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Do you have an uncanny ability to predict the future? Can you place a safe bet, without really knowing why, on the outcome of current events, or which new romances are destined to last? Are you a good student, recognized for your ability to pull different kinds of information into a sensible theory? Do you trust your intuition, but know when to go to experts for advice?
If you answered yes to these questions, you are functioning with a robust sixth chakra, the center of our mental energy.
Located at the point between our eyes and just above our eyebrow, at the point some call our "third eye," this chakra resonates with clear thinking, native intelligence, and intuition. It is from here that we develop our psychic ability, our memories of the past and visualizations for the future, and can stand unafraid to see the truth about what's happening in our lives.
Using sixth chakra intelligence, we can identify behavior or thought patterns in our life. It becomes more clear to us how we got to where we are, and where we will end up if we stay on the same path.
This energy center is important to developing "traditional" knowledge: the ability to study and retain facts, to function with a clear mind, to think rationally and make decisions based on logical input. It also fuels our "ethereal" side: our intuitive nature, clairvoyance (ability to see the future), our aptitude to perceive information about people and things by non-logical methods, (as in, "I just had a good feeling about her") to interpret our dreams and to visualize the future we'd like for ourselves. This chakra is a true synergizing point for all kinds of intelligence.
People who function from healthy mental energy don't let themselves get discouraged by roadblocks when they truly feel they are doing what is right for them to do. Instead, they search for alternative paths to the same goal, ask for advice from experts with similar achievements, and rely on Divine intervention. They take advantage of synchronicity--the seemingly coincidental good fortune that drops into their laps.
Development of true "third eye" vision, that uncommon ability to see from great distances, to know secrets about people without being told, to predict the future or to see the truth about past events, takes a willingness to face the truth without fear. Some persons appear to be born with this faculty.
Others, who wish to develop their psychic ability, can do so by learning to look beyond the obvious, letting go of any preconceived notions about our subject, and to pick out details or patterns with a fresh vision. Some renowned clairvoyants work with law enforcement agencies to detect crime scenes; others earn fame as fortune tellers for the stars or widely quoted predictors of earthquakes, wars, and other major phenomena.
People who have an over-active sixth chakra and tend to be a little spacey, unable to accept the reality of the world they live in. They may also suffer from paranoia, hallucinations, or nightmares. Ungrounded by the rest of their energy system, they do not seem to be able to shield themselves from an abundance of psychic stimuli or to respond appropriately to their highly developed intuition. They may be hypersensitive, assuming that everyone else's emotions are targeted at them, ("He's angry. I must have done something wrong," ) or reacting to situations that exist only in their imagination, ("They hated me; I knew they would, so I left early.")
On the other hand, people who's minds are blocked, or have under-nourished sixth chakra energy, tend to be insensitive, unaware of anything that is going on around them. They may need to be told bluntly what's happening right in front of them, or how their behavior is hurting or offending another person. They frequently have no ability to imagine new ways to do things, to find creative solutions to problems, or to believe in anything intangible and mythical. They may have little faith in the future or in their own ability to empower their lives.
Imbalances in sixth chakra energy may show up physically as mental illness, poor memory, vision problems or severe headaches as a response to stress.
We inhibit sixth chakra growth when we deny the patterns of our own behavior, and when we refuse to acknowledge that we don't know everything--that sometimes we need help--and refuse, accordingly, to learn anything new. When we cannot acknowledge the validity of new ideas or ways of living that are foreign to us, we effectively "close our minds," shutting ourselves off from the power of strong mental energy. This results is damaging judgment of others, and the fear that if someone else's life is all right, then ours must be wrong.
We can enhance our mental clarity, that sixth chakra energy, by taking the time to calm our scattered thoughts and focus on what is happening in the moment. We nourish the ability of our thinking power when we accept that there are myriad ways of thinking and living in the world, and can open ourselves to understanding without prejudice or negative judgment, knowing that hearing/seeing alternatives doesn't mean we have to adopt them into our own lives.
When we are fully grounded and centered, developing the psychic side of our intelligence can serve us well, too. We can learn from our dreams, trust our intuition by learning to determine when it comes from inner guidance vs. when it comes from a fear-based life pattern, and when we stop being afraid to know the truth.
We can begin to be "smarter," more in tune with mental energy, be taking steps on the mental, physical, emotional, or spiritual planes. Pick a beginning place that is easy for you as a starting point--developing any one aspect will automatically enhance the others.
Here are some common associations with sixth chakra energy and some ways to use them in everyday life:
ELEMENT: Light. Pay attention to the amount of light in your home and adjust it for your needs. Less light brings coziness; more lifts dark moods. Spend a few minutes paying attention to sunlight through trees. See if you can tell how colors look different under different lighting.
SOUND: Waves crashing on the rock. Go to the ocean during storm season. Listen. Choose a recording of thunderstorms or crashing waves to listen to during meditation.
COLOR: Indigo. Use this variation of blue/purple in your wardrobe or your home decor to remind yourself of your intention to improve your mental clarity. Burn indigo candles and meditate on the flame.
EXERCISE: Yoga headstands. Eye strengthening exercises, as in looking at an internal clock face, holding your eyes a couple seconds at each number. Keep a dream journal, writing in it first thing each morning. Join a dream study group. Take a class in something you've had difficulty understanding. Imagine yourself succeeding. Imagine yourself holding beliefs that are counter to what you currently believe, and how your life would be different.
INCENSE FOR BURNING: Anise, saffron
GEMSTONES: Lapis lazuli, quartz
QUESTIONS TO PONDER IN A JOURNAL:
Am I judgmental?
Do I think I'm an intelligent person?
What beliefs do I have that cause me to judge another person negatively?
What attitudes in myself would I like to change?
What patterns do I have that do not serve me well now, even if they once did?
What would I like to know more about?
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