By Christy Stumpf, Reiki Master, Certified Crystal & Sound Healing Practitioner, Cosmic Healing NW
We are energy moving. Chakras are energy centers located within our body structure that receive and transmit energy between us and the universe that surrounds us. The sixth, or Third Eye Chakra, is the next chakra up in the 7 Chakra system, and it is located just above and between the eyebrows. It is associated physically with your Pineal Gland, the Pituitary Gland, and your Brain. It helps us see things clearly, gain understanding, and creates open mindedness. It is associated with the element of Radium, it is where light and spirit meet in matter. It is related to all the senses, especially extrasensory perception. 
The Third Eye Chakra is the “Command Center” for all other chakras. A healthy Third Eye Chakra shows up as keen intuition, having insight and imagination, good memory, and seeing the big picture. We will have an innate understanding of ourselves and our place in the universe. Imbalances can be caused by no energy, little energy, or too much energy going into the chakra center. This can happen because of stress, unhealthy thought patterns, poor diet and exercise, illness, or drug use (which can cloud our thoughts). We can also create imbalance by watching too much TV, spending too much time on our computers and devices, and not spending enough time in nature. We may be spending a little too much time doing and not enough resting and just being. If we spend too much time filling our thoughts, and brains, full of negativity, like violence, fear, and the chaos of life, we can’t see the big picture and become stuck in stagnant unhealthy energy and thought patterns. An imbalance in this chakra can physically lead to co-ordination problems, sleep problems, visual and sinus issues, as well as headaches. Emotionally, an imbalance can lead to trouble concentrating, excessive fantasizing, obsessions and delusions, as well as denial or inflexible thinking. Our thoughts can become stuck in a cycle of despair, leading to panic and depression. Resting our eyes, literally and figuratively, are very important to the health of this chakra.
Like us, everything in the universe has a frequency or vibration that when placed in our energy field can help us heal based on the characteristics they possess. 
The color associated with the Third Eye chakra is Indigo, or dark blue. Wear or wrap yourself in these colors to help open the third eye. Lapis lazuli, Azurite, Blue Kyanite, or Indigo Fluorite can be helpful to wear or place in your pocket for their third eye chakra healing abilities. Foods that fuel the third eye chakra are blue colored fruits such as blueberries, grapes, and blackberries. Spices like lavender, poppyseed, and mug wort are also beneficial. Aromatherapy can also help, with musk, jasmine, hyacinth being soothing to the third eye chakra, while violet, mint, rose geranium can be stimulating. Limiting your time on the computer or web is most helpful. Counseling and cognitive behavior therapy can also be helpful to create new thought patterns.
In a recent study, scientists have confirmed our brain is capable of creating in multiple dimensions, actually up to 14 of them (we live in the 3rd one). What this means is that our brain is very powerful, more than you probably can conceive of. This is important because it reiterates how important our thought processes are. Our thoughts will literally become things. If we replay the worst-case scenario in our brain, that is what we give our energy to, and we may actually create that experience for ourselves. Change your mind, change your life is a true statement. What we surround ourselves with directly affects our mood and feelings. Our feelings then affect us at a physical level. When we are bombarded by the worst things happening in the world, via the evening news, the energy of these situations will help us to become hopeless and depressed. When we are feeling hopeless and depressed, we can become stuck in a vicious cycle where we don’t think we are ever going to heal, and then of course, we won’t. It may have us ready to give into unhealthy habits as a way to escape our desperate lives. It is so important to take time to rest the brain, like the rest of the body. When we overwork our brains, it can become fatigued and hurt. Staying in the “attitude of gratitude”, will have our thoughts in a positive light, because if you see the abundance of good in your life, you are less likely to get stuck in a negative thought pattern. A healthy third eye chakra helps us see the bigger picture and be able to find more joy.
A great way to stimulate and open your third eye chakra is through the visual arts such journaling, creating art, or making a movie. Just working in the energy of a project creates a momentum, a movement of your energy towards what you want. We are sending energy into thoughts, which create things. What we give our energy to, is what we create. In science, like attracts like, so positive energy will attract more positive energy, just as negativity will breed more negative reactions. Creating a manifestation board is a good project to help move you into an energy of creation and manifestation. To do this, gather several magazines or publications with pictures, a large poster board, and some scissors and glue, or grab some paint and canvas. Take some time to contemplate and think about what you would like to manifest or create in your life. What are you looking forward to doing in the next month, next year, in 5 years? Find pictures, or illustrations that represent these things, or create your own. Arrange these pics, illustrations and representations on the poster board to create a type of collage, or paint it. Spend some time with your project daily, looking or gazing at it. You may be surprised with the thoughts that come to mind, ideas on ways to move forward, or things you need to move away from in order to reach your goals. We are creators of our world, take responsibility and work towards what you want and need. Manifest wisely! Next up and last in the series, is the Crown Chakra, stay tuned. I will be holding classes that take a deeper dive into the chakras in the New Year. For more information please go to cosmichealingnw.com, find us at cosmichealingnw on Facebook, or schedule an appointment at 503-800-1092.
