Third Eye

Third EyeThe third eye (also known as the inner eye) is a mystical and esoteric concept referring in part to the ajna (brow) chakra in certain spiritual traditions. It is also spoken of as the gate that leads within to inner realms and spaces of higher consciousness.

The third eye is a metaphysical and esoteric concept referring in part to the ajna (brow) chakra in certain Eastern and Western spiritual traditions. It is also spoken of as the gate that leads within to inner realms and spaces of consciousness. In New Age spirituality, the third eye may alternately symbolize a state of enlightenment or the evocation of mental images having deeply-personal spiritual or psychological significance. The third eye is often associated with visions, clairvoyance, precognition, and out-of-body experiences, and people who have allegedly developed the capacity to use their third eyes are sometimes known as seers.

In Hinduism and Buddhism, the third eye is a symbol of enlightenment (see moksha and nirvana). In the Indian tradition, it is referred to as the jnana-chaksu, the eye of knowledge, which is the seat of the 'teacher inside' or antar-guru. The third eye is the ajna chakra (sixth chakra) also known as brow chakra or brow centre This is commonly denoted in Indian and East Asian iconography with a dot, eye or mark on the forehead of deities or enlightened beings, such as Shiva (God of Destruction), the Buddha, or any number of yogis, sages and bodhisattvas. This symbol is called the "Third Eye" or "Eye of Wisdom", or, in Buddhism, the urna. In Hinduism, it is believed that the opening of Shiva's third eye causes the eventual destruction of the universe.

  • Matthew 6:22, "The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light."
  • Luke 11:34, "The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light;"

Kundalini

Kundalini according to various teachings is believed to be a type of "corporeal energy". Kundalini in Sanskrit literally means either "coiled up" or "coiling like a snake." There are a number of English renderings of the term, such as 'serpent power'.

Kundalini is envisioned as a serpent coiled at the base of the spine.

In Hinduism, kundalini is a part of the subtle body along with chakras and nadis. A number of models of this esoteric anatomy occur in the class of texts known as Āgamas or Tantras. This is a large body of scripture, which is rejected by many orthodox brahmins.

According to yogic writings and oral tradition, the force of Kundalini is raised through specific meditative exercises. Kundalini-experiences are understood using the structure of the Hindu chakra system, the psycho-spiritual energy centers along the spine. According to Hindu tradition Kundalini rises from the root chakra up through the spinal channel, (called sushumna), and it is believed to activate each chakra it goes through. Each chakra is said to contain special characteristics . The chakras are any of the nerve plexes or centers of force and consciousness located within the inner bodies of man. When Kundalini Shakti unites itself with the Supreme Being (Lord Shiva), the aspirant gets engrossed in deep meditation during which he perceives infinite bliss . In raising Kundalini, spiritual powers (siddhis) are also believed to arise.

The concept of Kundalini comes from yogic philosophy of ancient India and refers to the mothering intelligence behind yogic awakening and spiritual maturation, where it is also known as Kundalini Shakti. It might be regarded by yogis as a sort of deity, hence the occasional capitalization of the term. Within a western frame of understanding it is often associated with the practice of contemplative or religious practices that might induce an altered state of consciousness, either brought about spontaneously, through a type of yoga, through psychedelic drugs, or through a near-death experience.

Tantra

Tantra is that Asian body of beliefs and practices which, working from the principle that the universe we experience is nothing other than the concrete manifestation of the divine energy of the godhead that creates and maintains that universe, seeks to ritually appropriate and channel that energy, within the human microcosm, in creative and emancipatory ways."

The central teaching in Tantra is that all of life is sacred, especially our sexuality. This is because Tantrism views the sex power as being the same inner energy that powers our enlightenment. The practitioner of sexual Tantra attempts to use the powerful sexual force as an agent for awakening and transcendence.

Tantrics believe that it takes a lot of energy to “remember” the original Oneness. Instead of involving seclusion and a solitary path of abstinence to generate this energy, Tantrism teaches that this energy is available within us all as our sexual power — variously called kundalini (Sanskrit) or Ming Men, “Life Gate Fire” (Chinese). This energy can be awakened and directed toward the spiritual goal of realizing the clear vision of divine unity. In Tantrism, energy and consciousness are one and the same like the two sides of a coin. In the Hindu Tantra, this polarity is personified as Shiva (consciousness) and Shakti (life energy). The practitioner of sexual Tantra intends to reach ecstatic union with her or his partner through surrender of the ego to this released energy. Love and sexual attraction stir the energy awake and allow it to rise. Consciousness expands between love partners to the point where there is the possibility of directly experiencing the true nature of each other as a profound identification with the primal god and goddess. It is at this point that the sense of separateness vanishes and a true ecstatic merging or union is possible.

Tantra originated in Hindu India. Though it is not a religion in itself, it is based on the Gods and Goddesses of the Hindu pantheon. The Gods and Goddesses represent the male/female, yin/yang qualities of all humans. Healthy individuals are a unique blend of female and male traits.

Shiva is the supreme God in Tantric beliefs. He represents the male principle and the control and movement of time and all material things. His penis, or Lingam in Sanskrit, is upright, action-oriented, and powerful, commanding a "nerve center" of worldly power.

Shiva's counterpart is Shakti – the female essence. Shakti’s energy runs the universe. Without Shakti, Shiva would have no power. She is the creator, the sustainer, and the destroyer all in one. Consider that a woman gives birth, sustains the child with milk (the equivalent of Mother Earth feeding her children), and takes back her child in death, as does Mother Earth.

These two deities form a union that keeps the universe in perfect harmony, and their story is a metaphor for each of us. According to Tantric philosophy, life is a journey to become a balanced blend of both of male and female, that is, to become whole or unified. With practice, your sexual nature can lead you to this perfect balance.



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