By Ellen Tadd

Over many years, men and women of various traditions began—through meditation, contemplation, and study—to recognize a series of wheels or energy centers, called the chakra system.

This structure is most commonly understood as seven interrelated centers located in the aura or biofield of every person and is correlated with areas of the physical body from the top of the head to the base of the spine. Each chakra system center represents a different aspect of our nature, and it is through this interconnected network that we receive, express, and process our life experiences. Below I will talk about two of the chakras in this system, the solar plexus and the third eye.

Solar Plexus Chakra

We are a solar plexus dominant world. What does this mean?

It means that most people live focused in their “gut” while navigating their lives. When people refer to the idea of following their “gut” what they are actually saying, is that they are letting themselves be guided by the feelings that arise when they place their focus on the solar plexus chakra region of their body. The solar plexus is the energy center in the chakra system that is associated with our emotions and is located in the area where we feel butterflies when we are nervous.

I don’t know who first coined the phrase “follow your gut,” but from my perspective this is a big mistake. I have been a chakra system watcher for decades, using my natural clairvoyant ability to observe how these etheric centers function in everyday life. I learned from this process that each chakra in the system of seven has their own role to play, just like our physical organs have their proper function.

The solar plexus is commonly misused as the center of perception and decision making, when it is actually the chakra of feelings and emotions.

Chakra System: Third-Eye Chakra of Wisdom

Instead, it is the third-eye chakra of wisdom located in the middle of the forehead that is the appropriate center for clarity and discernment. 

When we use the solar plexus as the center of perception, it’s very much like feeling our way through life.

Imagine walking down the street with your eyes closed. It could be dangerous, easy to misinterpret, and more than likely you would get anxious. If you open your eyes and walk down the same street you still could rely on feeling, but selectively, and navigating would become much easier.

I have had thousands of my students and clients compare their perception about an issue or concern while first placing their attention in their “gut,” the solar-plexus chakra and then contrasting what changes occur when they focus out of the middle of their forehead, the third-eye chakra.

The difference is extraordinary. People go from being anxious to calm, self-centered to being able to understand other people’s perspective, and they change from being stuck in confusion to gaining clarity and insight. Very simply, where we place our focus can radically impact our perception, which in turn informs how we feel.

How to Open the Third-Eye Chakra

There is only one way to activate the third-eye chakra and that is with focus and concentration. We have heard about this type of perception in sports when we refer to an athlete who is in the zone. In the midst of being in this deep state of focus, there is a lack of attachment to winning or losing, well-being is heightened, and one’s best comes to the forefront. When I was in my early twenties, I experienced this deep state of focus when I was in the middle of labor while giving birth to my daughter.

While focused on the top of a pine tree outside my hospital window, I was able to ride my contractions and wasn’t overwhelmed by pain. When I lost my focus, I became frightened and suffered. This might sound silly, but it’s true; when we focus out of the middle of our forehead as we navigate our daily life, we ride life, actualize our best, and make wiser decisions. In contrast, when we place our attention on the solar plexus our tendency is to become attached to how we want things to be and then react negatively if things do not go our way. 

Try a little experiment to see for yourself. Close your eyes and focus in your “gut” while you imagine yourself late for an important appointment. What do you feel and what do you do? After this reflection, and still with your eyes closed, bring your focus up like an elevator to the point in the middle of your forehead. Tap this point for a moment if you need to and then gently pressure your focus out of this mid-point. Then image the very same situation from this new perspective. What is the difference? How does your perception and experience change and what do you do differently? Comparison is a very good way to learn what is and is not appropriate. If you are like my students, you will discover that where you place your attention will impact the quality of your experience and the choices you make.

Any activity that brings you to focus and concentration will activate the third eye. Even simply staring at the corner of a picture frame or focusing out of the middle of your forehead while your eyes are open will activate it. As you move through your day-to-day interactions and decisions, stay conscious of where you place your attention. We can choose how and where we focus. My suggestion is that when you open two eyes open three.

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Ellen Tadd’s most recent book is The Infinite View: A Guidebook for Life on Earth, Penguin Random House, 2017; see more at ellentadd.com.