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In Hinduism and Buddhism In Hinduism and Buddhism, the third eye is a symbol of enlightenment (see moksha and nirvana). 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 is the end of the universe. Many Hindus wear a tilak between the eyebrows to represent the third eye. In Surat Shabda Yoga In Surat Shabda Yoga, initiation by an Outer Living Satguru (Sat - true, Guru - teacher) is required and involves reconnecting soul to the Shabda (the Audible Life Stream) and stationing the Inner Shabda Master (the Radiant Form of the Master) at the third eye (tisra til) chakra. In the Western Wisdom Teachings According to Max Heindel's Rosicrucian writings, called Western Wisdom Teachings, there are in the brain two small organs called the pituitary body and the pineal gland. This last gland is also called by medical science as "the atrophied third eye"; however, these teachings describe that none of them is atrophying: the pituitary body and the pineal gland at the present time are neither evolving nor degenerating, but are dormant. It is said that in the far past, when man was in touch with the inner worlds, these organs were his means of ingress thereto, and they will again serve that purpose at a later stage. According to this view, they were connected with the involuntary or sympathetic nervous system and to regain contact with the inner worlds (to reawaken the pituitary body and the pineal gland) it is necessary to establish the connection of the pineal gland and the pituitary body with the cerebrospinal nervous system. It is said that when that is accomplished, man will again possess the faculty of perception in the higher worlds (i.e. clairvoyance), but on a grander scale than it was in the distant past, because it will be in connection with the voluntary nervous system and therefore under the control of his will. Elsewhere The third eye is used in many arts, such as in yoga, qigong, many Chinese martial arts, Ch'an Buddhism, and in some Japanese martial arts like Karate and Aikido (both use Zen Buddhism as a philosophy). Technique In Taoism and many traditional Chinese martial arts, "third eye training" involves focussing attention on the point between the eyebrows with the eyes closed in various qigong postures. The goal is at first to be able to fix one's attention while other physiological changes are happening in the body. Eventually, this training is said to allow one to keep one's attention properly on the opponent or opponents in a physical confrontation. Students who undertake such training often report experiencing feelings of pressure, pulsing, tingling and other sensations between the eyebrows and around the forehead area. In theory, the third eye, also called mind's eye, is situated right between the 2 eyes, and expands up to the middle of the forehead when opened. It is one of the main chakras--the sixth chakra (the third eye is in fact a part of the main meridian, the line separating the left and right hemispheres of the body). Some claim that the chakras can be opened via chakra gemstones, and that to open the third eye requires an amethyst that has been cleaned under flowing water before use. Physical basis: the pineal gland? Some, including Rick Strassman, have suggested that the third eye is in fact the partially dormant pineal gland, which resides between the two hemispheres of the brain. This concept is supported by the pinealocytes, one type of cells within the pineal gland, having a strong resemblance to the photoreceptors of the eye. Additionally, the pineal gland is said to excrete dimethyltryptamine (DMT), which is believed to be a chemical precursor to dreams, near-death experiences, meditation, visions, and other forms of awareness that aren't well understood yet. While still speculative, this indicates that the pineal gland could be the physical manifestation of the third eye. Various types of lower vertebrates, such as reptiles and amphibians, can actually sense light via their pineal gland which serves to synchronize their circadian rhythm to the daily light/dark cycle. In popular culture The third eye has been displayed in many varieties of fiction, often to denote a transcendent evolution which may also grant the recipient the ability to see through time or be in communication with a spiritual being. An example of its use this way can be found in the videogame killer7, in which a young boy (Emir Parkreiner) shoots himself on the roof of a hotel during a full moon. Instead of dying, however, a third eye opens on his forehead and he is reincarnated as Garcian Smith, who has the power to give life to the dead, and becomes spiritually bound to his deity mentor. In Dragonball Z, a Character named Tien has an eye in that area. In November 1956 the book The Third Eye by Lobsang Rampa was published in the United Kingdom. The book claims to tell the true story of a Buddhist monk's training in Tibet, and contains a description of a surgical operation in which a third eye is drilled into Rampa's forehead, giving him the ability to read other people's auras. This type of operation is known as trepanation. The Third Eye is a controversial book as it contains New Age and Occult themes that are not part of standard Buddhist teachings. It was also shown that the book was written not by a Tibetan monk, but by a man from Devon called Cyril Hoskin (1910 - 1981) who had never been to Tibet and spoke no Tibetan. The American band Tool also makes reference to "prying open my third eye" in a track from their 1996 release Ænima named "Third Eye". Though many believe this is simply a tribute to the comedian Bill Hicks, it can also be attributed as a facet of the bands psychedelic nature. Some find it to correspond to their numerous references to LSD use, and their use of manufactured DMT. On the underground hip hop scene, many emcees and rappers (for example, Dilated Peoples, Blackalicious) use the idea of "transcending" spiritually and having a higher power speak through their rhymes/flows/freestyles. This has led a few artists to start using the term "third eye" in their lyrics as a means to take their verses and their consciousness to a higher level, rather than rap about worldly possessions. The third eye is also seen in the popular Japanimation series "Dragonball Z" through the character of Tien. Tien had trained to unlock his third eye, or the 6th gate to his Chakra, but eventually trained to the point where his third eye became so advanced, it created a physical manifestation so the Third Eye became clearly visible. See also | ||||||||||
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