Gerrit Gielen

Imagine seeing the world not only with your two physical eyes, but also with an inner eye that looks far deeper. This inner eye — often called the third eye — is the organ through which you perceive your own thoughts, feelings, and inner world. Close your eyes for a moment. You are still here. You notice thoughts drifting by, emotions rising, and images appearing spontaneously. That is your inner eye at work, observing all of it. .

In our Western culture, however, we have forgotten how powerful this eye truly is. Influenced by a materialistic science, we have come to believe that our inner world is a private island, completely separate from that of others. Everything outside ourselves is considered “dead” or merely physical: a stone has no consciousness, a tree has no inner life, and another person is primarily a body with a different story.

This belief creates a deep loneliness because  it blocks our inner eye’s natural ability to perceive the inner world of others.

The price of closedness

Many people feel the quiet crisis unfolding in Western society. Despite maintaining a constant connection through social media and busy schedules, we feel alone more  than ever. We have lost our  natural bond with others, with animals, with nature, and even with the universe itself.

When we were children, it was different. Do you remember how you could instantly sense the mood of the teacher or the entire class? How a collective atmosphere affected everyone at once? Children live more connected than adults.

As we grow older, we learn to ignore that connection. We close our inner eye and begin to experience the world as a collection of separate objects. The result is not only loneliness, but also prejudice, racism, judgment, and fear. Without inner sight, we only see the outside: a different skin color, a different gender, a different culture. The immediate thought arises,  “They are different, therefore a threat.”

Why did our inner eye close?

For centuries, the inner eye has  been misused. Those who could perceive another person’s inner world could also influence it, for example, by planting thoughts. Stories of manipulation, witchcraft, and inner control have left deep scars. People who openly used this ability were avoided and eventually persecuted. The fear of abuse led to the collective suppression of this natural capacity.

Yet it is time to release that fear. In its essence, the inner eye is a beautiful, connecting force. It shows us that everything is permeated with consciousness. That at the deepest level, all is one.

How do you free your inner eye?

Fortunately, you can awaken it again. It starts with three simple steps:

1. Accept that it exists

Realize that your inner world is not separate from that of others. With your inner eye, you can also perceive the feelings, intentions, and consciousness of another person.

2. Grant everything an inner world

Not only humans, but also animals, plants, and even seemingly “dead” things like stones or stars possess an inner life. When you look with both eyes — the outer and the inner — a complete picture emerges.

3. Dare to look

Be willing to actually do it. Close your physical eyes and use your imagination. Picture what it is like to be someone else. How does their morning feel? What thoughts go through their mind? Why do they act the way they do? Let go of prejudices and approach the other from curiosity and love.

You will notice mental barriers popping up (“I’m just fantasizing”). That’s normal. Stay gentle with yourself and practice regularly. Imagination is a wonderful gateway to the inner eye.

A gaze of love

When you open your inner eye from the heart, everything changes. Judgment gives way to understanding. Distance turns into connection. Loneliness dissolves in the realization that you have never truly been alone.

Freeing your inner eye is not some airy-fairy  choice. It is a revolutionary step toward a richer, more empathetic, and more joyful life — a life in which you are genuinely connected with everything that exists.

It is a step toward healing. Not just your own healing, but the healing of humanity.

Dare to close your eyes. And then truly look.

The world is waiting to be seen again — from the inside.

© Gerrit Gielen

Edited by Suzy Conway

---