More and more people are following the path towards a spiritual awakening. Whether you’ve been receiving a series of signs or you’re pursuing this journey yourself, opening your third eye can feel like an essential key on the path to enlightenment. If you are ready to explore your inner self and discover an expanded state of consciousness, here are the steps you need to take.

1. Maintain Your Health

Your physical, mental and emotional health all play a role in the opening of your third eye. One of the key factors in this process is your energy, so you need to both protect it and be aware of how you’re getting it. You need to be fueling your body with fresh, nutritious foods so that your digestive system doesn’t have to struggle and your body is able to process your meals easily. If you’re struggling to squeeze in all the nutrients your body needs, try supplementing with a thrive patch. In the same vein, you need to consciously be making decisions that will aid in your mental health. Try therapy, brain exercises, and develop healthy coping methods so that your energy isn’t being used on things that don’t serve you.

2. Meditate

Opening your third eye isn’t going to happen if your mind is focused on all the things you have left to do today, or on the thing you said to your significant other last night, or your worries about the future that you can’t control. Many of the messages you can receive through psychic abilities are quiet, especially at the beginning of your journey, and a busy mind probably isn’t going to catch them. To make sure these messages don’t slip through the white noise, learn how to quiet your thoughts and practice mindfulness throughout your day. You can start with short and simple guided meditations and experiment to find the types that work best for you. Once you’ve gotten the hang of things, you can attempt a specific third eye meditation with more specific instructions. Be careful though, beginners can be easily frustrated by diving into more advanced techniques, especially if they’re not used to longer meditations.

3. Practice Grounding

As you progress on your journey, it can be very easy to lose your sense of self in a negative way. You may have trouble coming back to reality or experience trouble sleeping after meditation sessions. It is important to remember that for now, you reside in an earthly body. This is where you exist, and the spiritual realms will always be available to you as you further develop your skills. Try walking barefoot outdoors and practice grounding while you meditate to give yourself a secure anchor. Practicing yoga, especially Kundalini yoga, is a great way to learn how to activate your energy in a safe manner.

4. Find Your Tools

There are some tools, like essential oils or crystals, that can help you open your third eye, but your mileage may vary. What works for others may not work for you, so do your research and experiment safely. You may be tempted to try certain substances to forcefully open your third eye, but this can be dangerous and have serious effects on your mental state.

5. Maintain a Routine

Your spiritual journey does not end with any sort of special destination. There is always more to discover, and always more to learn about yourself and the universe around you. Do not be discouraged if you find yourself struggling with any of these steps. There is a reason people dedicate their entire lives solely to making these journeys, so you’re not going to master meditation overnight. Depending on your starting point, like how well you can clear your mind and how healthy you are, it may take months or even years to see the kinds of results you’d like to see, but the rewards are numerous and can be lifelong.