On Third Eyes

[Richard S.]

In a lot of Gloranthan art I've seen illuminates tend to be pictured with a third eye in their forehead. Is this just an artistic representation of their illumination, or are third eyes something that actually appears on illuminates, if not physically then on the hero or spirit planes. And if so, do they have any use or are they just there for looking cool?

[jeffjerwin]

38 minutes ago, Richard S. said:

In a lot of Gloranthan art I've seen illuminates tend to be pictured with a third eye in their forehead. Is this just an artistic representation of their illumination, or are third eyes something that actually appears on illuminates, if not physically then on the hero or spirit planes. And if so, do they have any use or are they just there for looking cool?

I think the 'third eye' is an actual physical symptom of the alterations that occur to the magical organs in the head, but it may be invisible unless viewed by another mystic or when mystic magic is being utilized.

[soltakss]

It could well be symbolic/artistic, but I'd also say that it could well manifest in the right situation, for example while on a HeroQuest, when speaking to certain deities and when you are showing certain powers.

[M Helsdon]

Probably both, and in some cases you might only see the third eye if you too are illuminated...

[Darius West]

I suspect the third eye is purely symbolic of detecting other Illuminates in Glorantha.  Why?  Because Shamans aren't depicted with third eyes, when on Earth their abilities would suggest they should be.

On Earth, the Third Eye symbolism in Buddhism is associated with second sight, and is not so different to the Spirit Magic spell of the same name, save that it is allegedly "always on" in an enlightened being.  It can also be seen to be an expression of wisdom and insight into human problems that appears supernatural, but is an effect of wisdom and compassion, depending on the entity depicted.  The idea of the third eye is common in Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, Jainism, and in Egypt, which had considerable contact with India via the Indian Ocean/Red Sea/Upper Nile trade route, but the Eye of Horus means something quite different and is never depicted on the center of the forehead.

 

Edited December 26, 2018 by Darius West

[soltakss]

The Third Eye Blue people are not Illuminates, but have a mystical Third Eye that allows them to see the secrets of iron.

[Sir_Godspeed]

7 hours ago, Darius West said:

I suspect the third eye is purely symbolic of detecting other Illuminates in Glorantha.  Why?  Because Shamans aren't depicted with third eyes, when on Earth their abilities would suggest they should be.

On Earth, the Third Eye symbolism in Buddhism is associated with second sight, and is not so different to the Spirit Magic spell of the same name, save that it is allegedly "always on" in an enlightened being.  It can also be seen to be an expression of wisdom and insight into human problems that appears supernatural, but is an effect of wisdom and compassion, depending on the entity depicted.  The idea of the third eye is common in Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, Jainism, and in Egypt, which had considerable contact with India via the Indian Ocean/Red Sea/Upper Nile trade route, but the Eye of Horus means something quite different and is never depicted on the center of the forehead.

 

It was also, perhaps later on, associated with the pineal gland, as as a kind of biologization of mysticism during the Enlightenment in Europe (possibly after Buddhist texts were translated and made available to Europeans - but probably also associated with the Eye of Providence from Christian iconoraphy).

In the RW, the only vertebrates with third eyes to my knowledge are lizards (squamata), who have a light-sensitive spot on the top of their head. While dragons and dragonewts are not lizards per se, it's an amusing coincidence that they are associated with mysticism and Illumination in Glorantha.