Are You Seeing Faces While Meditating? (Possible Explanations)

Have you been seeing faces while meditating? If you have, I don’t doubt you want to try and figure out why you’re seeing faces and what this means.

What Does It Mean If You’re Seeing Faces While Meditating?

It’s always hard to interpret the different visions you may be seeing while meditating. There are various reasons for seeing certain images – such as faces – and the answer can vary from person-to-person.

Generally speaking, however, if you’ve seen a face it’s believed to mean either of the following:

Your Subconscious Mind Is Sending You a Message

Our subconscious mind is where we store all of our memories, skills, habits, and other things we don’t need to access on a daily basis.

Meditation is one of the most effective ways to engage with our subconscious minds.

This is one of the reasons we are able to change habits, the way we think, and make deep-rooted changes to how we feel and operate through meditation practice.

One of the effects of engaging with your subconscious mind is that you may see, or even feel images and experiences you have locked away in there.

You don’t have control over what your subconscious mind is doing either. You do have control over your conscious mind, which is why you can choose to focus on these visions, or not.

So, you may just be recalling images of faces stored in your subconscious mind. Whether or not your brain is trying to send you a message or if it’s just random is a much-debated topic.

I think it’s best answered by you. Did something come from the faces you’ve been seeing? Can you relate it to something in your life?

You’re Experiencing Pareidolia

Pareidolia is an interesting phenomenon. It’s defined by Merriam-webster as:

The tendency to perceive a specific, often meaningful image in a random or ambiguous visual pattern.

What this means in simple terms is that your brain is telling you you’re seeing something that you recognize or can relate to that isn’t really there.

One of the best examples of this is looking at clouds. Have you ever played that game where you look for clouds that resemble something?

Like you’d see a cloud that looks like a car. Yet, someone else would see a dinosaur?

If not, you should play this game, it’s fun. It’s also the perfect example of how one person can see one thing, and someone else another from the same shape.

Visions during meditation are not uncommon. So, having a random vision appear to be a face could simply be a case of your brain seeing it as a face.

I know this doesn’t help if you’re sure you think you saw a family member’s face, a friend, or someone else you know, but it just might not really be them.

Related – Seeing random images while meditating?

You’re Activating Your Third Eye

The third eye is an often controversial, but always fascinating topic when seeing visions, colors, or other imagery happens during meditation.

In Hindu, the third eye is often depicted as a large eye in the middle of the forehead.

This happens to be where the pineal gland is located, which is where the science behind the third eye comes from.

When you see certain images during meditation, it’s believed that you’re activating your third eye also called the mind’s eye or inner eye.

The benefits of activating your third eye range from being able to connect with a “higher” power, bringing all of your chakras into alignment, gaining “enlightenment”, and other spiritual things.

This is a deeply personal and profound experience. If you think you’re activating your third eye it’s best discussed with a meditation teacher if possible.

Do You See Visions When You Meditate?

Have you been seeing other visions while you meditate? I’d love to hear about your own meditation experiences if so, just drop me a comment below if you can.

Seeing visions is a positive thing. It’s demonstrating that you’re achieving a deep meditative state, which is great.

It doesn’t often happen unless you’ve been practicing for some time. I know it took me a year or so before I really understood how to quieten that monkey mind chatter and keep my focus where it needed to be for long enough.

If you’re interested in learning more, I’ve written up some posts covering some of my experiences on this topic.

Please feel free to check out seeing a baby while meditating. Or, seeing an eye while meditating for more on what it means to activate your third eye.

In Summary

If you’re seeing faces while meditating it’s a good sign. Try not to freak out or panic. Also, don’t focus on these images while they’re happening, just let them be.

You’re right to look for reasoning and any messages in these visions. I hope the information in this article will help provide you those answers.

Good luck with your future meditation practices!

Related – Check out my favorite guided meditation apps here if you want to try some of the best free meditation materials.

Resources

What is pareidolia? – EarthSky.com

Image credits – Header Photo by Peter Forster, cloud image by Daniel Páscoa on Unsplash