What Is the Brow Chakra? Indigo Energy, Intuition and the Third Eye Centre
The brow chakra is the sixth energy centre in the chakra system — the one associated with deep indigo, inner clarity, and the kind of knowing that arrives quietly, before you can fully explain it. Located between the eyebrows, it's traditionally understood as the seat of perception and intuition, the place where physical sight meets inner vision. This article explores what the brow chakra is, why indigo energy is central to it, which gemstones and practices are traditionally connected with it, and how Colour Energy's indigo range brings these ideas into everyday life.
What Is the Brow Chakra?
The brow chakra — also known as the third eye chakra, or Ajna in Sanskrit — is the sixth of the seven primary energy centres in the chakra system. It sits at the centre of the forehead, between and slightly above the eyebrows.
Within chakra traditions, the brow chakra governs perception: not just physical sight, but the capacity for insight, intuition, discernment, and inner knowing. It's the energy centre associated with the ability to see clearly — to read a situation beneath its surface, sense what isn't spoken, and trust your own instincts. At Colour Energy, this centre is described as "Your Indigo Intelligence" — the seat of a quieter, deeper way of perceiving the world.
As the sixth chakra, the brow sits between the throat chakra below it and the crown chakra above, bridging the more personal centres of the lower system with the expansive awareness of the crown. You can explore the full picture of where each chakra sits in the system in What Do Chakra Colours Mean?
Amethyst — Brow Chakra Stone
What Colour Is the Brow Chakra?
The brow chakra is associated with indigo — the deep blue-purple colour that sits between blue and violet in the visible light spectrum. Indigo has a quality that sets it apart from either of its neighbours: it's more inward than blue, more mysterious than violet, carrying a sense of depth and stillness.
Colour psychology research suggests that deep blue-purple tones tend to promote a sense of calm and inward focus — which aligns naturally with the brow chakra's traditional associations of reflection and perception. Within colour therapy traditions, indigo is connected to insight, subtlety, and the kind of awareness that operates beneath ordinary thought.
The depth of indigo — and why this particular colour carries such rich meaning — is explored fully in What Does Indigo Mean?
Where Is the Brow Chakra Located?
The brow chakra is located at the centre of the forehead, between the eyebrows — the point often called the "third eye." In everyday life, this is the area people instinctively touch or press when concentrating deeply, recalling something, or working through a strong feeling. That instinct reflects something that chakra traditions have long named: this area is a powerful point of focus and inner perception.
Working with the brow chakra often involves this area directly — placing a crystal here during a lying-down meditation, applying an oil with a gentle touch, or simply directing breath and attention toward the forehead during quiet practice.
What Crystals Are Connected to the Brow Chakra?
Within crystal and gemstone traditions, a range of stones are associated with the brow chakra and the indigo energy centre. Colour Energy's published gemstone system assigns the following to the brow chakra:
Amethyst is Colour Energy's signature brow chakra crystal — deep purple and naturally arresting, traditionally associated with intuition, stillness, and spiritual clarity. Within crystal traditions, amethyst is often chosen when someone wants to deepen their meditation practice, cultivate inner quiet, or support a more discerning quality of awareness. It's important to note that in the Colour Energy system, amethyst belongs to the brow chakra (indigo), not the crown chakra — a distinction the brand maintains consistently across its published material.
Other gemstones traditionally placed at the brow chakra in the Colour Energy system include:
- Aqua Aura — iridescent blue-gold quartz, associated with clarity and elevated perception
- Celestite — pale blue stone, traditionally chosen to encourage a calm and elevated quality of awareness
- Dumortierite — deep blue stone connected to patience and mental clarity
- Iolite — blue-violet crystal associated with inner vision and finding direction
- Indicolite (Blue Tourmaline) — deep blue-green variety of tourmaline, connected to spiritual awareness
- Lepidolite — lilac-purple mica mineral, often chosen for perspective and a settling quality of mind (also associated with the crown chakra — when a stone spans two adjacent centres, both are relevant)
- Moonstone — luminous white-grey stone, traditionally connected to intuition, inner knowing, and receptivity
- Pietersite and Shattuckite — rarer minerals with deep blue-indigo tones, placed at the brow in Colour Energy's chakra system
The Prosperity Bracelet — Indigo brings amethyst into an everyday wearable form — natural amethyst beads on a stretch cord, each bracelet presented with an information card and a velvet pouch. It's designed for those wanting to carry indigo energy with them throughout the day.
Crystals & Meditation Space
How Do You Work with Your Brow Chakra?
Working with the brow chakra doesn't require a structured practice or prior experience — it often begins simply, with intention and a sensory anchor.
Aromatherapy
The essential oils most often associated with the brow chakra are frankincense, myrrh, patchouli, and myrtle — botanicals with deep, resinous, meditative scents that many people find naturally conducive to stillness and inner focus. The Energy Blend — Indigo combines frankincense, myrrh, and patchouli in a jojoba base. It's a 10 ml oil designed to be applied to the brow point during meditation or quiet time — a small ritual that anchors attention on the energy centre.
The Crystal Light Spiritual Spray — Indigo offers a room and body mist format — lavender, patchouli, myrtle, and myrrh in a formulation made with essential oils and flower essences. It's a good choice for extending indigo energy into a meditation space, or for those who prefer misting over direct oil application.
Roll-on essence
The Chakra Light Essence Roll-On — Indigo is a 10 ml roll-on designed for direct application to the brow chakra point. The brand suggests using it in the evening, with focused breath and a simple intention of connecting with inner clarity.
Colour baths
A Colour Bath® — Indigo creates a full sensory experience — the indigo-tinted water surrounding and softening, encouraging the kind of deep relaxation that tends to accompany the brow chakra's natural qualities. For a more complete experience, the Chakra Spa Kit — Indigo brings together a curated indigo chakra experience — Dead Sea salt, a chakra blend sampler, a tumbled gemstone, and a guidebook — for a complete brow chakra treatment at home.
As with any essential oil product, a simple patch test is a thoughtful first step if you have sensitive skin. If you are pregnant, nursing, or have a specific health concern, your healthcare provider can offer personalised guidance.
Polished Amethyst — Indigo Energy
What Does the Brow Chakra Feel Like When It's in Flow?
When the brow chakra energy is engaged and flowing, many people describe a heightened sense of clarity — a feeling of being able to read situations more easily, of trusting their instincts without second-guessing themselves, of knowing something before they can fully explain why.
There's also a quality of perspective that often accompanies it: the ability to step back, see the wider picture, and not get caught in the noise of every small concern. Within colour therapy traditions, this is understood as the natural state of the indigo energy centre — perception that extends beyond the immediate and obvious, toward the deeper patterns underneath experience.
Others describe it simply as a kind of quiet confidence in their own inner guidance — a settled, grounded sense of knowing that doesn't need external confirmation. For more practical approaches to working with and supporting this centre, see How to Balance Your Brow Chakra.
Stillness & Inner Perception
Frequently Asked Questions about the Brow Chakra
What's the difference between the brow chakra and the third eye chakra?
They refer to the same energy centre. "Brow chakra" is the term used in Western colour therapy traditions and throughout the Colour Energy system, while "third eye" is the popular shorthand drawn from Hindu and yogic traditions, where the same centre is known as Ajna. Both names point to the same location — the forehead between the eyebrows — and the same qualities of inner perception and intuition.
How is the brow chakra different from the crown chakra?
The brow chakra (indigo) and the crown chakra (violet) are neighbouring centres, and both are connected to expanded awareness — but they work differently. The brow chakra is associated with perception, insight, and inner vision: seeing clearly, reading beneath the surface, trusting your own understanding. The crown chakra, positioned at the top of the head, is associated with a wider spiritual awareness — consciousness itself, a sense of connection to something larger than the individual self. You can explore this further in What Does Violet Mean?
What does amethyst have to do with the brow chakra?
In the Colour Energy gemstone and chakra system, amethyst is the primary brow chakra crystal — specifically placed at the indigo centre, not the crown chakra. This distinction matters: Colour Energy's own published material consistently pairs amethyst with the brow chakra and with intuition, meditation, and the qualities of indigo energy. The Prosperity Bracelet — Indigo, made with natural amethyst, reflects this association directly.
Can anyone work with their brow chakra?
Yes — working with your brow chakra doesn't require a specific background, belief system, or level of experience with chakras. Many people begin simply, using an indigo oil or essence during quiet time, or wearing amethyst as a reminder to slow down and trust their instincts. The practices are accessible and personal — you take whatever resonates and set aside what doesn't.
The brow chakra is perhaps the most personal of the seven centres — because it invites you to trust something you already carry: your own perceptions, your own way of knowing, your own inner clarity. Whether you're exploring indigo for the first time or deepening a practice you've had for years, the invitation of this energy centre is consistent: slow down enough to hear what's already there.