In Indian and many Asian spiritual traditions, what does the "Third Eye" symbolize?

Saints and spiritual masters, since time immemorial, have come to remind us that we are much more than the body that we see with our physical eyes, much more than our mind or emotions. In spirituality, the third eye often symbolizes a state of enlightenment. The third eye is (also called the mind's eye or inner eye) is a mystical concept of a speculative invisible eye, usually depicted as located on the forehead, which provides perception beyond ordinary sight.

In Hinduism and Buddhism, the third eye is said to be located around the middle of the forehead, slightly above the junction of the eyebrows, representing the enlightenment one achieves through meditation. In Taoism and many traditional Chinese religious sects such as Chan (called Zen in Japanese), "third eye training" involves focusing attention between the eyebrows with the eyes closed, while the body is in various coordinated postures. According to the Christian teaching of Father Richard Rohr, the concept of the third eye is a metaphor for non-dualistic thinking; the way the mystics see. Opening the third eye, according to Rohr, refers to this level of awareness as "having the mind of Christ".

People who are said to have the capacity to utilize their third eyes are sometimes known as seers. The third eye is often associated with religious visions, clairvoyance, the ability to observe auras, precognition, and out-of-body experiences.