In this post, I would like to teach you how to open your third eye as a new way of perception. Here you go:
Okay, you’ve probably figured out that it is not quite so simple. Actually, the whole concept of a third eye is fraught with misunderstanding and misinformation (and, for my money, I think quite a few people like it that way). Today, Richard Rohr mentioned the concept of the Third Eye here. I love Rohr’s writings, and I have been a big fan of the Victorines (particularly Richard) for quite a while. As I was reading Rohr’s post today, I started thinking about how new ways of seeing are a consistent theme among the mystical traditions in many different religions. The sad thing is when we see pictures like the one above we are often confused or off-put by such imagery. In that light, I would like to offer a couple of quick comments that offer hope…for the rest of us.
First, images like the one above are metaphorical or allegorical. There is not a serious religious tradition touting that you will actually grow a physical third eye. There are a few persons out there — doubtlessly on the Internet (of course, then again, this is on the Internet…) — who will claim that they will teach you to open that third physical eye, and they’ll likely then ask for your credit card number. Don’t give it to them. Realize that these types of pictures are intended to convey the search for a different way of seeing, a higher way of seeing (which is why the eye is always above our normal set of eyes) where we’ll understand the deeper meaning of the world. To put it in slightly more familiar terms, at least for Christian readers, it’s what Patrick was talking about in this part of his prayer:
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.
Second, this new way of seeing is not so esoteric or metaphysical as it might seem, at least in my opinion. It’s about shifting your perspective. Allow yourself to see the wonder in everyday life. To illustrate what I mean, let me offer you another picture of our third eye, or third set of eyes:
What does Ben Franklin have to do with anything you may ask? Well, he invented bifocals, get it? A new set of eyes to see near and far, along with our original set of eyes. Think about it. What a wonder! But, we see it every day and have learned to stop seeing the wonder of something like that. What would it be like to change our perspective – to see the magic in something like bifocals.
If we are willing to see the world with wonder, then the first picture is not greater a miracle than the second picture. It’s only a matter of perspective.
How is your capacity for wonder? How is your third eye?
Note: I will be posting less frequently in the near future. I am hard at work on bringing together some book projects that have just been accepted by my publishers. Rest assured, I’ll post information concerning their purchase once it gets to that stage.