The Awakened Soul The Sixth Chakra
Energetically, this chakra is connected to the dream state, déjà vu, intuition, and clear seeing. It is indigo in color, the purplish-blue shade of the late night sky. I personally became aware of the brilliant color of this energy center color by falling deeply in love... an indigo flame of light poured through the center of my forehead, as I was drifting off to sleep. When we connect with someone at this energy center we are meeting with them on a spiritual level, the level of thought, and that of vision. When we connect with them at the second and fourth chakra as well, there is a raising of power that moves the energy of attraction, love, and passion upward. When people are stuck in their lower chakras, (dealing with issues of survival, fight or flee, power, greed, and destruction,) they don't have the time, energy, or money to develop and explore their higher chakras. We see this is war torn nations where relative peace, respect, and personal growth seem unlikely, if not impossible. We also see it here when people are stuck in addiction or struggling to survive.
The third eye has to do with perceptiveness, hunches, and inner whisperings or promptings. Artists know the value of their intuition and often need to spend time alone, or "with themselves" to connect with their inner essence. In America we are not generally afraid to go somewhere by ourselves, but in some other parts of the world this is something that triggers a deeply embedded and justifiable fear. Even when these people come to America, the imprint on their memory remains, and the pattern, if not cleared, stays in their energetic field. If we live in a home or neighborhood where we don't feel safe and secure, we have the same anxiety within, which is actually a first chakra issue, causing us to feel ungrounded and frightened.
In dance, when we balance our sixth chakra we develop the "enlightened mind." We pick up combinations quickly, even getting to the point where we can read the teacher's mind, picking up where they left off... As we sharpen our memory and increase our mental acumen, we build confidence and security in our physical abilities. Dance assistants usually have a balanced sixth chakra. They also have the sensitivity not to interfere or dominate with the teacher's creative flow, yet are capable and exact if their help or assistance is requested.
When the sixth chakra is unbalanced, a person may be paranoid or suffer from delusions. They could play mind games and try to control other people this way. In Yoga it is believed that the higher a person's intelligence, the greater his or her powers of destruction. I have often felt saddened by the number of great teachers and dancers who self- destruct this way...it's possible instead to use high intelligence in a positive way. It takes mental discipline, and a desire to do the right thing. Living with a clear conscience and being truthful also takes careful self- examination.
When a dance teacher has a healthy sixth chakra, they will choreograph great combinations...these are the teachers with the "great minds" who creating seemingly ingenious work. Their style will be very individual. Their students will be excited and stimulated by the material. The teacher will take great pleasure in designing their work, finding it motivating and energizing to use their imagination as the wand of their creative self expression.
"Stinkin' thinkin" reflects an imbalanced sixth chakra. I find if I watch negative television shows or read books by authors that hold attitudes that I don't resonate with, I throw my 6th chakra off. Likewise, if I read work by inspiring authors, or watch foreign films or public television, I feel a healing and comforting effect. The nervous system is a great indicator of if we are with the right people and choosing healthy situations. If we feel excited, optimistic, and happy these are positive signs. If we feel drained, deadened, or develop a psychic headache, our intuition is guiding us again. The key is to listen to our body like a wise advisor...because it is. Of course life always brings us to uncomfortable points is relationships where we have to move to the throat chakra and communicate. I usually go back to my first chakra when I find life is getting difficult and attend to those issues first. I'll clean the house, catch on laundry, and organize my paperwork. Next is plenty of sleep, healthy food, and feeling safe and comfortable at home. Because artists like the feeling of the uppers chakras being open they may neglect the lower energy centers, which give us our foundation and vitality.