Ajna is the element of light, meaning to illuminate, to perceive and to command, the colour indigo blue or milky white. As we move up through the chakras we awaken, we become more aware. Ajna is about Awareness and to me that is the epitomy of Yoga, linking the body, breath and mind, distinguishing it from just physical exercise. Yogis are wise!!! Ajna opens to single pointed focus, non dual consciousness uniting body and mind.

Ajna is located at the top of the spinal cord where it meets the midbrain, behind our inner space of the mind / chiddayacash, and between the eyebrows. It is associated with our spiritual third eye, enabling us to look inward, our inner vision. This point is where the R and L optic nerves cross in the brain,so it is literally a third eye. Whilst our two physical eyes see the material world, our 6th chakra allows us to see and assess situations further, a link between our intellectual and psychic abilities, helping us to understand our thoughts, an intuitive 6th sense, so we become more sensitive and open to other ways of looking at things, recognising truth/satya.

Ajna is at the level of both the Pituitary gland and Pineal Gland, it seems related more to the Pineal, the seat of the soul, a pea size gland responsible for dreams and light sensitive, evolving from the Third eye in embryo. Melatonin is produced here, a derivative of neurotransmitter, Serotonin, produced during sleep and regulating light, our Circadean Body Rhythm.

Resting our spiritual 3rd eye such as in Anahatasana pictured, balances and rests our busy prefrontal cortex, letting go the planning, creating a clearer path to Ajna, which gives us focus, mental sharpness, commitment, clarity like Vishuddhi. We are able to ‘see’ what is important, so the clutter goes off our ‘to do’ list.

We begin with eye and neck movements , then sitting in stillness -‘Closing the eyes of our body and opening the eyes of our mind’, aligning the chakras on the front side of our spine, the head in line with the spine, making a little nod at the top 3 vertebrae, space here, sensing a light feeling at the roof of the mouth. Pranayama is important, Ajna is where the breath is processes, ida and pingala nadis intersecting here. Alternate Nadi Shodhana( ANS), creates a calm lightness, balancing our Autonomic Nervous System( ANS)

Awareness is the ability to watch what we do giving ease and form – observing, adjusting, taking time and space, learning to take responsibility for ourselves as we are. Looking within ‘just you on your mat’, observing the body objectively,eg. awareness of keeping the head in line with the body as we twist- a busy life and stress can mask the info sent to the brain by sensory nerves all over the body, we can progressively lose touch with our selves – not taking the time to notice tiredness until it is exhaustion, muscle tension until it becomes painful and our joints stiff. Slowing down, feeling, getting in touch with the natural rhythms of the body, breath and mind,noticing alignment, good movement, balance, energy levels – feeling right and calm both on and off the mat. In yoga asanas, discerning our edge, our challenge point so we benefit, make changes but without going beyond our endpoint, being aware of the sensations in the body, going into them, modifying , adjusting, engaging deeper stabilising muscles, becoming more aware of stress which is always reflected in the body

Mindfulness is awareness but with more emphasis on the present moment, just being. Time is flying by, our most precious resource, there is so much stimulus and info, we can never keep up, so we go faster! The antidote is slowing down,the only way to catch up, is to get caught up and stay conscious by breathing in the moment. It takes trust to be present, to let go, to just be – this is how we are meant to be, our natural state.

Asanas  lead with the spiritual 3rd eye, we stay and breathe, becoming aware of sensations in the body, learning to adjust and feel right.practising with a balance of effort /sthira and ease/ sukha.

As you can see Ajna can be a challenging practice, adding balances and inversions, finding our Drishti / gaze and focus. Embodying these poses, helps us to see what we look for, what takes our attention, focusing on the good, lifts positivity and mood, lightens us giving a clearer command.

Savasana involves relaxing first the physical body, always easier after movement, in this way the mind can become clear and still. Focusing on the upper body, the head, releasing the eyes down into their sockets, letting the brain lobes rest, listening and allowing the Sounds of Nadam – cells vibrating between the ears. Inhaling lightness into the body, taking the breath up to Ajna, staying in the mind space, noticing the light and how it changes, any shapes, colours , patterns. Letting the eyes rest now sensing kindness and understanding for yourself….watching the thoughts without judgement or attachment, just noting them and letting them go, just Being..

Taking Ajna awareness into our daily life, we can slow down and see, drinking in the light from our natural surroundings.