Third Eye Chakra: From Doing to Observing
This week marked a subtle but meaningful shift in our practice.
Up until now, our work through the chakras has been rooted in doing. We built a sense of safety at the root, explored feeling through the sacral, developed strength in the solar plexus, opened the heart, and most recently, began expressing our truth through the throat.
Each of these stages required participation. Effort. Engagement.
The third eye invites something different.
This is the first chakra where we begin to move from doing… into observing.
Not fixing.
Not forcing.
Not achieving.
Simply noticing.
THIRD EYE CHAKRA QUICK REFERENCE
Location:
Center of the forehead, between the eyebrows
Element:
Light
Themes:
Awareness
Clarity
Intuition
Perception
Insight
Discernment
Physical Areas:
Eyes
Brain
Forehead
Nervous system
Symbol / Animal:
Owl
A symbol of wisdom, quiet observation, and the ability to see clearly even in the dark.
Color:
Indigo
Balanced Qualities:
Clear thinking
Strong intuition
Ability to observe without reacting
Trust in inner knowing
Mental clarity
Overactive:
Overthinking
Mental spiraling
Living in the head
Difficulty quieting the mind
Underactive:
Confusion
Lack of clarity
Difficulty trusting intuition
Disconnection from inner guidance
Yoga Practices:
Forward folds
Child’s pose (especially with support)
Dolphin pose
Balancing poses (like Warrior 3)
Meditation and stillness
Practices that encourage inward focus and awareness
Key Practice:
Observing thoughts without attachment
Visualization:
Thoughts as clouds passing in the sky
or billboards along the highway
Notice them, then return to the present moment
What It Means to “See Clearly”
The third eye is often associated with intuition, but at its core, it is about awareness.
The ability to see clearly. Not just externally, but internally.
To begin noticing:
what is happening in the body
what is happening in the mind
what is arising moment to moment
Without immediately reacting to it.
Throughout class, I encouraged students to bring this awareness into their movement.
To notice when the mind wandered.
To notice when judgment appeared.
To notice when they were anticipating what was next instead of being present with what is.
Not to change it. Just to see it.
You Are Not Your Thoughts
A core part of this week’s practice was recognizing the relationship we have with our thoughts.
So often, we move through life as if every thought is true. As if every thought deserves our attention. As if every thought requires a response.
But part of third eye awareness is beginning to question that.
To recognize:
You are not your thoughts.
You are the one who observes your thoughts.
This small shift creates space.
And in that space, there is choice.
Clouds and Billboards
In meditation, thoughts are often described as clouds passing through the sky.
They arise.
They move.
They pass.
This can be a helpful image, and one we touched on in class.
But I offered another way of thinking about it that felt especially relatable.
Imagine you are driving on a highway.
As you move forward, billboards appear along the side of the road.
You see them.
You register them.
You may even have a quick reaction to them.
But you don’t stop the car.
You don’t pull over to analyze them.
You don’t follow them.
You simply notice… and continue driving.
This is the relationship we begin to build with our thoughts.
They arise.
We see them.
And then we return to the present moment.
Again and again.
Awareness in Practice
As the class progressed and the physical intensity increased, this awareness became even more important.
Moments of effort often bring louder thoughts:
“I can’t do this.”
“I want to stop.”
“This is too much.”
Rather than pushing those thoughts away or immediately believing them, students were invited to notice them.
To observe:
What is my mind telling me right now?
How does that thought feel in my body?
And then, without needing to solve anything, to return to the breath. To the movement. To the present.
The Role of Non-Attachment
With awareness comes the opportunity to practice non-attachment.
Not suppressing thoughts.
Not ignoring them.
But also not holding onto them.
Letting them arise without needing to follow.
Letting them pass without needing to define you.
This is where clarity begins to develop.
A Practice for the Week
As you move through your week, you might begin to notice:
What thoughts arise most often?
Which ones pull your attention away?
Which ones feel supportive, and which ones create tension?
Without needing to change anything, simply observe.
Let the thoughts be just clouds.
Let them be billboards.
Notice them.
And then gently return to the road.
Looking Ahead
If the throat chakra asked:
Can I express what is true?
The third eye begins to ask:
Can I recognize what is true?
And from here, the practice continues to deepen.
Not through effort.
But through awareness.