Third Eye

We have mentioned that Panikkar often likes to speak of the “third eye”, a concept from the 12th century Victorine school. The medieval theologian and mystic Richard of Saint Victor used to say that God created man with three eyes: one corporeal (oculus carnis, sensible reality), another rational (oculus rationis, the reality that my reason reveals to me), and a third, the eye of contemplation (oculus fidei, religious and mystic vision). On leaving Paradise the first became debilitated, the second, perturbed and the third, blind. If the third eye is not cultivated and exercised it will remain permanently blind. To be outside of paradise is precisely that state of being unable to perceive the Presence, of lacking the organ capable of experiencing, of ‘seeing’ God. The West, which has so preponderantly developed the eye of reason, now especially suffers from this blindness.