Third Eye (Ajna)
Also known as: Ajna Chakra, Brow Chakra
Sanskrit: ajna, meaning command or perception; commonly called the third eye in English.
The third eye, associated with the Ajna chakra between the eyebrows, is described in yogic tradition as the seat of intuition, inner vision, and subtle perception beyond ordinary sight. It is a central focus in many meditation and concentration practices, including Trataka, steady candle-gazing, and specific visualization techniques.
Traditional yogic anatomy places Ajna between and slightly above the eyebrows, associating it with clarity of thought, intuition, and the capacity to perceive beyond the five physical senses. Concentration practices aimed at this point, such as Shambhavi Mudra, gazing softly at the brow point with eyes closed, are taught as ways to steady and internalize attention, though traditional teaching cautions against forcing intense visual concentration without proper guidance.
In the classical chakra system, Ajna is positioned between the eyebrows and associated with intuition and discernment, considered the seat where the two side channels, Ida and Pingala, are said to merge back into the central Sushumna. It is often loosely connected in popular writing to the pineal gland, an anatomical mapping absent from the classical texts themselves, which describe Ajna as a center of subtle perception developed through sustained meditative practice, not a physical gland with a specific function.
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Related Terms
Chakra
Chakras are subtle energy centers described in yogic and tantric anatomy, traditionally numbered at seven along the spine from the base to the crown of the head. Each is associated with specific qualities, glands, and psychological themes, and is used as a focus for meditation, breathwork, and energy practices.
Sushumna
Sushumna is the central subtle-energy channel described in yogic and tantric physiology, running along the spine from the base to the crown of the head. Kundalini energy is said to rise through Sushumna during advanced practice, in contrast to Ida and Pingala, the two channels that spiral around it.