214. Is Gen-Z The Eye Chakra Generation?
So throughout my quest to label each generation as a chakra (which by the way I didn’t force, it sort of “sprung up” on me in terms of a revelation, I have coined the boomers to be the heart chakra generation, and the millennials to be the throat chakra generation. Does this mean Gen-Z is the eye chakra generation? I believe so.
To clarify, I realize that I am negating an entire generation, which is Gen-X. And I do just want to say… I apologize. However, I don’t feel that Gen-X is defined by a chakra. While the generation is of course incredibly important in several different ways, I just don’t feel that again, it has bearing on a chakra.
So let’s talk about the third eye chakra. To me, the best word to describe this chakra is “vision” in general. It can be vision for your life in the physical world, but it can also be “vision” in a spiritual sense. It has much to do with imagination, as well as “creating” a future. While of course vision can span to the current moment as well as the past, it primarily focuses in on the future. There’s a lot of art and creativity surrounding the third eye chakra in general. And although planning is more of a pragmatic approach, we can associate it with “envisioning” a future in more of a practical way.
It’s also interesting to note this in combination with the millennial throat chakra weaknesses and strengths. I feel that Gen-Z naturally embodies throat chakra expression, and therefore it’s not a heavy emphasis.
Also, to clarify, this is more so a hunch, and I don’t feel so strongly in this that I’d go to bat for it. Millennial and throat chakra, yes. As I was a part of that generation. However, I feel it’s up to Gen-Z to decide for themselves.
So let’s talk about hypothetical “symptoms” of an eye chakra generation:
Spiritual communication: Third eye is strongly connected to “seeing”, “visioning” and intuition. As our third eye is not “physically” on our bodies, it in turn perceives what is not physically there. It deals with the unseen, the metaphysical and perhaps even conceptually, “more than what meets the eye”. A spiritually oriented generation no doubt would not only have a heightened interest in spiritual communication matters, but likely more so integrated into their daily life. It’s no secret that Gen-Z has been at the forefront of commodified spirituality. It’s not unusual to own crystals, sage or even tarot cards. It’s truly reached the masses, and is not just reserved for witches, psychics/mediums and so on. While of course some divisiveness remains in regards to spirituality, the notable aspect is the level of integration as well as accepted truth. Even those who are not aligned to spirituality are generally “aware” of much of these artifacts and concepts. There’s a level of understanding. On top of that, while astrology has been somewhat of a nuanced field or specialty, there’s practically no pop culture industry which hasn’t acknowledged or integrated astrology in some way. Whether it’s fashion, beauty, or general products. Astrology is common place discussion, and despite some having a limited awareness, there’s a general sense of understanding and acceptance. Additionally, it’s worth noting the departure of traditional religious affiliations. It would be no surprise that a heightened sense of spiritual communication as an individual would really blur the line between them and a traditional religious affiliation. It would make sense that each and every person distinguishes their own relationship to spirituality, rather than being told. The Survey Center on American Life shows More Than a Third of Gen Z Identifies as Religiously Unaffiliated. The Springtide Research Institute survey showed that 51% of its sample population, aged 13-25, engage in "tarot cards or fortune telling." Of that percentage, 17% practice daily, 25% once a week, 27% once a month and 31% less than once a month.
Visuals and social media: One of the most notable marks of a “visual” generation would be the emphasis on visuals in general. Visuals would and could be pervasive through every walk or aspect of life. While one could argue that visuals would be prominent/important for any and every generation, what “marks” a generation’s association with it would be advancements and evolution, which I believe we have strong proof for. Distinguishing itself from Facebook, Instagram launched in 2010 and was really the first visually-first social media platform. Not only was it image-first, but it was also aesthetic-first. Snapchat and TikTok came to follow, and what’s interesting about all of these social media platforms is the distinguishing quality and factor of the different visuals. For example, Instagram is/was a much more polished approach, while Snapchat is/was much more candid and plain. The multitude of different platforms and aesthetics really shows the variation of visuals, perceptions and aesthetics. Let’s not forget the launch of the meta verse which is quite literally an altered visual reality. I think we can also add NFT’s to the mix, which is an incredibly new visually-forward method of exchange. Leave it to an eye chakra generation to make currency into art.
Body dysmorphia, or how you “see” yourself: According to the National Eating Disorder Association, there is a link between social media and increased body image concerns, especially with young women aged 18–25. We’re now constantly exposed to images and content, showing ‘ideal’ body types and unrealistic beauty standards. The increase of FaceTune and Instagram Filters can lead to a warped perception of beauty, making everyday users compare their own image to that of highly edited images of models. Much of our self worth is determined by how we look. Never before in history have our bodies been so heavily scrutinized. Another sort of interesting tidbit would be the rise in plastic surgery as a means of warping or altering our appearances. It’s no surprise that any and every single generation has experienced discrimination based on their looks or suffered from self conscious behaviors, but the rise in the commodification of our appearance (in marketing, especially) as well as the prevalence of social media as a form of “appearance competition”, it’s truly heightened our awareness, and likely has us picking our bodies apart in a way never before seen. Now we’re so consistently in front of a camera, that every single flaw is being broadcasted for the world to see.
The meta verse: Deloitte’s Digital Media Trends 2021 notes that Generation Z (those born between the years 1997 and 2012) make up approximately 60% of users in the meta verse. This generation spends approximately eight or more hours a day online and is more immersed in digital culture than any other generation. Additionally, 87% of Gen-Z consider themselves gamers. The meta verse is quite literally an altered reality, primarily based in visuals. While I don’t feel that the meta verse is entirely visual, its components are strongly connected to living in a virtual world, which is all encompassing. Virtual reality has truly come a way, as it’s often times indistinguishable from real life. When we consider how much time we spend playing games versus living our reality, it’s clear that this generation has marked a new era of living in a “different world”.
Activism and “envisioning” a new world: The Irregular Labs Survey, which was was conducted "in 7 countries, including the United States, United Kingdom/Germany, India, China, Brazil, and South Africa, among nationally representative samples of 300 girl and GSM [gender and sexual minority] Gen Zs in each country," found that 75% of respondents said being politically or socially engaged is very important to their identity. Keep in mind that “vision” is not just physical. It’s metaphorical, as well. Our vision not only spans ourselves, but the world around us. It’s clear that Gen-Z as well as the rest of us are always on the hunt for good self-help, but consider how Gen-Z is taking this to the streets. They are actualizing this vision in a way that’s never been done before. Perhaps we can also attribute this to the rise of social media, allowing us to have a voice more now than ever. But it’s really unique to this generation in regards to taking a stand and having non-negotiables, particularly with the companies they either work for, or buy from. There’s a clear and precise “outcome” that Gen-Z is looking for, which is associated with their decisions.
The color blue: The third eye chakra is indicated by a deep blue or indigo color. While blue certainly hasn’t been “the” Gen-Z color of choice (and I don’t feel it has to be to retain the idea/concept), I did find some interesting research from a picture editing app. Picsart notes, “In recent months, we've seen searches relating to teal and blue increase 101% with no signs of slowing.”
So what’s the point of all of this? You can certainly argue against it, and of course this is very specific to my point of view, but I do believe there’s some insight. If we can understand what is of emphasis to a generation, we can leverage these strengths, and target these weaknesses. Let’s take a look at the positives and negatives, or perhaps important things to note in general:
Areas of success: The visual spectrum is an area of potential, growth and success. Industries with an emphasis on visual design, artwork or graphics in general will be lucrative and successful. On a more metaphorical note, industries which help to access and grow/develop one’s intuition may also. In terms of broader “visions” in general, self-help or imagining a bigger, better and more beautiful world will be of note, as well. Consider a hypothetical or theoretical business venture: Beautifully marketed, accessing or heightening the intuition of a client, as well as providing clients with a true “vision” of their future. Win, win, win!
Areas of stress: As we know, themes are a swinging door. So what are some pitfalls? With an over-reliance on visuals, it can be hard not to get stuck in a trap of “appearance is everything”. It’s important not to nit-pick and go too far in the direction of being one in the same, but also simultaneously so far away from the collective, that it’s no longer relevant. And this can be for oneself, as well as work produced in general. In terms of “envisioning a future”, this is also relevant. It’s important to be clear and concise with what you want to see in the world, as well as what you want to see in your own life. Potential stumbling blocks would be lack of intention setting or imagination, or simply following through with the steps to achieve it. Getting too caught up in a fear cycle may drive you too far away from the collective, therefore there may be fractaled decisions or goals for how we “see” ourselves. It’s important to remain unified. In terms of intuition, a heightened sense of intuition or struggling to achieve it may ultimately be a problem. There needs to be a balance of spirituality as well as the physical world and present moment. It’s important not to get too “in our heads”, so to speak. Intuition may be of emphasis, and therefore it can be challenging to integrate. Consider how spirituality and intuition can work for you. Where is it appropriate, and where is it not? Try not to stress yourself out with the concept overall.
