The Third Eye.

[Bedeekin]

Why is the sensation of pressure, gathering, fluttering or buzzing etc, in the forehead associated with the Third eye.

I have experienced this a few times and only in the last few years when I began meditating without a goal for actively separating.

But.. I'd had thousands of OOBEs for many years prior to feeling the forehead pressure thingy... so I don't think it's the third eye doing anything. Surely my 'third eye' was already highly advanced before this. After experiencing them I didn't notice any marked difference in my experiences and I only get it infrequently.

For a start the forehead part of the brain is actually nothing to do with vision. That part lies in the visual cortex in the back of the brain.

The prefrontal cortex... which is directly behind the forehead is actually interesting in the fact that it is thought to be the bit that processes (not controls.. that is the job of our nonphysical higher selves) our decision making and intent.

The specific area that lies where this feeling occurs during TM is called the Brodmann area 10. It is apparently the 'human' part of the brain and consequently the most evolved part.

"Katerina Semendeferi and colleagues has suggested that "During hominid evolution, area 10 underwent a couple of .. changes: one involves a considerable increase in overall size, and the other involves a specific increase in connectivity, especially with other higher-order association areas."

Another entry into Wikipedia states...

"Although this region is extensive in humans, its function is poorly understood. Koechlin & Hyafil have proposed that processing of 'cognitive branching' is the core function of the frontopolar cortex. Cognitive branching enables a previously running task to be maintained in a pending state for subsequent retrieval and execution upon completion of the ongoing one. Many of our complex behaviors and mental activities require simultaneous engagement of multiple tasks, and they suggest the anterior prefrontal cortex may perform a domain-general function in these scheduling operations."

According to the book "The prefrontal landscape" it states...

"The original studies of Fuster and of Goldman-Rakic emphasized the fundamental ability of the prefrontal cortex to represent information not currently in the environment, and the central role of this function in creating the "mental sketch pad" "

Maybe a third eye explanation is a good metaphor... but it seems that maybe... just maybe... this sensation is something more to do with the brain upgrading.. or making sudden and very complex connections. In other words 'evolving' there and then.

So I'm not particularly dismissing the 'third eye' thing entirely... but basing this on a bit of logic it takes it away from the new-age arena and puts it in a more realistic and logical frame.

Thoughts?

[mindflood]

the third eye doesnt correspond to physical vision so any strucutural anatomy like the prefrontal cortex or occipital lobes that are responsible for vision are not exactly related. The only physical structure associated with the third eye is the pituitary gland (which is the point of transfer for ideas and impressions) which is by the front of your forehead between your eyes which is probably why people refer to that region as the third eye.

The chakras are not exactly physical, they are energy transformers, taking energy from your surroundings, and turning it into human energy.

If you had auric vision you would be able to see the different chakras and the energy they emit.

[Bedeekin]

I understand that. 

But people do explain that this physical sensation is the 'third eye' activating or opening.

I am suggesting that the physical sensation of the pressure in the forehead during Meditation or deep relaxation may have more to do with physical manifestation of change in the brain's structure.

Like I said... I have experienced this sensation a few times and already had very very profound nonphysical experiences well before them.

Maybe I should change the title... then again.. maybe not.

[Lionheart]

 This is an excellent question! 

When I first started to Consciously Phase I put so much emphasis and focus on the my third eye and opening it, that It physically hurt. I would feel that area buzzing afterwards and many times it did end up giving me a headache, but only in that location between my eyebrows.

To rectify this, I changed my focus/emphasis on my Pineal Gland and it's location which is at the lower back side of the brain. Immediately the pain and irritation stopped.I found my problem was quite simple. I had read about the third eye quite a bit and saw where it's location was on the forehead, just between the eyebrows, so I that was my area of focus. It reacted just like anything else does with Robert Bruce's NEW focus technique. Focus on your toes, you can create the feeling of something stimulating/touching them. Which is basic energy work. So, focus on the third eye area and you can do the same. Crank up the intensity of your focus, in turn, that cranks up the energy/pressure going to that area.

The same goes with books on Magick I have read over the years. They always say to visualize a third eye on between your eyebrows, now see it opening, then use this when you wish to have otherworldly visions.

Once again it comes back to techniques in books we read that we try to follow to the letter, instead of "Seeing Through" what they are really trying to say.

[rezaf]

I think too much pressure in the forehead is not good. Before I used to force myself to see auras and every time I would get a headache after focusing too much on auras. Now after doing martial arts and particularly qigong sets like zhoutian I can see auras pretty well each time after training without trying hard and there isn't much pressure in my head.  

Pressure in the head is a common problem for qigong learners and can cause health problems that's why many teachers teach the external moves and standing for a few years and after the body of the learner is ready they gradually teach moving the intent and leading the Qi. I think using the intent before the body is relaxed and the meridians are open enough is bad because the practitioner would need to move too much energy to the forehead which can get stagnated and cause headaches or even worse things. On the other hand if the practitioner spends enough time on his qigong foundation many things can happen automatically when the time is right for the body.

[Bedeekin]

Interesting Lionheart. Rickman describes the pineal gland coordinates as the centre of the forehead between and just above the eyebrows and from a side elevation the top of the ear... if two lines are taken from these points their interjection point is a pretty accurate position of the Pineal body. Pretty much where you said... but I thought I'd add my two penneth.

There aren't any particular special nerves in that area and it is dominated by the Procerus muscle... which helps us wrinkle our nose and look angry or doubtful... so it can be ruled out that this is a muscular spasm or form of cramp - which it can be described as.

If there are any physical attributes it can only be something to do with the prefrontal cortex. If this is so.. .it does make sense in some fashion that it is a stimulation or activation process of that area.

If it is 'chakra' based then it seems the only thing that I have experienced to do with Chakras and even then, it doesn't seem to have particularly done anything other than just being a strange buzzy pressure gathering tensing feeling.

This focusing on areas of the body during phase is something I have done for years... and I'm totally convinced it aids in healing oneself.

Sometimes this happens involuntarily where areas of the body suddenly get an intense buzzy energy-like feeling that can become quite uncomfortable. Over the years it has happened in numerous areas... my groin... my shoulder... the side of my body... tummy area... chest... I feel that it is a natural 'rejigging' and healing of potential cancerous areas.

I experienced these things without any prior influence from reading about them.