Meditation Side Effects: Don’t Fear the Third Eye or Strange Sensations

May the blessings of the Triple Gem be with you all!

Today, through our spiritual teachings (Meditation Side Effects: Don’t Fear the Third Eye or Strange Sensations), I want to clarify something very important for you. Many of you already know we discuss practical meditation, and a topic that often comes up is the Third Eye Awakening. To put it simply, the main message I want to share is this: Do not be afraid of the Third Eye. It does not cause any harmful meditation side effects.

I want to explain this in detail because there are many weak and fearful opinions circulating in society about this topic. These ideas are entirely man-made. In truth, there is nothing inherently dangerous or frightening about this experience. I will also explain the things that people have fabricated to create this fear, so you can understand what is really happening.

How Can the Third Eye Awaken?

The experience we call the Third Eye Awakening can happen in several ways. In a future article, I will explore this more deeply, but for now, it’s important to know that it can awaken spontaneously. This can happen to anyone, even young children. It can also occur as a result of consistent, practical meditation practice, especially if a person has accumulated positive spiritual energy, or puñña, from past lives.

Sometimes, even practicing other forms of meditation can lead to a Third Eye Awakening. For instance, a person might be practicing Mettā bhāvanā (loving-kindness meditation) and find their third eye opening. This is more likely if they have practiced meditation in previous lives, whether as a human, a celestial being in a heavenly realm (deva), or even a being from a Brahma world. The potential is there, carried over from past efforts. And yet, even in these profound experiences, there are no meditation side effects that cause harm, only transformation through insight.

Meditation Side Effects:Understanding the ‘Frightening’ Images You Might See

So, what are these supposedly ‘dangerous’ aspects people talk about? When the Third Eye Awakening occurs, you may see what some call ‘frightening images.’ But truly, there is nothing to fear. Let me list the types of forms you might see: figures that look like demons (in Pali, Yakkhas), forms of hungry ghosts (Pretas), or other disfigured shapes (virūpī rūpa).

Let’s talk about who these beings are. Who are these Pretas, or hungry ghosts? According to the Buddha’s teachings, preserved for us in the collection of texts known as the Tripitaka, there are collections of stories like the Vimānavatthu (Stories of the Celestial Mansions) and the Petavatthu (Stories of the Departed). The Petavatthu describes the realm of the Pretas. These are a class of beings who are suffering. They are experiencing the results of their past unskillful actions, their negative kamma, right here in the human world or in other adjacent realms. Because of this suffering, they appear in disfigured forms, the scriptures mention them consuming filth and mucus. Seeing them in this state is not a reason to be scared.

Think about it: even in our human world, we sometimes see people with disfigured bodies due to their past unskillful actions. We might feel a sense of compassion, and sometimes, perhaps a flicker of fear. The beings you see with the third eye are just like that. They might even be our own deceased relatives, a grandmother, grandfather, mother, or father. who passed away with strong attachment, perhaps to land or possessions, and were reborn in such a state. This is what people refer to as the ‘dangerous’ or ‘frightening’ part of a Third Eye Awakening. But beyond these visions, there is no special or inherent danger.

The Skillful Response: Responding with Wisdom and Compassion

If you have a Third Eye Awakening and you see a being like a Preta, the most skillful response is to understand what you are seeing. If you can recognize, ‘I am seeing a being who is experiencing the result of their own unwholesome actions,‘ then you will have no problem. You have absolutely no need to be afraid. You are simply witnessing kamma in action. This is not a harmful meditation side effects, but a glimpse into deeper reality.

In the early stages, we teach those whose third eye has opened to immediately think, ‘May they be well and happy!‘ when they see such a being. If you have any accumulated merit or puñña. whether from material offerings or from your own practice, share it with them. Dedicate your merit. For some of these beings, receiving that merit can be enough to awaken them from their suffering state.

What often happens is that once a person’s third eye opens, non-human beings (amanussa) realize this person can perceive them. These beings may then seek you out to receive merits. They might come and ask for them. In a way, you become like an agent or a coordinator for the unseen world; you have the ability to connect. Word can spread among them: ‘That person can see us. If we go to them, we might get some relief.‘ They will come and ask, again and again. The number of beings suffering from unimaginable actions is vast.

If this becomes a disturbance, you have options. You can make a strong mental resolve (adhiṭṭhāna) to stop it, to temporarily close the third eye, or to prevent them from approaching. This can be done through the power of loving-kindness meditation, or even by projecting a firm energy to make them stay away. There are skillful methods for this. Furthermore, as your own mental energy (citta shakti) grows stronger, these beings will naturally be unable to come near you.

Debunking the Myth: Does Meditation Cause Sickness?

Another fear people express is that meditations related to Third Eye Awakening cause physical illnesses. This is a complete falsehood. To use a strong word, it is a blatant lie (pattapal boruwak). This simply does not happen. No physical illnesses arise from practicing meditation. This misunderstanding is one of the most widespread myths about meditation side effects.

Any sickness that a person experiences is either due to a pre-existing condition, a result of their past kamma, or arises from natural causes. It is never a result of opening the third eye or practicing any meditation taught by the Buddha. Whether it’s the practical meditations we teach or any other authentic Buddhist technique, the idea that it causes physical ailments is fundamentally untrue.

The True Source of Fear: The Untrained Mind

So where does all this fear come from?

It is created in the mind, propagated by hearsay, traditions without insight, or texts written without direct experience. Some people claim that when your mind-made body leaves the physical body, a spirit can enter. But this is not only inaccurate, it’s another myth attributed to meditation side effects, without any basis in truth.

Why?

Because these suffering beings are in a weakened state. They are paying off their karmic debt.

Remember this as your number one principle: a being who is working through unwholesome kamma has absolutely no ability to approach someone who is actively cultivating a strong, wholesome mind (kusala citta). Because of this, there are no dangerous aspects to this practice, and there is no need to be frightened by any images you might see. When you understand this, your Third Eye Awakening becomes just like seeing with your two physical eyes, it’s simply another way of perceiving reality when your eyes are closed.

Your Practical Path Forward: From Fear to Freedom

Many people contact me, sending messages to ask: ‘Are there dangerous sides to this? Will I get sick?‘ I decided to address this directly because it is such a frequent question. Please understand this and do not be afraid of anything. When you see something, reflect on the Buddha’s teaching: these beings are simply experiencing their kamma. Contemplate this and allow your mind to settle into a state of equanimity (upekkhā), a state of neutrality. When you can rest in this balanced state, there is no problem at all.

Then, there is no ‘dangerous side effects‘ to the Third Eye Awakening, and nothing to fear. If a thought of fear does arise, immediately generate a thought of loving-kindness (Mettā). As we teach in our practical loving-kindness meditation, radiate it in all ten directions. Just recall those words. If you see a non-human being, send a ray of Mettā directly to them. Radiate the thoughts: ‘May this being be free from enmity. May they be free from anger. May they be free from jealousy. May they live in ease. May they be free from suffering. May they be healthy. May they be well. May they attain Nibbāna.‘ Send this compassionate energy for five or ten minutes. You might find that they become well, that their suffering subsides.

Even Yakkhas, who are a bit more powerful than Pretas, are no match for a mind filled with loving-kindness. There is no need for fear. Radiate Mettā to them as well. The mind of loving-kindness is astonishingly powerful; even Māra, the tempter, is subdued by it. Fear is merely an unwholesome mental factor (akusala cetasika). See it as such, and it loses its power. When you see it this way, you can proceed on your spiritual journey with ease and lightness.

Conclusion: A Journey of Confidence and Clarity

So, I believe you have grasped these important points. Reflect on them well. Continue to explore these teachings to strengthen your understanding and develop your own practice. Don’t pay attention to what different people say, especially those without experience, or what is written in various books. People may talk about all sorts of dangers, but such dangers do not exist in the way they describe. Don’t be afraid. Recognize fear for what it is, an unwholesome mental state. When you identify your own thoughts in this way, the process becomes simple and light, and you can develop your meditation with ease.

Do not believe in the so-called meditation side effects that people speak of without experience or understanding.

In short, my message is this: Do not fear the Third Eye Awakening, because there is truly no dangerous side to it. Understand these points and carry on with your practical meditations. May you all understand these teachings well. May you have the protection and blessings of the Triple Gem. May wisdom arises within you. I bless you with the ability to put all of this into practice and progress on your path.

We invite you to walk this path with us. Read our teachings, and most importantly, apply them practically in your own life. as you practice, questions will naturally arise. Please feel free to share your experiences and questions in the comments below, via email or contact form. I will do my best to offer guidance in future talks based on your progress. For now, begin this practice with an open heart and a mind free from expectation. Cultivate it correctly, and may you find the clarity and peace you seek.

Thank you for joining us. We hope this blog will be of great benefit to your spiritual journey.

May you all be well and happy.
May the blessings of the Triple Gem be with you all!