The term, ‘third eye,’ refers to a mystical perception associated with intuition and insight – the ‘third eye.’ Symbolized by a third eye located in the middle of the forehead, the ‘third eye’ concept is linked to a deeper understanding beyond what one sees with normal sight. The word ‘blind,’ of course, means to not see at all.
This made the name, “Third Eye Blind,” not unlike the term, ‘jumbo shrimp.’ Both names are at at odds with themselves. So what was the band’s founder, Stephan Jenkins, thinking?
Jenkins, we’ve read, decided on the name as a reflection of the band’s artistic vision. While the “blind” aspect of the band’s name suggested a lack of awareness or perception in contrast to enlightenment typically associated with the third eye, Jenkins felt that the name’s duality represented the band’s exploration of deeper themes in their music.
Deep.
Happily, we pivot to something somewhat related, but that is more apparent to everyone, and that is a phenotypic mark found in some Ibizan Hounds. See if you can see it in the photos of the “Beezers” below:
Photo of Flecha appears with the kind consent of his person, Erica Kasper, who also took the photo
Photo of Kelce, Winner’s Bitch and winner of the Puppy Hound Group at the 2024 Ibizan Hound Specialty – appears with the kind permission of her owner, Meg Smith
Photo of “London” appears with the kind consent of Hiland Langhans Shackelford
Photo of “Gray” by Hiland Langhans Shackelford appears with her permission
Photo by Erica Kasper with consent
Photo by Sarah Murphy with consent
Most cynologists believe the Ibizan Hound to be one of the oldest purebred dogs in existence. Dating back at least 5,000 years, ancestors of the breed were thought to be from Egypt, hounds brought to the Balearic Islands by Phoenician traders. Before then, however, legend has it that ‘Beezers” were favorites of ancient Egyptian pharaohs and played a significant role in their royal courts. Perhaps it is this historical connection that lends an air of mystique to the breed. We also came across reference to a bit of Balearic folk culture which believed that it was very bad luck to harm an Ibizan Hound if its owner no longer wanted the dog. Instead, the dog was released on the other side of the island so that someone else could adopt it.
In the world of an animal totems (symbolic representations of an animal that holds spiritual significance), the Ibizan hound is said to offer guidance in detecting and navigating unseen threats or opportunities, and enhance the owner’s trust in their own intuition.
We did a bit more digging and found that according to Animal Omens.com (a site powered by the latest in AI technology, so there’s that), owning an Ibizan Hound reflects the owner’s tenacity in pursuing goals even in the face of significant setbacks.
And when it comes to our sleep, dreaming of an Ibizan Hound suggests that the dreamer is dealing with issues related to independence or assertiveness in their waking life, a symbol of their pursuit of goals or a need to “hunt” for something in their life. Dream interpretation is subjective, however, and we share this in the spirit of fun.
Still, there’s that whole ‘third eye’ thing…..
Top photo by John Fisher appears with consent