Ajna

The emotional seat lies in this chakra.  The physical aspects deal with the eyes, sinuses, base of the skull and temporal lobes, and affect metabolism, growth, and other hormones.  Mentally this charka is where our control center of the mind is located.  We can create harmony or conflict.  In harmony all is right with the world, and our mind is still.  In conflict we are struggling trying to find the best solutions to our problems.  The brow charka will point us at more holistic solutions to the conflict.

The essence of balance in this chakra is to balance your intellectual knowledge with your intuitive, psychic, and spiritual side.  One should not dismiss the intuitive insights, but one must also not let the mind runaway with us when our intellectual side is screaming for us to halt.  Also one should not intellectualize something that we know in our gut/intuition to be true.  To let either the intellectual or the intuitive side reign supreme spells danger, each must moderate the other to maintain balance and assure good judgment.

Related Bodily Functions

Problems with the Brow Chakra relate to intelligence and stupidity, dull affectivity, and overwork.  These can create conditions such as migraine, blindness and other eye problems, like glaucoma and cataracts, brain tumors, and strokes.

The approximate position on the spine is the first cervical, and the sympathetic plexus is the carotid, the chief subsidiary Plexuses are the cavernous, and cephalic ganglia.

Over Active

Highly logical, dogmatic, authoritarian, arrogant

Under active

Undisciplined, fears success, tendency toward schizophrenia, sets sights too low

Balanced

Charismatic, highly intuitive, not attached to material things, may experience unusual phenomena

Vishuddha—Throat Chakra Functional Archetype—Communicator

“The Communicator is an archetype that has sterling virtue in a world where the sleaze factor runs high and words are cheap,” –Ambika Wauters-Chakras and their Archetypes.  The communicator’s word is good as gold.  If they tell you something it is straight from the heart.  They communicate with respect and integrity.  They listen and hear what others say, then respond with sincerity.  They know that their words have power, and they are very careful with the way they communicate their feelings.  They communicate their true feelings without damaging others in the process, and without compromising themselves.  They say “NO” when someone asks them to do something they don’t want to do.  They realize that their words have the power to heal situations and they apply this liberally.  When the communicator is angry it expresses this in ways that are direct but not inflammatory; they will also communicate their joy and good feelings equally well.  Open and direct communication frees one from complications and helps one stay connected to ones deep core.

Methods to Open the Throat Chakra and Energize the Communicator

Ø  Chant

Ø  Drumming

Ø  Journal to have a safe record of your thoughts and perceptions

Ø  Listen to the things around you

Ø  Say no to people when they ask you to do something you don’t want to do

Ø  Shout your anger somewhere where no one will hear you

Ø  Sing in the shower

Ø  Make joyful noise and dance

Affirmations

Ø  I AM as good as my word

Ø  I AM the truth I speak

Ø  The truth will set you free

Ø  I AM truthfulness

Ø  My word is as good as gold

Ø  I AM a listener

Ø  I formulate response after I listen

I AM that I AM

Vishuddha—Throat Chakra Archetype—the Silent Child

The person with this archetype has not had positive feedback when they voiced their needs.  These individuals have difficulty with saying anything, let alone voicing their needs or opinions.  Their need to express anger, hurt and frustration has been suppressed, and they are now afraid to express any feelings or opinions.  They bottle emotions up inside, and it may be channeled into creative areas, but often will lie there and fester resulting in depression.  These emotions being driven inside may even result in physical ailments.  The emotions will come out somehow, whether through depression, physical ailment or violence to themselves and others.  The silent child is accustomed to hiding feelings. When a person locks up emotions they fester, and personal violence may be the only way they can feel anything; they become a self mutilator.

The silent child will suffer without ever expressing pain or hurt.  They may have been abused, and scared into silence.  Often as they grow older, they will dampen their pain with drugs, alcohol, tobacco and food. 

The throat chakra is very delicate. When a silent child suppresses their vivacity and life force, the throat chakra and all other chakras implode with the energy which is meant to be expressed.  The throat gets closed off, and blocks the other chakras. 

The silent child will hold back expressions of feelings for fear of rejection or punishment.  Their fear will keep them silent rather than face the need to express/voice anger, pain or frustration.  This archetype will live in silence, feeling that those around them do not care how they feel.  The Silent Child will often lie to cover up and protect itself and feel even worse because of the resulting loss of integrity.  It can take years of care and gentle persuasion to get the silent child to express itself.

If years of suppression have occurred, the throat will become the focal point for all types of throat related dis-ease.  From tight throat and neck muscles to the chronic sore throats, even mouth and jaw related problems.  Some silent children will try to express themselves through acting, singing or dance to act out their suppressed feelings.  

Self-pity is often the result of not being listened to or being believed.  The Silent Child needs to express its inner reality and communicate its sensitivity to find a positive release for itself.  This is how to transform the pain.

How to Transform the Silent Child

All of the exercises and meditations in the Vishuddha Throat Chakra series will help transform the silent child. Here are some other things to try.

To heal this archetype we have to be willing to express our feelings even in the face of rejection or disapproval.  As Susan Sarandon said, “Speak your truth, even if your voice shakes.” Sorry for the political connotation, but the circumstance certainly is one in which it would take courage to speak a truth which is not held by anyone else in the room. This can be such a daunting feat.  However, if this chakra is closed, it will be impossible to balance the other chakras.  These exercises will help transform the silent child into the communicator.

Do you remember a time when you wanted to say something but were unable to find the words?  How did that feel, what were your feelings then?  Were you afraid of being laughed at, ignored, not recognized, or not listened to?  Did you remain quiet, but harbor resentment?

Visualize that situation and allow yourself to say the things that you wanted to say then.  You may realize that your thoughts had value…..  Realizing this may evoke feelings of sadness or anger at not having been listened to.  Let those feelings come to the surface, and give yourself the opportunity to experience them.  Let go of any feelings of humiliation or fear which you associate with them.

Repeat this affirmation, “I am heard. I am verbalization at its finest!”  Integrate the truth of this into you consciousness.  If someone does not hear what you have to say, you have to realize that it has nothing to do with you; they just haven’t learned to listen, or they may not be ready to hear what you have to say.  Seek out people who want to know what you want to share.  Remember, what you have to share is important to others as well as yourself.

Keep a journal of your thoughts and ideas.  You may be surprised at the quality of your thoughts about yourself and others.  You will also notice the negative attitudes and ideas that you have developed over the years which block you road to happiness.  This can be your way of giving yourself a voice and having the place to be heard.

Try a blog.  Place your thoughts and opinions on this.  Let others choose to see and read your truths.  This can be done in total anonymity, but remember, not all feedback may be positive.  Just remember, some of these people just aren’t ready to hear your truth.  They are entitled to their opinions, but you are also entitled to yours.   Put your thoughts out there!  Be heard!

I am listening

I am verbalizing

I am that I am

I hope you enjoy.

Namaste