Artwork and Third Eye Activation

In many cultures around the world, there has been a concept of the mind's visual capabilities. Some call it the third eye, the mind's eye, or the inner eye. I'll be referring to it by all three terms interchangeably throughout this article. The third eye has often been associated with the pineal gland (the gland that secretes melatonin), but fundamentally, the third eye is connected to concepts of energy and consciousness. This article will delve into the connection between artwork and the third eye and explore how awakening your mind's eye will enhance your creative expression and foster a deeper understanding of the creative process.

Before I continue, I want to tell you about my experience while working on the Journey tarot deck. For many of the cards, I was in a quiet comfortable space, getting myself into a trance state of being almost asleep but moving my hands. I had my AirPods in, and I was listening to binaural beats. What I was doing was simply drawing my dreams (hypnagogia), and though it took a lot of focus and concentration, the process was easy.

Let's first talk about the concept of vision. There is the sensory process that happens with our eyes and the secondary process that occurs with our memories. The average person can remember specific traits when asked to recall an object. For example, if I asked you to recall an apple, what does that apple look like in your mind? It doesn't matter if you can't remember the exact shape or pattern on the apple; I just want you to think about the color. Is the apple red or green? If you're able to recall the color red or green, this is the basic potential of the mind's eye. Everything that follows memory of color, becomes a certain level of detail (LOD), with shape or form coming just after color and the most specific details being patterns.

When talking about the third eye, my thoughts go directly to divination or the art of seeing into the future. While opening the third eye does allow access to this esoteric practice, it also opens opportunities for other fascinating practices as well. Remote viewing is another example of the potential for third eye activation.

Of course, we can't talk about the third eye without referencing the ability to see energies. When one widens their third eye capabilities, many people experience being able to see auras and other energy systems. I think that this too has an important application in the creation of art, and I'll discuss that a little later.

The third eye is a powerful tool of vision. Instead of viewing reality through the physical eyes, one sees reality within the mind. This can be of great use to artists who work to create new things that don't yet or will never exist in our reality. The best part is that anyone can nurture their third eye awakening and draw their dreams.

The process of drawing from the third eye can happen in two main ways: directly and within the flow state.

Directly: When an artist draws directly from a vision from the third eye, the whole image is seen with clarity. The clarity of this vision may fluctuate, but a specific vibration is sustained.

Flow State: The flow state is the process of drawing from an initial point and branching out. Ideas are implemented into the image from the original point outwards.

These processes do not require an artist to create thumbnails or sketch out ideas; the drawing is created directly without the need for an eraser or tracing a previous version of the drawing. Creative processes that involve developing an idea over multiple iterations are using the brain and not the third eye directly.

Before we get into third eye activation techniques, let's first talk about the mind and clearing the third eye. What is clearing, and why do we need it? If you're a person who enjoys watching movies and TV with themes that disturb the balance of the mind, it can cause an internal mode of being stuck. It doesn't just have to be from entertainment; media like the news can also cloud the mind and create stagnation. To put it plainly, in order to use your memory effectively, it’s best to heal and forget about the trauma in the memory field. The good news is, it isn't hard to exchange those vibrations; here's a technique to clear and refresh the third eye.

Meditation Color Breathing: This process of clearing your mind’s eye is a great place to start or practice as a morning meditation as it exchanges the vibrancies of our awareness on all levels. First, find a comfortable, quiet space to just be. Take a few refreshing breaths in (like you're smelling the most wonderful scents). Next, think of the color red; it's okay if you are not able to see it in perfect clarity. Now, breathe in that fresh red color. Keep breathing while thinking from your feet, to your legs, up your body, and into your mind. Hold for a few seconds and release with the affirmation, "I am releasing all stale, used-up red vibrations and any negative associations with the color red." You can do an affirmation on the inhale as well, saying, "I am welcoming all fresh, positive, red energies into my mind and body." You can either move on to the next color after exhaling the stale energies or keep focusing on that color. Remember, the root (red) is fundamental and should be focused on.

After completing this exercise, you should feel a shift in your memory, associating colors more accurately with objects, places, and people. This process can take a lot of time and practice, or the process may have totally rejuvenated the clarity and capability of the minds eye.

Okay, now let's work on activating your third eye. I have developed an exercise that allows your mind to enter the flow state efficiently. This technique uses the flow state and opens your mind to creativity through radical acceptance. I call this the Open Door technique, and all you'll need is a piece of paper and a pen or marker. I understand digital artwork is popular, but I highly recommend using traditional pen and paper. Digital screens are extremely stimulating and do tend to overstimulate; paper is much more relaxing. I will also want you to use a pen or marker; you shouldn’t need to erase throughout this process.

First, you'll draw a door. The door should be in perspective, which will allow your mind to start processing depth. Next, draw the door frame. This is the setup for the exercise; everything from here out is all creative flow. You may start by decorating the door to give ideas about what's inside (you may even start developing a direct image for the contents of the inside), or you might start on the inside and work out, letting the flow process come from the present. Either way, you can work as large or as small as you want. Drawing small will allow ideas to develop faster and give more leeway to correcting drawing errors. Try not to erase; this will allow yourself to create creative solutions to “bandage” any “accidents.”

I would like to redirect you to a previous topic, where I was talking about recollection. Though color is the easiest to remember, it's a lot harder to start a piece with just color. The next was shape; this is much easier to remember but has greater levels of detail. If I asked you to draw an apple, the first level of detail would be that the apple is round. The apple is round, but if you remember that an apple has a concave top and bottom, the shape will resemble an apple that much more. Now, recalling form is the next step and can be much more difficult to recall. Form is the shape in space; it moves from the 2D to the 3D. The drawing doesn't necessarily have to include perspective, but recalling form will serve to enhance the vision and clarity. Lastly, and the most difficult is pattern. That's because pattern can include the previous three levels in a variety of different ways. Patterns can be distorted on cloth which requires the vision to adapt to the features of form. Keep in mind that the levels of detail will enhance during the opening of the third eye.

Remember when I started to talk about being able to see energies in our world? This can be really useful when painting from life. All things develop from light, and painting is often seen as replicating the world of light. (The realism in video games and CGI is a science of replicating light digitally). Our third eye can be useful for life paintings by being able to interpret the lighting with a more advanced understanding. When opening our third eye, one might start to see the color of a shadow on the snow be a vibrant violet, or be able to detect the bounce light of an orange wall against a yellow book.

Awakening your third eye can take time, patience, and most of all, concentration. If opening your mind's eye is of interest to you, remember to be kind to yourself, always. Seeing things in your mind can be a burden, and one should be in a place of respect and radical acceptance. The third eye can fluctuate in development and open and close for a variety of reasons, but as long as you practice, you'll quickly regain your abilities.

I encourage you to develop your own practices and explore the capabilities of your mind and your awareness! The journey towards opening and enhancing your third eye can lead to a more profound understanding of the world around you and the creative energy that flows within it. As you continue to cultivate your mind's eye, you may find that your artistic expression reaches new heights and your ability to connect with your innermost creative self becomes stronger than ever before.

In conclusion, the third eye, or the mind's eye, is an essential tool for artistic expression, offering unique insights into the creative process and a deeper understanding of the world. By nurturing your third eye's awakening, you can unlock new dimensions of creativity, opening up a world of possibilities in your art and in your life. Embrace the power of your mind's eye and embark on an incredible journey of self-discovery and artistic growth.