Chakra Class: Third Eye Chakra...

Third Eye Chakra
Sanskrit Name: Ajna
Location: Brow, In Between Eyes
Colour: Indigo 
Element: Light 

The sixth chakra is that of the brow, third eye, or place of "shamanic seeing." This energy centre is closely associated with imagination, inner vision, and intuition. Our mental calculations and thinking processes are functions of the third eye chakra. We are able to evaluate our past experiences and life patterns and put them into perspective through the wisdom of the third chakra's actions.  It is also related to the Pituitary Gland. It functions as a link between the inner world and the outer world.

Tonight's class was to be a silent class. We were not going to use any music but just have the sound of our own breath and her instructions.  Trish is usually a pretty energetic teacher, trying to get us to smile and act silly and not take things so seriously but today she wanted us to be serious. She wanted focus from all of us.  She didn't mean just focusing on the pose, it was focusing on being completely present in the moment. We were instructed to see things but not react to them. I always get the urge to fix my shirt, brush my hair away, drink some water, look in the mirror, wipe sweat from my eye but she just wanted us to observe these disturbances and not react to them. Be aware of them but just leave them. These disturbances aren't just things that are irritating you, they are distractions to take you out of the present moment, which in her class can sometimes be a little uncomfortable...she teaches a really powerful class. 

She was also going to have us keep our gaze or Drishti steady for the entire class. Drishti is a form of concentration. For me it is one of the things I need to balance in a pose. It allows me to zone in on one spot and just be WITH that spot. We were doing sun salutations while keeping a steady gaze along the mid-line of our body, outward. It was like someone drew a line from the ceiling, wall in front of us, floor and wall behind us while we flowed through the poses. This constant flow of my gaze, in a strait line upward, in front, downward and back, kept me really focused.  Seeing as I had just come from a full training weekend, I also spent all class really focusing on the muscular engagement of my body. Needless to say it was a new kind of yoga tonight. Very engaged, very strong, very focused and extremely powerful.

She also had us do sun salutations with our eyes closed. I usually find this really hard and end up peeking. Tonight, because I was so aware of my body, I was able to follow this imaginary strait line in front of me even with my eyes closed. I was even able to keep my eyes closed in Tree Pose with my gaze lifted.  Just try it...it takes crazy focus.  I usually can never do it.

She was really trying to get us to see with our eyes closed. Open up the Third Eye and SEE with out seeing. Observe without reacting.  It was really neat. Being this focused with the eyes, open and closed, really helped me stay focused on my body engagement. Sometimes I do check out and just go though the motions. I find those classes, I don't really walk away with anything extra to think about. Tonight I was plugged in and my body is defiantly going to feel it tomorrow.

This chakra also intrigued me because it mentioned something about the Pituitary Gland.  I had no idea what it is so I looked it up. This is one part of it I read:

"The pituitary gland secretes nine hormones that regulate homeostasis"

  

Then I looked up Homeostasis.  It read:

  "Homeostasis, in simple terms,  is basically a process in which the body's internal environment is kept stable."

Now I am no science nerd but I think that's cool. I may be interpreting this wrong but what I take from this is that this process is creating balance and harmony on the inside of the body.  Maybe I was able to keep my eyes closed in tree pose this time because my Third Eye was open.  The third eye is connected to the pituitary gland, (insert Dem Bones song here lol ) which regulates homeostasis, which is a process which keeps the body's insides balanced. Well eyes and glands must really have been working tonight! The whole beauty of Tree Pose and one of my favourite features is the ability to stay so balanced. Tree pose always bring me inner calm. To do it with my eyes closed...incredible!

I really am not sure what happened in class tonight with any Eyes or glands or balancing processes but class tonight was aces! Next week will be the last one. I will be sad to see this series end. My eyes have really been opened :)

Namaste xo.