'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).

INTEGRATIVE SOLUTIONS

The life force or energy is being held back or suppressed. It turns inward and becomes a strong negative force targeting the ego. The answer lies in accessing your inner self, acknowledging the messages from your soul, and then releasing the ones that do not serve your health and well-being. Also realise that some days this process will be easier than other days.

Your self-image and ego (3rd chakra) development are poorly developed and you manage life by hiding away and avoiding it, often blaming others for your own underlying, unacknowledged feelings of guilt and shame disguised in the outer world of relationships and situations that arise to mirror and reflect your inner perceptions.

Fear, guilt and shame are the controlling influences found in many disorders of the nervous system. This is often over-compensated for by an exaggerated need for love and acceptance in an effort to improve self-image. If a relationship fails, as it must because of unrealistic demands and expectations, the energy falls back into a deep pool of despondency and depression. Search for the unconscious underlying patterns of woundedness and poor self-image.

Hopefulness is the emotional equilibrium state for depression. Cultivating this feeling state, by regarding everything that has happened to you as a gift from which to learn, grow and evolve, eventually leads to the path of emerging from the depressive state.

Depression often develops from feelings of disempowerment, of not being in control of your life. This is specifically a 3rd chakra issue of external power in the world, as we are not really in control, we only fool ourselves into thinking so. When the realisation finally hits home, depression is often the result.

Clinical depression often develops from 3rd chakra issues: external experiences in your life, things gone wrong in your physical life and environment, poor self-image, a chemical imbalance in neurotransmitters (again often the result of the stressful way you experience your environment) that happens after a traumatic event such as divorce, death of a loved one or serious disease. The energy then distorts into the 6th chakra, becoming increasingly blocked and stagnated.

A spiritual depression (chakra 6 & 7 excessive energy) can happen as a result of an all-encompassing absorption in your spiritual existence. You might find it difficult to comply with the daily earthly needs and existence of body and soul, experiencing a deep need to live only in spirit. Because you continuously feel pulled in different directions, your low energy levels make you feel as though you've reached a dead-end, godless and alone. You need a spiritual director or advisor to help you balance and integrate your physical and spiritual being, rather than a psychologist or psychiatrist. Spiritual depression may also follow a traumatic event. Realising the importance of the body, soul and spirit, may help you live in peace with your internal and external worlds. Paying more attention to soul and spiritual matters needn't necessarily mean a total negation of and liberation from all earthly concerns, leaving behind your home, loved ones and job to live in sack and ashes or in the clouds on a mountain top. The earth, our senses, and our physical existence are important aspects of who we are – all are parts of God's creation and our soul's connection to spirit. Spirit is but a part of a greater whole – to be found on the mountain top or the clouds, but also in nature, our senses, pleasure, sexual desire and an appetite for life. Short periods in spiritual retreat do wonders for a tormented soul, exhausted by its own endeavours towards spiritual enlightenment. Repeating the mantra in surrender: 'Let go, let God', may be the most effective way to surrender ego-striving for spiritual enlightenment, and replace that with an awareness of the soul inside you.

If you've been going for months of therapy, having gone over and over your life events searching for clues to your feelings of depression, anxiety, panic and nightmares, but with little noticeable symptom relief, you might consider past-life, or life-between-life regression therapy.

Ask yourself the following questions: Why am I here on earth? What is my soul's purpose in this life? Who am I, deep inside? What do I really want to do? Where have I wronged others through moods, manipulation, promises not kept, that is now reflected in my outer world of relationships and situations? How can I find hope? Which small gifts can I appreciate and be grateful for every day? How can I forgive myself and others? Why do I feel guilty and ashamed?

Use depression as a teacher, as a time to turn your attention inwards into the shadow aspects of your unconscious mind, and listen with your inner ear to the mysterious whispers of your soul communicating its concerns through the depression. Write down your dreams, reflections and feelings in a journal, try to feel the depression in your body – where do you feel it, how does it feel, what is your body saying to you? Paint, draw or write poetry on your emotions and the images arising from your unconscious mind. This is a very painful process, but also very liberating. Consult a transpersonal or process work psychotherapist or spiritual director who will help and facilitate your endeavours to go deeper than your personality, to the furthest recesses of your soul and cell memories.

Reflect on your idea and concept of yourself, your own worth, your feelings of being threatened and the accompanying fears of not being recognised as an individual and a being worthy of respect. You're the only one that can change your perceptions and feelings. Become a sincere searcher of self-knowledge, a lifelong student of your own soul. This will enable you to also assist and help others going through a similar process – helping others and sharing our lessons are part of expressing our real purpose on earth.

Positive affirmations may or may not be of value. Don't expect instant cures. You have to actually be able to believe and feel these affirmations with every thread of your being – which is hard to do if you're deep inside a pool of despondency and you don't feel like being positive at all. Become silent and try other measures such as walking or dancing meditation. Changing your thoughts on the polarity scale from negative to a bit more positive, to very positive, is really difficult and demands commitment, discipline and perseverance from you, once you've decided to go this way. Some days will be easier than others. Support from your therapist, partner, family or friends will help you until it becomes your new way of being. Positive affirmations that can help you: I respect myself. I accept myself with love. I can attain my goal. I fulfil my life purpose. I find a core of meaning and light inside myself. I move beyond my own limitations. I grow beyond my fear. I create a life that is good and right for me. I reach out to, and help others.

It should be obvious that an integrative approach to ailments and illness offer many options and hope for resolution. Educate yourself through reading and studying, and contemplate the suggestions and recommendations. Reflect on whether they might be useful for you. Read more about the options that resonate with you. Look for the soul lesson of your disease or health challenge.

Doing this will help you regard disease as your teacher. Before using medicine or even herbal remedies, ask yourself if this health problem has a deeper message. It might be a subtle or loud message from your soul asking for recognition and attention. Look for guidance and answers in all your close relationships. The struggle, strife and strain of troubled relationships will often show you your own shadow characteristics, long buried and clamouring for attention though physical symptoms and signs. Also contemplate your feelings around job issues and your life in general. We are so tempted to suppress symptoms of disease as fiercely and quickly as possible with any means at our disposal. Maybe the time has come for us to acknowledge, accept and then move beyond the fear of disease, becoming quiet within, reflecting and contemplating the dream body image from our soul, regarding disease as wise friend and councilor, rather than vicious enemy.

If painful, traumatic issues arise from your unconscious mind, consult a sympathetic knowledgeable health care professional for guidance and advice to help you as facilitator on your journey of healing. Regard the opportunity for deeper healing that presented itself as a grace and gift to be grateful for.

Increased resonance to, and living with, your personal vision and purpose will greatly enhance your vital life force, increase your sense of hopefulness and positively impact your health and longevity, while allowing obstacles to disappear, and opening pathways to see clearly with your inner eye. A balanced and optimally functioning 6th chakra will allow you to become a channel for wisdom, to think, consider and attract life experiences of divine inspiration. Feelings of being in the zone, or in the flow, close to your Source, where good fortune and grace continually smile on you, are common. Synchronicities and miraculous occurrences of inexplicable coincidences will increasingly occur. Learning to look deeper than your personal issues or ego, to see your own higher self's true connection to its Source, is the key that allows the 6th chakra to open and flourish.