'The 3rd eye or 6th chakra is the energy centre mostly involved with the mind. It is the seat of the intellect, clear thinking and mind. The challenge of this chakra is to become aware of the power of consciousness itself, and the reality each of us creates for ourselves through our thoughts, emotions and belief systems. It involves the clear understanding that as we become increasingly conscious of our inner power, we realise that we can ultimately create new realities, new 'elsewheres' of thought, and create new neural networks in the brain, manifesting new physical realities of health, wealth and happiness. The lesson of the 6th chakra is both physical and spiritual. Our thoughts and actions have the power to shape our lives and the lives of those around us. Delving deep into the power of the 6th chakra, we discover the triggers for self-healing of the body and mind. Each one of us has the responsibility to rediscover our tremendous potential as human beings, to break free from harming or limiting beliefs, and live as intended: in total freedom, happiness and joy, our true purpose as creations of, and co-creators with, God or Source,' says Dr Arien van der Merwe.

Deep solutions are needed for today's problems. Stress levels are at an all time high. Our modern day society has all the technological advances and immense superficial knowledge (as well as the problems), created by our highly intelligent left brains. However, many of us are more stressed, depressed and unhappy than ever before in human history. Financial woes, health risks and chronic diseases of body and mind abound. We often forget that we also have a right brain and pineal gland, totally neglected and underdeveloped in most of us. We have unlimited potential as human beings, able to use both sides of the brain. We are all yearning for inner peace, a calm and relaxed way of being in this world. We want to discover our 'right minds', to live in harmony with ourselves, our natural environment and others. Deep relaxation training can help you become quiet enough to listen to the still voice of your soul, the guidance within. We all remember deep within our innermost being our true state of being: to live in joy, at peace, in harmony.

Learning and practicing integration of left and right brain, even transcending the brain and mind, through beta, alpha, theta and delta brain rhythms, can help us access fields of consciousness beyond our wildest dreams.

The 6th chakra is the seat of clear inner vision, of turning the eyes inward to the witness within, to see with the whole brain into the mind that extends and transcends the brain.

Wise introspection will allow the 6th chakra to resonate in harmony, restoring internal balance to the whole body. The pituitary gland sends its messengers, the releasing hormones, to every single cell, enabling light vibrations of optimal joy and peak performance living, infusing every cell deep into its nucleus. Add the healing vibrations of gently balancing physical exercise, crystals, aromatherapy oils, colours, herbal remedies and the necessary nutrients, and the 3rd eye chakra will soon manifest health and wholeness.

SOUL SEARCHING

Depression will be used as an example of the practical implementation model, as employed in energy and integrative medicine, because it is such a common health challenge, and it clearly illustrates how the different chakras impact and influence each other.

An exhausted soul, burn-out, feelings of emptiness, the inner feeling experience of senselessness and meaninglessness of life, have become the neurosis of our time. This mostly happens when people reach the middle years of their lives, but increasingly happens in teenagers and young adults as we're moving into a time of higher consciousness. Somewhere between the late 30s and early 50s, we usually start asking the existential questions: 'Is this all there is? Why am I here? What purpose do I serve?' This is a normal life transition period (as is going from childhood to teenager, and entering advanced old age). People often don't realise it as such and lash out at their nearest and dearest as the source of their unhappiness – having an affair, changing hair colour, style and clothes, buying a Harley Davidson, becoming a bum, and so on. It's easier to project our issues onto others and look for quick fixes in the material world than to delve deep inside ourselves for our own soul answers. Most people in their late 30s to early 50s feel the inner desire for the numinous – the divine light within. The earlier in life we start asking these questions, the sooner we get to know ourselves, our purpose and how to attain our goals, while adapting to the environment and contributing to the well-being of our community with our special gifts.

Stress levels are escalating in our modern day society. When stress is positive and balanced with deep relaxation on a daily basis, we are productive, creative, communicative, enthusiastic and healthy. As soon as we pass the level of optimum performance, we slide into the negative stress phase of low performance, productivity and creativity, poor interpersonal relationships and stress-related illnesses, and even burn-out. Areas in our brain that contribute to cognitive and emotional functioning (like memory and concentration) can be permanently damaged by long-term stress.

Depression is the mental health condition mostly associated with long-term stress. High levels of cortisol and a serotonin-noradrenalin-dysfunction, all found in chronic stress, play a part in depression. So does the internal stress of negative energy turned inward. A way of being leads to specific thought cycles, then the molecules of emotions are affected, leading to dysfunction in the manufacturing of specific neuropeptides. Wrong thinking, harming beliefs, plus the inner search for meaning and not finding it, are the root causes of depression – not chemical imbalance (like serotonin or dopamine deficiency) in the brain, which is the result. Depression is the result of deep negativity turned inwards to attack the self.

Nightmares, forgetfulness, fatigue, irritability, deep unhappiness, apathy, poor concentration, social isolation, increased or decreased appetite, increased intake of tea, coffee, tranquillisers and antidepressants, and increasing feelings of aggression, are all symptoms and signs of negative stress, but also of depression and dysthymia (mild depression).