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18-Apr-2010
Let Your Lotus Blossom
Seeing the Third Eye
Many of the esoteric traditions refer to “the third eye” as the seat of all knowledge. In the yogic scriptures, it is called the sixth chakra or “thousand-petaled lotus.” Today, the third eye is widely recognized as a reference to the pituitary gland.
With every blink of the eye, a thousand thoughts occur in the mind. When your mind begins processing these thoughts, it is naturally drawn to some, depending on your elemental makeup and the way you habitually think. In other words, what has happened to you in the past is likely to happen again, unless you consciously manage your habits of perceiving the world. Meditation takes care of all this. The dristi (eye focus) is a means of using the optic nerve to put pressure on the pituitary gland, which aligns, through this “master gland,” all the body’s systems and places them in your control. It can be a struggle, but in those moments when things are working in harmony, you will actually experience the lotus blossoming, each petal opening to receive the light.
Recommended: The Finding of the Third Eye
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Wow! Yogaminters are smart people. Thanks to those of you whose discerning eyes noticed our minor error in this article. We are always appreciative of our readers' suggestions for improvement. And yes, it is true that "the thousand petaled lotus" usually refers to the crown chakra. But on the glandular level, they operate in a similar manner, which lends the lotus analogy weight in both cases. The crown chakra corresponds to the pineal gland in the same way the 3rd eye does to the pituitary. Like the petals of the lotus, the pineal gland literally takes in light. In the same way, the pituitary receives signals from the body, brain, the world around you, and intuition. The main difference has much to do with the metaphor. When a lotus opens, it drips nectar. That is a description of the kundalini energy and definitely corresponds to the crown chakra only. Again, thanks to all of you for your input. We look forward to serving you for a long time :)