From Karma Gaia:
Balancing The Third Eye
Your third eye chakra is known by the Sanskrit term Ajna. It is a spot on your brow between your eyes and is connected to intuition, insight, and inspiration. We have a profound grasp of both our inner and outside worlds when ajna is in harmony.
While our physical eyes are associated with the past and the present experience as it unfolds, it’s said that ajna looks to the future. We can envision our next moves with confidence and clarity when we are not distracted by uncertainty and confusion.
Most often, when our ajna is underactive, we lose touch with our own inner wisdom. The good news is that you can do a lot to help ajna grow, thrive, and be in balance.
1. Using a Bija Mantra
The ajna's bija mantra, or seed syllable, is "om" or "aum." The best technique to connect with your insight and intuition is to chant om while closing your eyes and concentrating on the brow point. Setting your purpose can be especially effective in the morning or at the beginning of an ajna-centered yoga practise.
2. Working with Hakini Mudra
The hakini mudra is connected to ajna and is believed to encourage awareness and focus, which improve insight and intuition. When reflecting intently, many people will naturally adopt this mudra; perhaps they sense its value in aiding in the connection with knowledge and insight.
3. Ajna Balancing Asanas
The stance most frequently connected with ajna is Asanas Balasana, also known as the child's pose. There are two basic causes for this. First, the forehead can touch the mat to physically ground and link the brow point to earth.
This area can benefit from additional massage provided by gently swaying the head from side to side. Secondly, child’s pose is a gentle and supported forward fold. Forward folds can aid in fostering self-reflection and research.
Uttanasana (standing forward fold) and prasarita padottanasana (wide-legged standing forward fold) are other front folds that can aid in balancing ajna. A block or bolster positioned beneath the forehead will increase stimulation.
4. Nadi Shodhana Pranayama
Nadi shodhana pranayama, or alternate nostril breathing, is already well-known for its balancing properties as a separate practise. This variation can improve its impact on ajna:
To keep your attention on ajna, place your right hand's index and middle fingers on the brow point.
Using your right thumb to cover your right nostril, take a four-count breath through your left nostril.
Exhale for four counts via the right nostril while closing the left nostril with the left ring finger.
For a count of four, inhale through your right nostril while keeping your left nostril shut.
Thumb-shut the right nostril, then open the left and exhale for four counts.
For several minutes, repeat steps 2 through 5, possibly extending the count to 6 or 8 to further relax and centre the mind.
After you've finished the breathing exercise, give yourself a minute to settle back into your regular breathing pattern and focus your awareness on the moment.
From Karma Gaia
Practice Emotional Self-Care
1. Practice awareness
The first step to solving or improving anything is the awareness that it is there. We become so engrossed in our ideas that we lose track of the feelings emanating from our bodies.
Carrying out a body scan is an excellent way to exercise awareness. I advise you to do this whenever you can, at least once a day.
A body scan essentially involves carefully and individually focusing on every area of your body, working your way down from the top. from your crown to the tips of your toes.
2. Write your emotions and how you feel
I find writing to be a really rewarding exercise especially writing about how I feel. Over time, it has aided in my understanding of how my emotions affect my thoughts and feelings.
What you can do is write about how your day was at the end of every day and focus on any of the particular moments where you experienced stronger emotions and feelings. This can assist you in identifying trends, evaluating the motivations behind your reactions, and figuring out how you wish to handle similar circumstances going forward.
3. Connect to the moment
One of the great ways of being mindful is deep breathing. Simply existing in the present moment without passing judgment is mindfulness.
Breathe through your nose, roll your shoulders, and let your body relax. Instead of attempting to alter the sensations in your body, try to simply perceive them. Keep breathing and just observe and accept them for who they are.
4. Express your emotions to someone you trust
Oh, where would I be without my friends? I really, truly know in my heart that it makes our life so much easier to discuss how we're feeling with someone who will listen and show empathy.
It is with the help of my true friends that I have made it through very difficult days much quicker and in better shape than I could've alone.
If you have even one person in your life that you can confide in, please let them be there for you. You do not cause trouble. If they're a good friend, they would be there for you just as you would be there for them.
5. Take the right steps for your emotions
There are people and situations that no matter what you do will never change and will keep hurting you whenever you interact with them.
To keep your heart safe, decide to establish limits.
6. Regulate the information you receive
There is a lot of news available to us right now that might either upset us or waste our time.
Not that we shouldn't be concerned about the major problems facing the globe, but absorbing copious amounts of information that only serves to exacerbate your misery is not beneficial.
On the other side, filling up our brains with stuff we don't need to know is a waste of our energy because even if it's just reading, it is an activity. Thus, pay attention to how much time you spend consuming news and how that affects your feelings.