The Hidden Power of the Third Eye
🌸 A Symbol with Deeper Meaning
Let’s begin with two amazing real-life stories that help us understand the deeper meaning of something very simple: the tilak or sandalwood dot worn on the forehead. Though often seen as just tradition, it's deeply rooted in spiritual science.
🧠 The Genius of Ramanujan and the Third Eye
Our first story is about Srinivasa Ramanujan, born in 1888 in a poor Brahmin family in South India. He had very little formal education, but his mind was filled with brilliant mathematical ideas. He sent a few of his theorems to G.H. Hardy, a famous mathematician at Cambridge. Hardy was shocked—not only were the answers correct, they were incredibly original.
Ramanujan didn’t seem to calculate like others. He would often look upwards—towards the space between his eyebrows—when solving problems. It was almost like the answers came to him from somewhere beyond. In yogic science, this area is called the third eye—a center of higher awareness.
🛌 Edgar Cayce and the Healing Trance
The second story is about Edgar Cayce, a man from the early 1900s who went into a coma doctors thought was fatal. But while unconscious, he began to speak, diagnosing his condition and suggesting herbal treatments that weren’t even known to the doctors.
He recovered completely within 12 hours. For the rest of his life, Cayce gave health readings for thousands of people—while in a trance. Every time, his eyes would turn upward to that same spot between the eyebrows. The remedies he gave were often so advanced, they puzzled scientists.
👁️ The Third Eye and Consciousness
Yogic teachings say that when someone enters deep states of awareness, their focus naturally shifts to the point between the eyebrows. This is the third eye, or agya chakra—the command center of the body.
Even during deep sleep, the eyes rest there. Science shows that during the deepest stages of sleep, eye movement stops—and the eyes become still at that very point.
🔥 Why the Tilak is Applied
The tilak or sandalwood mark isn’t just a decoration. It's placed on the third-eye center to help us stay aware of that point. The more we focus there, the more our scattered energy gathers in one place—like sunlight through a magnifying glass. That focused awareness can awaken deep inner power.
🧙♂️ Guru and Disciple Connection
Traditionally, gurus would observe where a student applied their tilak. If it moved lower, it showed they were progressing in awareness. If it was off-center, it showed distraction or lack of focus.
💪 The Third Eye and Willpower
The third eye is also where willpower lives. When this center is awakened, the body starts listening to the mind—not the other way around. Yogis with strong agya chakras can control things like their heartbeat or body temperature with ease.
👰 Why Women Wore Tika Differently
The red dot or tika, often worn by married women, is slightly different. Women naturally embody softness, surrender, and support. Awakening the agya chakra too directly could disturb this balance. That’s why the tika was tied to the presence of the husband. After his death, it was removed—not just due to social custom, but because the woman was now growing into her own power.
🧠 The Psychology Behind the Tilak
The tilak was often applied during happy, spiritual events like weddings or prayers. This created a link between joy and the third-eye spot. Over time, even putting the tilak on would bring a sense of peace and connection.
🕉️ Lost Knowledge, Preserved by the People
Only cultures that understood the third eye used the tilak. Other civilizations didn’t have this practice. When educated classes lost touch with these deeper meanings, it was the common people who kept the tradition alive—trusting what had been passed down.
🧬 Science is Catching Up
Today, science is slowly discovering the hidden powers of the body and brain. There have been cases of people hearing radio broadcasts after ear injuries, or seeing light without light. These are not miracles—they’re windows into what humans are truly capable of.
🚪 A Door to the Infinite
In the end, the tilak is a reminder—a mark pointing to a doorway inside us. A place where our will, vision, and insight come together. It’s not about blind belief. It simply asks us to be aware. If even one person truly awakens to the truth behind it, the tradition has served its purpose.