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Unlike exercise or sports, opening the third eye is not a predictable goal that can be reached by following certain steps. Each person has a different constitution, personality, life, age and disposition. These factors all affect how she will approach chakra and subtle body work.
Normally, a very skilled teacher will work one on one with a student, assessing and determining when the student is ready. What one student may reach in 15 years, another may take 20 years.
Ashtanga yoga means eight limbs or branches of the yoga practice. There is hatha (asana), pranayama (breath work), dharana (concentration) and other limbs, each more refined than the previous. Opening the third eye center is very advanced work and not necessarily appropriate for everyone for this reason. -
Normally, a student might be given a comprehensive asana program to follow for a few years, then proceed to pranayama and, many years later, proceed to third eye work. The best assessment is to notice how easily you are able to sit with eyes closed in a meditation without agitation or racing thoughts. If you cannot do a sitting meditation without duress for at least 30 minutes, it is probably too soon to consider opening the third eye center.
Literally, dedicated practitioners of a holistic yoga tradition may meditate daily for years before moving on to work to open the third eye center. It is not a beginner's practice. -
If you can mediate peacefully for at least 30 minutes, it is safe to practice a candlelight meditation. It can be done for about 15 minutes for beginners.
Start by keeping the room dark with lights out and curtains drawn. Light a tall candle secured in a candleholder, set on a table. Sit about 5 to 7 feet away from it so that you can easily sit straight and gaze at it. Look directly at the whitest part of the flame. Blink only as needed.
After about four or five minutes, close your eyes, keeping your head upright. You will see the afterimage of the flame: first as a red flame with bright blue to purple dots, outlined by a blue border. Later, the colors will change to a black flame with red dots, inside a bright yellow border and a larger border of lime-green behind it. Keep your eyes closed as long as you see the flame. Once it disappears, open your eyes and gaze at the white flame. Repeat up to 15 minutes. Rest. Do nightly until you only have to close your eyes once or twice in the 15 minute period. Once you do, extend the meditation gradually in five-minute increments until you reach 30 minutes.
Candlelight meditation is one way to open the third eye: intuition and insight. Only a skilled teacher can assess you; she can look to see if your third eye is open--it will blink back at her.
