Book of the week/ The Opening of the Third Eye by Douglas Baker

 Book of the week

The Opening of The Third Eye” 

By Dr. Douglas Baker

Softback book . 127 Pages

First edition 1977

Reprinted 1993

Baker Publications, England 

ISBN	9780906006856 (ISBN10: 0906006856)
ASIN	0906006856
Language	English

 Many years ago now , I first read this little classic from the late 70s/early 80s esoteric scene (it’s been around since ~1977–1980 depending on the edition). Doctor Douglas Baker was a medical doctor who went full-on into occult/esoteric stuff, and this book is basically him trying to bridge old-school theosophy/Alice Bailey vibes with some pseudo-scientific explanations of chakras, etheric bodies, and — you guessed it — opening the third eye.

The core idea is cool: the “true” third eye isn’t just your pineal gland doing DMT tricks (though he talks about that), but the result of three etheric head centres (pineal, pituitary + carotid) lighting up together and creating this energy vortex that expands your consciousness into clairvoyance, higher awareness, etc. He gives five “safe” techniques he’s supposedly used himself for 40+ years without blowing a fuse.

The good bits:

•  If you’re into old-school esoteric anatomy, this scratches that itch. Baker loves diagrams, energy whirlwinds, and explaining how everything ties into quantum physics (well… 1970s version of it )

•  Some people really vibe with the mix of medical knowledge + occult teachings. A few Amazon/Goodreads folks call it “very informative” and appreciate the “scientific” angle alongside the mystical stuff.

•  Short book at 127 small pages  — you can knock it out in a weekend if you’re motivated.

The not-so-good bits: for beginners this book is too dense , at times rambly, and a bit dated for modern readers perhaps. A lot of readers (i

go “uhhhh what?” in the first chapters. But this book demands your patience and attention just like the process itself. He throws around terms like etheric vision, chakras interplay, and cosmic fire without always holding your hand.

Several reviews straight-up say “very confusing”, “went right over my head”, or “he rambles a lot but there’s interesting stuff buried in there”. It’s not for everyone but having read it several times there are some good concepts and ideas within the pages.

It’s not really a step-by-step “Open Your Third Eye in 30 Days!” manual. More like 60% theory/explanation of what the third eye actually is (and isn’t), and only a smaller part practical exercises. If you’re a total beginner in this world, you’ll probably want something gentler first (maybe Leadbeater’s old stuff or a modern chakra book).

Author information 

Dr. Douglas Baker (full name Douglas Mackley Baker) was a fascinating figure in the 20th-century esoteric and occult world — basically a medically trained guy who went all-in on Theosophy, Alice Bailey teachings, and spiritual science.

Born in London, England in 1922, he was raised in South Africa. During WWII (starting in 1939), he actually enlisted early on. Later, he studied Arts & Humanities in South Africa, then moved to the UK and qualified in medicine at Sheffield University around 1964 (he held qualifications like B.A., M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P. — proper doctor credentials).

After practising medicine and teaching in London’s East End schools for about a decade, he shifted gears hard into esoteric studies. He became a prolific lecturer, writer, and teacher in the fields of:

•  Esoteric astrology (building heavily on Alice Bailey’s “new astrology”)

•  Esoteric psychology

•  The Seven Rays

•  Esoteric healing & anatomy

•  Meditation, third eye development, karma, reincarnation, and the ancient wisdom traditions

He’s probably best known today for his books — he wrote tons of them (like 200+ titles or editions floating around on Goodreads/Amazon). Popular ones include The Opening of the Third Eye(which we chatted about), Esoteric Astrology: The New Astrology, Karmic Laws, Superconsciousness Through Meditation, and multi-volume works on esoteric anatomy and the Seven Pillars of Ancient Wisdom.

He passed away on November 3, 2011 (a date some of his students still mark with tributes, calling him a “great teacher” and “master”).

His work lives on through sites like douglasbaker.org (which sells his old lectures as MP3s and videos), various esoteric publishers, and fans in Theosophical/Neo-Theosophical circles. If you’re deep into Bailey’s writings, Baker is one of the main popularisers who made those dense ideas more lecture-friendly and diagram-heavy.

In short: doctor-turned-mystic, hardcore Alice Bailey fanboy, and one of the most productive esoteric writers of the late 20th century. Bit of a niche legend in spiritual/esoteric communities!

PDF of the book on The Internet Archive 

https://archive.org/details/openingofthethirdeyebydr.douglasbaker

Used copies are available from some websites including 

https://www.abebooks.co.uk/book-search/title/the-opening-of-the-third-eye/author/baker/