Categories: Third Eye: Practical Meditation
May the blessings of the Triple Gem be with you all!
Today, through our Spiritual Monks Website, I wish to explain the complete process of opening the third eye, from the very beginning to the end. Many of you have asked about this, inquiring about the method and the correct order of the steps. So, I have decided to explain it to you simply. This is not some great secret to be guarded jealously. Through the course of these programs, I believe I have already shown through practical teachings whether I hold back any secrets.
I know for certain that this knowledge does not need to be hidden. Therefore, I will share with you the simple phenomena involved, the fundamental elements, and how to put it into practice. I will explain the sequence of events you might encounter on this path.
A Critical Warning: The Danger of Expectation
Before we begin, I must offer a crucial piece of advice. Just because I am outlining this path and describing the signposts ahead, you must not start expecting these things during your meditation. Do not develop a craving for them, anticipate the next sign, or become attached with greed. If an experience doesn’t happen, do not fall into despair. If it does happen, do not become inflated with pride or greedily cling to it.
I have emphasized this repeatedly in our teachings: do not get entangled, attached, or develop expectations. If you do, this very knowledge can become a form of Māra (a tempter or an obstacle) on your path, hindering your progress. Please, understand this point clearly before you embark on this journey.
Think of it this way: I am taking you on a guided tour from Colombo to Anuradhapura, showing you the way. Then, I bring you back and ask you to make the journey alone. You will remember the path, but this teaching is merely the map. It is meant to be a form of knowledge, a guide to use when the time is right. Simply hearing it once is enough. Do not dwell on it or try to memorize it obsessively.
The First Sign: Sensations in the Forehead
This teaching is offered for your genuine development, to help you proceed on your path without fear or confusion. It will provide a clear understanding for those who have already had these experiences and offer valuable support and knowledge for those currently engaged in the practice.
So, let us begin our discussion on opening the third eye.
In our first practical meditation guide, I instructed you to mentally focus on the middle of your forehead. As you do this, many sensations can arise. I will briefly mention them here again. You might feel:
- A sense of pressure or tightness.
- A feeling of being pulled by a thread.
- A sensation like being pricked by a needle.
- A flow of energy.
- A feeling of heat or cold.
I have previously made a separate teaching explaining why this pressure in the forehead occurs, as it is a common question. These sensations are the very first sign.
A Universal Sign of a Concentrated Mind
Interestingly, this experience is not exclusive to the practice of opening the third eye. It can happen in any form of deep meditation. For example, someone deeply practicing Mettā Bhāvanā (loving-kindness meditation) might feel it. It can also arise during the recollection practices taught by the Buddha, such as Buddhānussati (recollection of the Buddha) or Dhammānussati (recollection of the teachings).
However, this initial sensation of concentration, while a sign of mental development, is not the beginning of opening the third eye itself. Rather, it is a foundational mark of progress. It shows that your mind is becoming concentrated and has the potential to develop further towards jhāna (deep meditative states) or higher mental abilities. Even with Ānāpānasati (mindfulness of breathing), this sensation can appear. This is the fundamental starting point.
Progressing Beyond the First Stage: The School Analogy
We must not get stuck at this first stage. When we learn the lessons of the first grade, we don’t remain in the first grade forever. We use that knowledge to advance to the second grade, the third, and so on, with the goal of passing exams and reaching university. Similarly, in meditation, we do not linger on the sensations in the forehead. We use them as a stepping stone to move forward.
Personally, I am not fond of stagnating in one place; I prefer to climb to the next step. We use these initial experiences to ascend, not to hold onto them and remain in one place. That would be stagnation.
To give another example from traditional concentration meditation, imagine a blue vase placed on an empty table in a room. A practitioner sits some distance away and focuses on the vase, mentally repeating “blue, blue, blue.” Eventually, the mind becomes one-pointed on that object. At that point, the forehead will also begin to feel tight or pressurized. With eyes closed, a mental image of the vase may appear. In the Pāli language, this is called the uggaha nimitta, or the “learning sign,” where the object of meditation is taken into the mind. This is another way to develop concentration, though the method I have taught is simpler for the purpose of opening the third eye.
The Foundation: A Confirmation of Your Practice
This feeling in the forehead is the easiest and most accessible method to know your mind is developing. It is a fundamental confirmation that your concentration is working, providing the encouragement and energy to continue. It is the best indicator that your goal is about 5% successful. So, the first point is this definite change or sensation in the forehead area. Whatever specific feeling you have, it is the foundational sign that your meditation is progressing. There is nothing more to add to that; it is simply the beginning.
The Second Step: The Appearance of Light
Now for the second step. As you continue to practice focusing on the forehead, the next stage may occur. I’ve discussed this in our third and fourth practical meditation articles, where I introduced contemplating the concept of ’emptiness’ (his) and maintaining awareness in the present moment.
The time it takes for this next step to happen varies greatly. For one person, it may be a day: for another, a week, a month, or even a single minute. For some, it may take several months. This depends on one’s practice in past lives and is something I cannot precisely predict or judge.
This second sign is also influenced by one’s past kamma, or intentional actions, such as making offerings of light. The sign is this: suddenly, a light signal will begin to appear. It might be yellow, blue, white, or red, any color you can imagine. It appears when your eyes are closed, but it is not something you are imagining. You see it, just as you see the sun, moon, or stars when your eyes are open. With eyes closed, this light becomes visible to the mind’s eye, often in the center of the forehead or from the sides.
The Divine Eye Opens: Understanding the Light
The experience of this light is unique to each person. Some may see one color, while others see a mix of blue, red, and other hues. One person might see a single point of light, another two, and someone else might see ten or an uncountable number of lights. It can start small and then expand. As I taught in the meditation on ‘emptiness‘, if you observe this light without attachment, greed, or expectation, it may even grow to envelop your entire body.
Sometimes you might see a yellow light within a blue light, or lights that look like shooting stars. Some say that a golden color is special for opening the third eye, but this is not true. Just as first-grade knowledge is used to get to the second grade, any color of light is simply a signpost. No single color is superior. The appearance of any light in this way, while meditating with eyes closed, is the second step. This is the main sign, the primary indicator that your third eye, known in Buddhism as Dibba-cakkhu or the ‘Divine Eye’, has been fully cleansed and is now open. At this point, you have received it. There is nothing more you need to do to ‘open’ it.
Third Step: Appearance of Images
This is the third stage in your meditation journey. After developing the “empty meditation,” you enter this phase.
- Observing Light: During meditation, when light impressions appear in your mind, simply watch them while thinking “empty…”
- Entering the Dark Void: After training in this way for some time, you will begin to see an image resembling a dark hole or a cave within that light. Your next exercise is to mentally journey into that dark void.
Note: Some people can do this instantly, while others may require hours or even days of practice.
After passing through that dark void and returning, your mind will begin to display various images. This is the main feature of the third step. You may see things such as:
- Beautiful scenes: Palaces, flower gardens, mountain ranges, and forests.
- Divine images: Gods, celestial maidens, the Buddha, and Buddha statues.
- Frightening images: Grotesque figures like demons or spirits.
- Personal connections: Family members or deceased relatives.
Whatever image you see, do not develop attachment (liking) or aversion (disliking) toward it.
Keep your mind neutral, observing the images with equanimity. The more you remain centered, the clearer these visions become, eventually appearing as vivid as daytime scenes visible to the physical eyes.
Fourth Step: The “Sky” Perception and Complete Opening
This is the fourth and final step in the third-eye-opening meditation sequence. After the previous practices, you now cultivate the “sky meditation.”
- Basic Guidance: During meditation, when any image appears in your mind, do not focus on it. Instead, simply think “sky…”
- Main Goal: Your sole aim should be to maintain the perception of “sky” in your mind.
After meditating like this for some time, other images fade away, and your mind begins to perceive the sky instantly. This is the key turning point of your meditation, marking the beginning of the third-eye-opening process.
Once the third eye in the middle of your forehead is fully open, you may experience the following:
- Seeing the world with eyes closed: You will have the ability to see everything around you clearly even with closed eyes, just as you see with open eyes. This may even occur while you are asleep.
- Seeing yourself and your surroundings: You may perceive your own form as if viewing it from outside, or mentally move around inside your home.
- Seeing the unseen world:
- Beings such as guardian deities and their celestial palaces near sacred sites (e.g., under a Bodhi tree).
- Invisible beings like spirits or ghosts, if present.
- Identifying hidden or supernatural things within houses.
- Seeing inside objects: You can see the interior of structures (e.g., a stupa like Ruwanwelisaya) or any place such as a lake or a city, as clearly as in daylight.
These experiences are unique to each person. What you see and how clear it is will depend on your karmic tendencies and spiritual qualities cultivated over many lifetimes. Further explanations about this diversity will be provided separately.
After the Awakening: The Crucial Role of Equanimity
Now, there are many things you can do with this ability. However, I must be honest: personally, I do not place a high value on this ability. I don’t consider it worth much at all. I don’t feel prideful for having it, nor sad for not having it. As long as I maintain this balanced attitude, my ability develops naturally. Because I don’t crave it, long for it, or have expectations, it continues to improve on its own. There is no reason to become arrogant.
This is the state of mind from which I taught you how to see places like the Ruwanwelisaya stupa, Sigiriya rock fortress or Bodhigaya in our practical meditation guides. You can make a determination (adhiṭṭhāna) to see anything you wish. It is even possible to know personal information about others. There are many amazing possibilities.
However, the accuracy of the information you receive depends entirely on your equanimity, which is called upekkhā in Pāli. To receive clear information, you must be free from greed, hatred, and delusion, you must be neutral. This ability can be developed to hear distant sounds as well, but that is a different method I will teach in the future.
The Four Simple Steps to Opening the Third Eye
This is the simple process. What I have just explained is all there is to it. On the internet, you will find this process glorified, with warnings about what to eat and what not to eat. All those complicated instructions are aimed at achieving just this simple thing. Books and websites give it immense value, and it is indeed a valuable state where the mind has developed to a higher level. But it is not necessary to give it such extraordinary importance.
So, let me summarize the steps for clarity:
- The First Step: You feel a pressure or sensation in the forehead.
- The Second Step: Light signals appear to you with closed eyes.
- The Third Step: You begin to see images and visions.
- The Fourth Step: Your third eye is simply open, whether you see a vast sky or not.
That is the method. It’s not something to inflate your ego over. If you can use it to help another person, do so. But above all, remain simple and humble.
Guidance for Your Journey and the Path Ahead
For those who are new to this practice, my advice is to explore our practical meditation guides, from the first to the fifth. Read them repeatedly, understand the nature of your mind at each stage, and apply the specific contemplation word or technique for that level. Proceed according to the steps in those five guides, and you can achieve your goal.
The teachings beyond the fifth guide are for those whose third eye is already open. With this opening, there are many advantages. You can attain the jhānas (meditative absorptions) very quickly and develop higher psychic powers with ease. I will explain these methods in future articles.
I believe this simple, step-by-step explanation of opening the third eye is now clear to both those who have practiced and those who have not. Please take this as knowledge to be used when the experiences arise. Use it as a lesson to guide your practice forward, but do not try to memorize it obsessively or cling to the system. That clinging is what leads to the pride and inflation that many people get caught in. As for me, I have no such pride. I am teaching you this without holding back any secrets.
The Ultimate Goal: Beyond the Third Eye to Liberation
Please grasp this well, and continue your practice. Develop your mind, open your third eye, cultivate the jhānas, and move towards higher mental abilities. You can use these methods, as taught by the Lord Buddha, to ultimately cross over the ocean of samsāra (the cycle of birth and death) and realize Nibbāna, the ultimate liberation. All of these paths become accessible.
Understanding your mind in this way, I conclude today’s teaching on the step-by-step process of opening the third eye. By the power of the Triple Gem may you understand these teachings, awaken your wisdom, and develop yourself by practically applying what we share. May the blessings and protection of the Triple Gem be with you.
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!
